Dental assistant course load

Started by iAlpha
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

iAlpha

New Member
7+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hi guys, I'm currently an undergrad and I'll also be doing a 9 week dental assistant certificate program come this fall. I would like to know if its advisable to take a full course load at my college while I'm going to DA school and what's the course load like for the DA program including clinicals? Since I'm on financial aid, I planed on taking at least 12 credits (Gen chem 1, Pre Cal 1, World history 2 & Medical ethics) . Would this be manageable, should I take 2-3 classes or just skip the semester all together? I honestly don't know what to do 🙁, any suggestions?
 
What is the reason you are going to DA school? Being a dental assistant does not really help your application if it means your grades are suffering.
 
I don't advise going to DA schools at all. You get more valuble experience, money, and dentist relations if you find a dentist to pay you minimum wage that is willing to train you for your certification (which is just a test that you shouldn't pay thousands of dollars for a class)
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
What is the reason you are going to DA school? Being a dental assistant does not really help your application if it means your grades are suffering.
Being a dental assistant seems like a viable option at this point where I'll be able to gain exposure and hands on experience in a profession that I want to commit my life to. Basically, I just want to get my hands into someone's mouth already lol 😀.
 
I don't advise going to DA schools at all. You get more valuble experience, money, and dentist relations if you find a dentist to pay you minimum wage that is willing to train you for your certification (which is just a test that you shouldn't pay thousands of dollars for a class)

I was looking into this, but it's so difficult to find a dentist that's willing to train you much less shadow. After countless phone calls to Dental offices with no success, I was lucky to get an interview with a dentist about shadowing through a referral from one of my professors 🙂. My interview is next week, would it be polite to ask her to train me also?
 
I was looking into this, but it's so difficult to find a dentist that's willing to train you much less shadow. After countless phone calls to Dental offices with no success, I was lucky to get an interview with a dentist about shadowing through a referral from one of my professors 🙂. My interview is next week, would it be polite to ask her to train me also?
Ask for training a few weeks after shadowing and developing a good relationship.