How do you choose a good dental assistant school?

Answer 1

Dental assistant schools influence your competence and the quality of education you will receive, which is why it is important to select a good school. It is not advisable to make a random choice of dental assistant schools to study in. Here are some factors you should take consider when choosing a dental assistant school which will give you adequate practise and exposure for real life.

First and foremost, only choose dental assistant schools accredited by government and professional dental associations, as these are an indication of competence and credibility. Some professional dental associations even have ratings or rankings on the performance of these schools. These ratings and rankings can be a helpful guide in evaluating the dental assistant schools in your area. Choosing accredited institutions guarantees that the school's curriculum, methods of instruction, facilities and faculty have already been evaluated by an impartial and objective third party. When dental assistant schools are affiliated with a professional dental association, the chances of getting employed right after graduation and getting a license are much higher.

Next, you should consider the rankings and performance of the dental assistant schools and of its graduates in licensing examinations. It is always advisable to choose a school whose students consistently perform well in licensing exams. Ideally, you should choose dental assistant schools that have been consistently included in the top 10 best-performing dental assistant schools list.

You must also consider the facilities in various dental assistant schools. Even if a school may have the best faculty, the quality of education will still be mediocre without state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. You must always bear in mind that dental practice is not limited to theory and academics, but is largely devoted to hands-on training. Most principles and guidelines in dental practice are best learned and understood through actual application. For instance, you need to know how to actually use dental equipment and tools. Reading the steps through a manual will never be enough. For these reasons the facilities of any dental assistant school are of crucial importance. You also need to be experienced at handling actual patient inquiries and complaints. A clinical internship is also an integral phase in the curriculum of dental assistant schools.

Finally, you need to compare the overall costs. Tuition fees are just part of the total amount you need to allocate for your enrollment in dental assistant schools. You should also look at miscellaneous fees. Some dental assistant schools charge low tuition fees but they compensate with higher miscellaneous charges for items like text books.