Dental hygiene programs can be challenging and rewarding professionally, financially, and personally. They can also be very competitive and expensive. Many students have to make the choice about this career immediately following high school which can be a lot of pressure on a young adult. If you are a student who is trying to determine if dental hygiene is for you but you are not fully sure yet, then community college may be an excellent choice for you.
Community colleges are excellent centers of educational opportunity in the United States. The education quality is very strong, but the cost is lower and the schools are local. Most community colleges offer a very wide range of courses to accommodate many different professions. The admissions policies are often more flexible and open as well. They are inclusive and welcoming institutions that provide academic opportunities to anyone with the willingness to take those opportunities. Not surprisingly, almost half of college freshmen in this country are college freshmen at community colleges. It is a great option for students who want to stay in the workforce while advancing their education and professional opportunities.
And the best news of all is that most community colleges do, in fact, offer dental hygiene programs. They ALL offer the prerequisites for entrance into a dental hygiene program as well.
Why Community College?
Money
The number one reason that students choose a community college is for financial reasons. Not only is the cost of tuition far lower than other secondary institutions but there are also much more generous financial aid and work study programs available to students in need.
Transfers
Community college can be a great place to start an academic career when you are uncertain about your future. It allows you to make decisions without paying enormously for it and the best part is that most credits often easily transfer once a career or educational path is more certain. This means that once you know what direction you want to move in, dental hygiene for example, you can transfer all of your science classes and core requirements to another school or program, usually with ease.
Flexibility
Because of the low cost and wide array of courses available, community college can be a great place to decide on career. It allows great flexibility with trying out several possibilities – for example the differences between being a dentist, a dental hygienist, and a dental assistant.
In case you are still not sure if community college is right for you to begin your education in dental hygiene, keep in mind that the salary and earning potential of a dental hygienist who began at a community college and one who went straight to a bachelor’s program is the same. Furthermore, dental hygiene is one of the top earning careers after community college, and there is a very high rate of job placement as well.
