Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Dental Assistants
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at CNM and New Mexico State Dona Ana.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider UNM Gallup, Luna Community College, New Mexico State Dona Ana, and CNM.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Santa Fe Community College, Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell, Luna Community College, and CNM.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of UNM Gallup, New Mexico State Dona Ana, Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell, and Luna Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell.
Excellence
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at UNM Gallup.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Pima Medical Institute • Albuquerque, NM
Studying Dental Assistant (completion in 2004)
• 7/11/2011
"If I could do it over again I would have found a dentist that would have been willing to train me. Everything that I know now is because I took my own time and effort to learn it. I go to seminars to learn about new materials and techniques and I keep up with my certifications."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are better routes for obtaining a certificate in dental assisting. Central New Mexico Community College has a free program for Bernalillo County residents. All you have to do is pay for books. The instructors have real dental experience with many years under their belts. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | Most people that have gone there regret it. I regret it myself. |
| Program Quality | 1 | I had to teach myself everything. When I graduated I was not very confident in my abilities as a dental assistant. |
| Instruction | 1 | My instructor had only been a dental assistant for 6 months when she started teaching my class. She did not have much experience in the field and was not able to teach on all the aspects of the field. |
| How Difficult | 1 | The program was easy because all of the answers were given to us. If I would not have actually read the books and studied, I would not be were I am now. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A little of both. Mostly handouts and diagrams on the board. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There are two different times that you can take the course: Mornings or evenings. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | It had a computer lab and an eating area. The academic staff was OK, but not very helpful when asked about the field that you want to go in. |
| Social Life | 1 | None of this was at the school I attended. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They have one, maybe two, jobs for about 50 students. Since I have been in the field, most dentists that I know will not hire anyone right out of Pima because most feel that they are not properly trained and have to spend a lot of time and money to train them. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Once you graduate from Pima, you are forgotten. The job placement that they have is horrible. |
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