Questions to Ask Dental Hygienist Programs<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in South Thomaston ME, you can begin the process of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the start of this article, a number of potential students start by checking out the location and the cost of the schools. Possibly they look for some online options also. Even though these may be important initial considerations, there are several additional questions that you should address to the schools you are comparing in order to make an informed decision. To start that process, we have included a list of questions to help you with your evaluation and final selection of the best dental hygienist program for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental College Accredited?<\/strong> There are many valid reasons why you should only enroll in an accredited dental hygienist school. If you are intending to become certified or licensed, then accreditation is a requirement in almost all states. To qualify to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, your dental school must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps ensure that the instruction you receive is comprehensive and of the highest quality. South Thomaston ME employers typically prefer or require that job applicants are graduates of accredited colleges. And last, if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, usually they are not obtainable for non-accredited schools.<\/p>\nIs Sufficient Practical Training Included?<\/strong> Practical or clinical training is a necessary part of every dental training program. This is true for the online school options as well. Many dental hygienist colleges have partnerships with local dental offices and clinics that furnish practical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the school you choose provides sufficient clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you subsequently want to work in. For example, if you have an interest in a career in pediatric dentistry, make sure that the college you choose offers clinical rotation in a local South Thomaston ME dental office that focuses on dental care for children.<\/p>\nIs There an Internship Program?<\/strong> Verify if the dental programs you are exploring sponsor an internship program. Internships are probably the ideal method to receive hands-on, practical experience in a professional dental practice. They help students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students build working relationships in the professional dental community. And they are attractive on resumes as well.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Help Offered?<\/strong> Many students that have graduated from dental hygienist colleges require help getting their first job. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job assistance programs, and what their job placement rates are. Programs with high job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the South Thomaston ME dental profession in addition to large networks of contacts where they can place their students for employment or internships.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Smaller?<\/strong> Ask the programs you are reviewing how large on average their classes are. The smaller classes usually provide a more personal atmosphere for training where students have greater access to the teachers. On the other hand, bigger classes tend to be impersonal and offer little individualized instruction. If practical, find out if you can monitor a few classes at the South Thomaston ME dental hygienist college that you are most interested in so that you can experience first hand the level of interaction between students and teachers before enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Entire Cost of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene schools can fluctuate in cost dependent on the length of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other factors, such as the reputations of the colleges and whether they are private or public also come into play. But in addition to the tuition there are other significant costs which can add up. They can include costs for such things as textbooks and commuting as well as school materials, equipment and supplies. So when analyzing the cost of programs, don’t forget to include all of the expenses associated with your education. Most colleges have financial aid departments, so make sure to check out what is offered as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the South Thomaston ME area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Accessible?<\/strong> Before selecting a dental hygienist school, you need to verify that the hygienist or assistant program offers classes that fit your schedule. This is especially true if you will be working while acquiring your education and have to go to classes near South Thomaston ME at nights or on weekends. And even if you select an online program, you will still be required to schedule your clinical training classes. Also, while making your inquiries, ask what the make-up policy is if you should have to miss any classes due to illness, work or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near South Thomaston ME?<\/h3>\nSouth Thomaston, Maine<\/h3>
Abenaki Indians called it Wessaweskeag, meaning \"tidal creek\" or \"salt creek,\" a reference to what is now known as the Weskeag River. Thomas Lefebvre from Quebec, Canada owned a huge tract of land at the Weskeag River, where his stay began in 1704. He built a large gristmill, with a house on the shoreline. Although he would eventually return to Quebec, the area retained his name \u2014 Thomas' Town. But the adjacent St. George River was the uneasy dividing line between land controlled by New England and New France. Permanent settlement would be delayed by the French and Indian Wars, which ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris.[4]<\/p>
In 1767, Wessaweskeag was settled by Elisha Snow, who built a sawmill operated by tidal power. In 1773, Joseph Coombs arrived and built another sawmill nearby, and together they built a gristmill. The village of South Thomaston grew around the mills, which would include three granite polishing machines to process stone cut from the town's numerous quarries. On July 28, 1848, South Thomaston was set off from Thomaston and incorporated as a separate town.[5]Owl's Head would be set off from South Thomaston on July 9, 1921.<\/p>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.97 square miles (46.54\u00a0km2), of which, 11.44 square miles (29.63\u00a0km2) of it is land and 6.53 square miles (16.91\u00a0km2) is water.[1] South Thomaston is located on the Weskeag River inlet.<\/p>
The median income for a household in the town was $43,594, and the median income for a family was $55,000. Males had a median income of $38,500 versus $33,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,522. About 6.7% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over. Of the 832 people in the labor force only 25 were unemployed as of the 2010 census making the town's unemployment rate 2.9%.[8]<\/p><\/div>\n