Kaskaskia College vs. Advanced Dental Careers—Which Is Better for Dental Assisting?
If you want a career as a dental assistant in Illinois, you’ll find more than one choice for a reputable dental assistant school in South Western Illinois. Whether it’s Kaskaskia College or Advanced Dental Careers, you can get the proper training for a successful career. Here is a look at two different programs and how they differ, so you can decide what is best for you.
Kaskaskia College Dental Program in Centralia, IL
Kaskaskia College (KC) offers both an Associate degree and a certificate in Dental Assisting. You only need a certificate to start work in the field, so the degree is optional.
The program is only 49 credit hours, so you can complete it in a little over a year. While the Associate degree may look better on an academic record, it takes 64 credits to complete, adding another semester of school.
The cost of tuition is relatively cheap compared to most colleges, and many students qualify for scholarships and grants.
Students will become Certified Dental Assistants (CDA) if they complete the exam successfully. With this certification, graduates can start working immediately upon finishing dental assistant school in South Western Illinois.
Advanced Dental Careers School in Swansea, IL
ADC offers a training program that students can complete in 11 weeks, rather than taking a year. Students receive training in many areas of dentistry, including terminology, CPR, sterilization procedures, and even front desk dental office management.
Although students do not have the opportunity to become a CDA, they still get a certificate that most employers will recognize as sufficient training. The program is very hands-on, with 40 hours of on-site training in a real office.
The tuition is extremely cheap at about a quarter of KC’s tuition prices. However, the program is only held on Saturdays all day. It could be a problem for students with other jobs, whereas KC’s program might offer a little more flexibility with scheduling.
Conclusion
There are many things to consider when choosing which school is right for you. If you are looking for a more flexible schedule over an extended period, then KC’s program is right for you. However, if you want a cheaper option that will get you working in the field as soon as possible, ADC’s program would be best. Whichever dental assistant school in South Western Illinois you pick, you will be able to start working after completion.
See more dental assistant training in Illinois.