You're out of undergrad and have decided that dentistry is your future. The next step is to select a dental school. Choosing the right top dental hygiene schools can be a vital factor in determining the course of your career. Your dental school will require a serious time and financial commitment, so you want to be sure you are giving yourself the best opportunity possible. Here are some things to consider when choosing a dental school.

1. Find the Top Dental School for You
You're out of undergrad and have decided that dentistry is your future. The next step is to
select a dental school. Choosing the right top dental hygiene schools can be a vital factor in
determining the course of your career. Your dental school will require a serious time and
financial commitment, so you want to be sure you are giving yourself the best opportunity
possible. Here are some things to consider when choosing a dental school.
Not all dental programs are alike. Are you interested in community care? General practice?
Teaching? Research? Each dental program may have a different focus, and you need to know
if the focus of the top dental schools you are considering fits in with the kind of dentistry
you want to practice. Some schools practice a traditional classroom instruction model, while
others are organized according to a more broad problem solving pedagogy. You will need to
decide which approach offers the best opportunities for learning for you.
You will need to make a decision based on the physical location of the school. Are you
looking for something close to home, or are you willing to go far away to study dentistry?
Are you prepared to take on the financial burden of not only tuition, but of living expenses in
your new location if you choose to go away to dental assistant schools? Do you find the
school aesthetically pleasing? This may seem a minor concern, but you will be spending a
considerable period at the school that you choose, and at times you may be under intense
pressure. Having the right environment may be the difference between graduating on time at
the top of your class and a much less appealing alternative.
You should consider what kind of facilities the school has. If you are interested in lots of
hands on research, obviously a state of the art laboratory will be desirable. If you are more
interested in patient care, a dental hygienist schools with access to a large hospital or
community service center may be better for you.
You also need to think about the reputation of the school versus the likelihood of your being
accepted. You can easily find out the percentage of applicants accepted and their average
GPA and test scores for any of the top schools. You obviously want a school with a great
reputation, but if it is not a school that is likely to accept you or if you would have too much
difficulty meeting the requirements if you are accepted, this can be an unnecessary waste of
time and money.
If you can, you should meet with the faculty and students at the programs you are most
interested in. Talking with people already involved in the program will give you the best
feeling for whether or not it is the right program for you to pursue your dental education.
Choosing a dental schools is the first of many decisions that will start you on a path towards
a career in dentistry. If you take the time to make an informed, intelligent decision here, the
choices that follow will be that much easier for you.