Dental Academy of Chicago vs. Chicago Dental Assistant School
Becoming a qualified dentist’s assistant is a unique and satisfying career, especially in the Chicago metro area. But which schools offer the best educational programs for students?
Use this guide to help determine which of these Chicago programs is best for your preferences.
Chicago Dental Assistant School
This 9-week dental assistant course in Chicago has become an affordable option for in-depth oral health training. Students get access to both in-person and online course materials and resources as part of their hybrid program structure. This program educates students on coursework covering topics like:
- Sterilization and infection control
- Oral anatomy and physiology
- Radiology
- Proper oral hygiene
- And more
This program meets in person once a week for intensive, hands-on training in a real dentist’s office. Students can conveniently self-pace their online learning around a busy schedule for the rest of the week.
The online portions of the curriculum include materials like prerecorded lectures and online learning activities. The concepts learned in these lectures will then be tested in the hands-on lab portions of the class.
Many students graduate without accumulating student debt due to the flexible payment plans available for tuition. Tuition even covers expensive resources like scrubs and oral health supplies needed for coursework.
Dental Academy of Chicago
With an intensive 12-week program, the Dental Academy of Chicago prepares students to enter successful careers by offering full qualifications by the end of the program.
This fast-paced and prestigious school offers specialized programs like:
- Chairside Dental Assistant Program
- Administrative Dental Assistant Program
- Dermatology Clinical Assistant Program
- Additional Continuing Education Courses
Lectures convene weekly for informative 8-hour sessions with top-tier, industry-leading lecturers. Each class has hands-on training elements starting with the first week, so students should be prepared to hit the ground running. Classes take place in a hybrid traditional classroom/functioning dental facility, and training consists of both lectures and clinical lab training.
Along with labs, students are expected to complete 112 clinical hours with instructors to complete their program.
Conclusion
Selecting a 9-week dental assistant course in Chicago can be a challenge when there are so many options available. And these are two highly-esteemed institutions with unique qualities.
The Chicago Dental Assistant School offers unique hybrid online/in-person educational opportunities. They work to keep students debt-free and offer extensive career services to help place graduates in good jobs.
On the other hand, if you’re willing to extend your training to 12 weeks, The Dental Academy of Chicago meets in person for specialized lectures and hands-on practice with top-tier lecturers. Students here get more hands-on and face-to-face time, but the program is less convenient, less affordable, and has less graduate support.
Other options for dental assisting classes in Illinois can be found here.