Assisting Certification. Need your suggestion...

[Enso]

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I started my Spring semester at school this week but ran into a big problem with the lack of class vacancies. I was only able to enroll in 7 credit hours! Physics 1 and Psychology.

Well, I don't want to put this time to waste considering I could be doing something with it. I'm trying to decide (by Friday) if I should enroll in a 9 week dental assisting program I found nearby. Honestly, this place sounds like a legit catalyst into learning more about the profession and possibly getting into dental school. From the website, here's the stuff you take away from the course:

An actual dental office is the classroom and greater than 90% of all the training is in the Operatory.

Once certified, you leave with knowledge in:
• Four-Handed Dentistry (Not sure what that means)
• Dental Terminology & Charting
• Basic Instruments and Equipment
• Knowledge of Taking and Developing X-rays
• Sterilization of Equipment and OSHA guidelines
• Fabrication of Temporary Crowns
• Taking Alginate Impressions
• Pouring Models
• 2-year CPR Certification and Basic Life Support
• Job Interviewing Techniques
• Job Placement Guidance

They also mentioned a letter of recommendation would be given to all graduates, for whatever reason.

Do you guys think my money and time is better spent elsewhere? Could this be beneficial? Thank you.

 

[Enso]

Anyone?

 

[rewJW]

Since there's no grade for it, it'd probably benefit you more to get enrolled in more credit classes if you can. But if you absolutely can't, it might not hurt to do the DA course. Have you applied this cycle? (I'd go back and read your old posts but I'm about to head out, lol) If you're applying next cycle, it could go under dental experience, but unless you get a job in the field after the course, it probably won't be over the top impressive.

I am a full time assistant and I think the benefits have been tremendous. I have learned quite a bit.

Btw, 4-handed dentistry = 1 dentist + 1 assistant; what most GPs do.

 

[doc toothache]

I started my Spring semester at school this week but ran into a big problem with the lack of class vacancies. I was only able to enroll in 7 credit hours! Physics 1 and Psychology.

Well, I don't want to put this time to waste considering I could be doing something with it. I'm trying to decide (by Friday) if I should enroll in a 9 week dental assisting program I found nearby. Honestly, this place sounds like a legit catalyst into learning more about the profession and possibly getting into dental school. From the website, here's the stuff you take away from the course:

They also mentioned a letter of recommendation would be given to all graduates, for whatever reason.

Do you guys think my money and time is better spent elsewhere? Could this be beneficial? Thank you.

If da programs were considered to be great "catalysts" there is a good chance that at least some ds would recommend that route. The letter of recommendation is a nice touch and it might carry as much weight as one from a welding instructor. Taking the program for financial or other reasons might make more sense.

 

[frenchriviera24]

Do you guys think my money and time is better spent elsewhere? Could this be beneficial? Thank you.

No doubt it's beneficial. It'll def set you apart from other applicants. When do u plan on graduating/applying? As long as you do well in the courses you're taking, my opinion is go for the cert.

 

[Enso]

No doubt it's beneficial. It'll def set you apart from other applicants. When do u plan on graduating/applying? As long as you do well in the courses you're taking, my opinion is go for the cert.

I'm not going to apply until the 2011 cycle opens up so I have time. Thanks for your suggestion I decided to enroll.

 

[Enso]

If da programs were considered to be great "catalysts" there is a good chance that at least some ds would recommend that route. The letter of recommendation is a nice touch and it might carry as much weight as one from a welding instructor. Taking the program for financial or other reasons might make more sense.

Whether or not it really aides your dental application is debatable. My opinion is that it does. Maybe dental schools don't recommend assisting because they recognize the financial burden of getting certified. That said, I think having it show up on your application declares you have #1 exposure to dental procedures and #2 an interest in the field. Are these two things adcoms look for? Check and check.

 

[doc toothache]

Whether or not it really aides your dental application is debatable. My opinion is that it does. Maybe dental schools don't recommend assisting because they recognize the financial burden of getting certified. That said, I think having it show up on your application declares you have #1 exposure to dental procedures and #2 an interest in the field. Are these two things adcoms look for? Check and check.

Your opinion is clear in the op. You could be right about the cost concern, but in view of the relatively minimal cost of "getting certified" it is unlikely that it even comes on anyone's radar screen. Depending upon the state, being a cda places some advantages over not being certified. In your case, there is no need to derail your plans.

 

[Enso]

Wanted to give a little update because I definitely recommend this course to any pre-dent living in Florida...

In 5 weeks I've done full mouth x-rays, learned charting, made impressions, and this one really surprised me- I got to do an amalgam using the impressions I made. We drilled a hole in one of the maxillary molars and I filled it with the dycal and mixed/placed the amalgam. Yes it's nothing like the real thing in DS but definitely valuable and a cool experience for a rookie. I recommend.

 

[Vicviper]

I took a Dental Assisting class during the summer of my sophomore year in high school, and it really allowed me to see that dentistry was for me. My class sounds very similar to what you're doing. I earned my dental assisting certificate and radiography license, and then did a 250 hour volunteer internship - where I really got inspired about becoming a dentist.

I thought it really impressed my interviewers that I had extensive dental experience (I had more as well), and that I really showed my dedication to becoming a dentist by taking that class to learn more about the field. I'm glad you're enjoying the class! Plus, when your fellow dental students are learning how to do radiographs you'll be able to show them all up! 😀

 

[uclaDDS101]

I took a Dental Assisting class during the summer of my sophomore year in high school, and it really allowed me to see that dentistry was for me. My class sounds very similar to what you're doing. I earned my dental assisting certificate and radiography license, and then did a 250 hour volunteer internship - where I really got inspired about becoming a dentist.

I thought it really impressed my interviewers that I had extensive dental experience (I had more as well), and that I really showed my dedication to becoming a dentist by taking that class to learn more about the field. I'm glad you're enjoying the class! Plus, when your fellow dental students are learning how to do radiographs you'll be able to show them all up! 😀

Did you take this class somewhere in OC?

 

[Vicviper]

Yes, ROP offers the classes like every single semester at like all of their different facilities. In case you don't know what that is, Regional Occupation Programs were made for people who didn't want to go to college but instead do another vocational carerr like become a mechanic, pumbler, electician, etc. They also do Dental Assisting. Here's a link to the ROP in Anaheim with their Health classes including Dental Assisting:

http://www.quikreg.com/classreg/cat...=00D5MHRYP5SD1N4&view=catalog#I416600BYJH4MY3

That's, North Orange County ROP, I did South East ROP, but the classes are similar.

I thought it was a great class and experience. Some of the material is taught at a very basic level because the students are expected to be high school students, people who may have dropped out, and may have had no college at all. Good luck!