Online dental assistant programs have become very popular in the recent years and almost all the programs that can be offered through online portals have gained popularity in the recent years. People are now having busy schedules and it is difficult to adjust a job and studies within the same schedule for many students now. Some people want to give time to their families and many others have varied issues. Now that internet allows the opportunity for distance learning, why not using it? However, whoever wants to be a dental assistant must learn the scope of this particular profession first.
A dental assistant as clear from the name is not really a dentist but he/she works side by side with the dentist. He has an equal connection with the dentist as well as the patient and that’s why his/her interpersonal skills matter a lot here. When patients enter the clinic or the dentist’s office, they are assisted by the dental assistant. Many of the tests required by dentists for the patients are done in the assistance of dental assistants. They will take the patient’s blood pressure, check their pulse, take x-rays, perform tasks as an office manager, take teeth impressions etc. For all interested in this field, here are some of the best schools offering dental assistant programs online.
Ed2Go Career Training Center
This college is the best option for all those who want to gain dental assistant program from dental assistant schools online because it has already served more than 2 million students with its programs. The number of programs being offered online at this college is increasing with time and it is one of the best places for adult education. It is a part of Cengage Learning, an institute providing various education solutions to colleges and universities in the world. Media and design, healthcare, business, IT and software, hospitality etc. are all offered at Ed2Go.
Now, students who are interested in the program can enroll online on the website and get the required details. The program trains the students about and in the use of anesthesia, patient care, communication, physiology and a lot more. The length of the program is 6 months but it is not a restriction and those who want to extend the program are allowed to get 6 months extra to complete the same program. This extension is given to students for no additional cost. There are of course requirements to have a computer that is compatible with the programs and applications that will be used during learning.
No operating system before Windows XP will be of use however the later ones and XP included will be required. There are 7 books on various topics related to dental health and hygiene that are provided to the students after their registration in the program. At the moment Cindy Lamkin is the instructor helping students in the program having an experience of more than 20 years. The total hours in the program will be 240 and the fee is $1995.
PennFoster Career School
Another well-known dental assistant school online, PennFoster Career School provides comprehensive training to the students to prepare to assist professional dentists in the clinic. The school offers career diplomas, certificates and individual courses to the students. The school is accredited by Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council. The school has obtained separate accreditations on regional basis as well. The school was founded as back in history as 1890. The school offers a huge range of 200+ programs focused at directing students towards a stable and productive future.
It is important for students to know that they only opt for online dental assistant programs accredited by renowned accrediting bodies because many states won’t allow them to practice what they have learned unless they have received education from an accredited institute. Once again, the program here is comprehensive and in addition to the learning students receive through internet while sitting at home, they get help from their instructors through mobile phones as well. The online campus is accessible round the clock and the payments are straight with 0% financing. One time payments can save students up to $195.
The program can be completed by students in 5 months however it still goes step by step for students to absorb everything properly. The school is also licensed and the license has been obtained from Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. What makes PennFoster Career School even more credible is the fact that it has been given an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau as well. The online dental assistant course has been divided into 9 steps, called the units to make sure that students get the idea of all subjects and topic slowly and gradually. The courses are accessible on the website one after another i.e. after the exams.
US Career Institute
US Career Institute provides dental assistant online course and is another one of the institutes focusing mainly on distance and online education for the students. This school too works on the monthly payment option and is known for making the program affordable for its students. The payments are interest free so the students can actually calculate their payments easily and manage them well. The school is also accredited, giving more peace of mind to the students that their earned certification will have some weight. The school gets it accreditation from Distance Education and Training Council.
They have also earned a great name for providing unlimited support to their students as they study at home. Support from the college and instructors are the things that matter the most in the scenario of online and distance learning. They have military education benefits available for their students as well. The range and list of programs they are offering is never-ending. They are educating students on Accounting, business management, human resources, marketing, health information etc. and the good thing is that these are all degrees and not merely certifications.
Unlike many other dental assistant courses online, this course goes at your pace, which means that this program allows you to study whenever you feel like studying. The course comes to the students after registering in the forms of packs. There are total 5 packs and each pack contains some CDs, manuals, glossary terms and many other things. The total tuition cost of the entire program is $1539 but that’s excluding the shipping cost, which is merely $16.50. If the students decide to make the payment in full they save a lot. The total cost in this case is only $1239.
Southeast Community College
Southeast Community College is another reliable place to obtain dental assistant certification online and the best thing is that this college is often found in the top colleges of the country. The success rate of students in this college has kept it at number 8 in the list of community colleges of US. The students can rest assured as they continue their education at Southeast Community College because the college is accredited by The Higher Commission of the North Central Association. The college has a mission statement to provide quality education to students belonging to a vast range of professions.
The online dental assistant certification from Southeast Community College is a well-worth education giving students an upper hand compared to those who have obtained the same certification from other colleges. The dental assistant program is offered in classes as well as online. The program is offered on a full time basis and whether taken online or at the campus, it will continue for a total of 12 months. The program therefore will be in 4 quarters but the students are allowed even more flexibility with a part time program that continues for 2 additional quarters and is of 6 quarters in total.
The program has its own individual accreditation which it gets from Commission on Dental Accreditation. The website of the college provides great information about the dental assisting program along with the current average salary of the dental assistants. They have a detailed document on the website showing the costs of the program. The costs for their dental assistant training online should however be found out by calling the information department. For the standard course of 4 quarters the tuition fee is $5977. The costs are higher but it comes with the privilege of studying at one of the best colleges that nation has.
Monroe Community College
Monroe Community College is an admirable dental assistant training school providing its dental assistant program on campus and also through the internet. Monroe Community College has been named on several occasions as one of the most innovative community colleges due to its programs and how it paces with the time to provide students with modern education. Another great thing about this college is that it caters to the needs of a lot of female students. The recent enrollments show that the percentage of female students is higher than that of boys’.
The college has been assisting students in getting to their destinations and picking their favorite professions since 1961. The online dental assistant program is being provided by the college with the help of SUNY (State University of New York). All the lectures and whatever material is required in the program is made available by the college to the students once they have successfully enrolled in the program. A high school diploma is however required for all students who want to become a part of this program whether at campus or through the online learning portal.
Their dental assistant classes online require the students to complete 500 hours before the program is completed. Once all the courses have been cleared the college does the job of preparing the transcript to request the licensure for you. It is definitely one of the best places for students to start with their dental assistant program. The program here is comprehensive and there are multiple instructors assisting with the program. More information can be obtained from the official website of the colleges and number and emails for the personnel who can help with further information are also given on the website.
Madison College
Madison College is also a great place for online classes for dental assistant. This college also provides several other program and covers a wide range of professions. Architecture & constructions, Agriculture, Food, Transportation, Marketing, Human Services, Science, Technology, Engineering and many others are offered at Madison College. The college has taken all the steps to make the future of its students secure and thus no program is provided without accreditation. The institute itself is accredited by Higher Learning Commission. The program offered by the college is not a partial or hybrid online program.
The dental assistant online classes are fully fledged online and the entire course is completed without visiting the campus even for once. The students in this program don’t have to order any books to be shipped to their address. The books are rather e-books that can be read on the website whenever the student wishes to. However, the books can also be ordered on the website to be delivered if that’s how you find it easy for yourself. There is a portal on the website from where the students can order their books. However, the students must make sure to order the books prior to starting their semester.
The maximum credits covered by any class or subject are 3 credits. There is a sequence which is given on the website to take the online courses because some students wish to pick the courses one by one. The problem here is that not all courses are offered by the college in all of its semesters so it is best advised that students see the sequence on the website for picking the courses. An important point that students must remember while taking the online dental assistant course from Madison College is that like other colleges the program is not self-paced here and the students have to maintain the pace of the college while studying.