Counseling Services
Academic Counseling
Dental and dental hygiene school, especially the first year, is demanding and the numbers of courses require a lot more of your time than a typical undergraduate curriculum. It is not unusual for students to have difficulty keeping up with the coursework. Many students find that group study offers an important way to review notes and materials after hours. Most students simply find a few classmates who live near them or with compatible schedules or lifestyles to allow informal group study in the evenings or on weekends.
If you should experience problems in a particular course, the key is to seek help immediately. You should make every effort to talk with the course director. He or she may be able to offer suggestions for ways to study more effectively, or may recommend study guides or other materials or methods to improve learning and retention in his/her particular course. Dental hygiene students are encouraged to seek the help of the course director first, and then their faculty advisor who can assist them in obtaining appropriate help. In addition to working with course directors, tutoring by your peers can be arranged by contacting Dr. Rosemarie Zartman at ext. 8262.
Dr. Ernie Lacy and Mr. Beau Stuart in the Office of Student Affairs are always available to assist, guide and counsel students in all areas, both academic and personal. The Office of Student Affairs is located in Suite 100.
Psychological Counseling
There is an onsite Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who provides individual counseling to students, not limited to stress, anxiety, depression, grades, grief, trauma, relationship issues, and self-esteem. Students can visit the Counseling and Mental Care Appointment Portal at University Health Services to make an appointment and complete compliance forms. They can also cancel their appointments in the same portal. This individual counseling service is designed to focus on short-term goals to facilitate students' college success and adjustment. in some situations, students may benefit from more frequent, longer-term, or specialized care. In these cases, a student will be referred to an outside provider or agency.
Students experiencing more serious or ongoing mental health concerns may be referred to confidential, off-campus counseling services. These services are typically covered by the student's insurance plan. If insurance coverage is unavailable, the Office of Student Affairs will cover up to five sessions with a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, or counselor. Referrals are made to a list of vetted mental health professionals for an initial assessment.
For needs such as adjustment counseling, brief psychotherapy, assessment, or triage, students are referred to a selected off-campus psychologist. Based on the initial assessment, the psychologist may refer students requiring medical or psychiatric treatment to a collaborating off-campus psychiatrist.
Career Counseling
Students are encouraged to talk to faculty about professional opportunities, clarifying career goals and interests, areas of postdoctoral training, and confronting and resolving doubts about career choices. They are also encouraged to participate in the college's Great Expectations Mentoring Program.
To aid students in their future practice plan decisions, practice opportunities are listed on the Alumni Association website.