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This story was printed from UC411.com.
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The Canadian Institute of Dental Hygiene
Last Updated March 30, 2006
URL: http://www.uc411.com/cidh_article.asp
Students studying at the Canadian Institute of Dental Hygiene (CIDH) have a lot to smile about.
Perhaps it is because 97% of Ontario’s dental hygienists are employed in the ever-growing, highly respected profession (Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association Salary Survey, 2004).
If you’re looking for a challenging and highly-rewarding career, CIDH provides the education to succeed. Located in Hamilton, Ontario, CIDH is Canada's first private accredited dental hygiene program.
The school prides itself on being the leader in privately offered dental hygiene education in Canada.
“The CIDH program is based on the highest educational standards possible,” says CIDH President and Dean Donna Demarinis. “These standards are reflected in both our cutting edge curriculum and the experienced faculty who deliver it to our students,” she added.
At the conclusion of 18 months, you will graduate from a program that has received “approved (without specific reporting conditions)” accreditation status. This is the highest level of accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.
When CIDH students graduate, they are eligible to write the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam (NDHCE), which is a requirement for every hygienist who plans to practice in Canada.
After passing this exam, CIDH grads are eligible to apply to the provincial bodies responsible for regulating dental hygiene across Canada. In Ontario, registration with the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO) is necessary to practice dental hygiene.
CIDH graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to be employed in private practice along with a variety of specialty practices such as periodontics, orthodontics and pedodontics. Students can also work in public health care institutions as well as education and consulting. CIDH graduates work in dental practices all over Canada and abroad.
Margareth Jedrej, 21, is finishing her final semester at CIDH. Deciding to become a dental hygienist wasn’t a hard decision to make since her mother works in the dental field. Jedrej says she spent many summers watching her mother at work.
“I grew up in a dental office with my mom. It was second nature to me. With this background I thought ‘What about dental hygiene?”
Jedrej researched all the schools in Ontario before making a decision. She decided on CIDH “because it was a private school. Most of the other schools offered only an admission exam. This school offered an admission exam plus an interview. Also, CIDH was accredited and not all the others schools I was looking at were. I wanted to go to a school where I knew the graduates would be able to write the NDHCE and register with the CDHO.”
She has already received a number of job offers for when she graduates.
“I was already offered employment at an orthodontic office. They said when I pass my NDHCE, they want me to be part of their team. Most of the students in my class already have employment offers.”
Sikin Kherani, B.Sc, RDH, is a CIDH graduate currently working as a dental hygienist in Cambridge, Ontario. She took a tour of CIDH and was “impressed with the facility and the school’s vision of dental hygiene as a profession.”
After graduating, Kherani didn’t have difficulty finding a job as a dental hygienist. She credits CIDH for giving her the skills to do this.
“The curriculum strikes a balance with both preliminary theory courses and extensive clinical experience. These help shape and prepare an individual for the working world. Three years later, I still vividly recall education experience at CIDH which I use in my day to day practice,” she says.
One of the appealing features of a dental hygiene career are the hours you may be working. Unlike other jobs, this profession provides a lot of flexibility around the number of day and hours you can work each week. You will also make an above average salary in an industry that is constantly growing.
“I would like to have a family one day. This is great because it is really flexible. I will have the opportunity to work full-time or part-time,” says Jedrej.
According to Jedrej, the best parts about coming to CIDH were the small class sizes, low faculty-student ratio and receiving a hands-on education. Students have one-on-one time with their instructors to go over any missed material or to ask questions. When students aren’t working on clients four days a week, they’re being taught theory and learning on mannequins. CIDH strives to create an environment that helps students achieve their goals.
“You need a lot of hands-on teaching in a dental hygiene program. You can’t just take a textbook and learn. This school offered the practical training that I liked. We have an excellent modern clinic where we work one-on-one with clients with supervision from the experienced faculty. When we work with clients we know what to do,” says Jedrej.
Along with having state-of-the-art classrooms, CIDH is equipped with computer facilities, laboratories and a research library with internet access. Their clinic contains 20 fully equipped operatories plus x-ray facilities including cephalometric, panoramic and digital radiology.
When she graduates, Jedrej says her education will open many doors. She says she will “probably work for a specialist, either an orthodontist or a periodonist. Maybe in the future, I’ll do some teaching.” With her excellent education, she will be very employable in many different sectors of the dental hygiene profession.
Jedrej feels she made the right decision to go to CIDH. She’s optimistic about starting work right away once she finishes school.
“I am 100 percent confident that my CIDH education will lead me to a rewarding career,” she says.
Applicants may apply to CIDH from high school. This is a great opportunity for students from provinces where this is not possible. CIDH accepts students from across Canada and abroad.
Call CIDH at 1-877-550-2443 to inquire about preadmission testing for the Semester 1 that will begin in June 2007.
For more information about CIDH, go to www.cidh.on.ca.