The Associates Degree in Dental Assisting will prepare you for a career in the dental field. Typically, Dental Assistants work in dentist offices with most working full time.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm (visited March 24, 2020).
You can complete an Associate’s Degree in Dental Assisting degree online in approximately four years, if not less. Also, if you are taking courses online, you may be able to integrate academic learning with real-world, experiential learning. Once you have completed an associate's degree, you might seek out employment with an engineering firm. You might be able to work on isolated projects and then take time after those projects to complete more courses. In this way, you will prolong the time it takes to graduate, but you will accrue invaluable experience along the way.
Before choosing a major there are some important facts you should know about.
Dental Assisting is a wide-ranging field with many different specialties. If you have a specific career you are hoping to enter, make sure the school either offers a major in that field or a variety of classes pertaining to your field of interest. You may be able to find employment information for graduating students, which can show you how many students were able to enter the Dental Assisting you're looking at upon graduation.
This is a very important question to ask yourself. Your major should play a big part in the schools you are considering. Not every college may offer the major of your choice, so doing your homework is the first step of the selection process.
Courses required to obtain an Associate's degree in Dental Assisting Associate’s Degree consist of general core courses that Freshman and Sophomores take and Junior and Senior level courses focus more on the major concentration classes. Associate degrees, on the other hand, normally prepare grads for entry-level with the basic skills and expertise required in a field. Affiliate's levels can likewise allow students to finish general education and learning demands with a two-year program, then later transfer right into a four-year program. There are two major titles of bachelor's levels: BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BS (Bachelor of Science). There are Associate's degree programs in a wide range of majors, consisting of STEM subjects, social sciences, arts, and all kinds of specific subjects. You can find some sample major concentration courses that you may be required to take below:
About 41% of college students complete their four-year Dental Assisting degree on time. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center study if the question suggests that money is a large factor in the rate of non-achievement. In-state public college tuition rates have traditionally been the lower range for leading schools. Today, the annual in-state tuition average is over $9,000 per year. Private schools average more than $30,000 per year. Many students run out of money and take reduced course loads to accommodate increased work and other money-making activities. Low per-semester credit-hour rates means more time required to complete a Dental Assisting degree. Reducing the per semester course load from 15 to 12 credit hours can add a year to the time needed to complete a degree.
Among the reasons cited for the low rate of four-year completion were student decisions in course selection. Many students choose interesting subjects and neglect to grab key courses when available. The failure to take a required course when offered can add a semester to the completion of a major or concentration.
The student experience is a vital piece of information. The graduation rate is often a predictor of the student experience. Factors that can influence late graduation include the availability of required coursework and dropouts for financial reasons. School surveys often have information similar to customer satisfaction information on other businesses. It may be useful to see responses from recent graduates about their experiences. The student survey observations will not predict your experience, but they can lead to productive questions about the school and the Dental Assisting degree program.
How much a Dental Assisting Associate’s degree costs depends upon the school and the state. An associate's degree at a community college may cost roughly $7,500, while an associate's degree from a private college may cost $14,500 or more. An associates degree in Dental Assisting may range from approximately $20,000 for two years for in-state residents at a public university, and $70,000 or more for students attending private colleges. Online school tuition also varies, but students do not have to pay for housing, meals or transportation, and costs are generally lower because online classes cost less for a college or university to operate. To determine the actual costs of your education, perform a budget analysis and investigate all the costs involved with earning a degree in Dental Assisting at a school you wish to attend.
When looking for a college program to attend, you need to look at all the potential advantages of a Dental Assisting program. Post-graduate job assistance should rank high on the list of important things to consider when selecting where you will enroll. A good job placement program, while it cannot guarantee you a position in Dental Assisting, will help you make sure you have the best classes and experiences under your belt. That way, you will have the best possible chance of getting the position you want. The time spent in school is a great time to prepare for your future career in Dental Assisting. That can begin with a great internship, referral, mentorship, or hire. Schools that offer extensive job placement and career assistance can help you get all those things and more.
