How to apply for a student loan at Mountain America

So you want to apply for a student loan at Mountain America? That’s a great choice! Core Dental Academy has no partnership with or incentives from Mountain America, but we do strongly recommend them because they are one of few credit unions that actually have a real student loan department, not to mention the low interest rates, payment deferment, and customer service that they have always provided to our students. Here is a quick how-to on getting started with your student loan at Mountain America.

1. Go to the website macu.com
2. Scroll over the “Loans” tab with your mouse pointer. 
3. In the drop-down menu, click on “Student Loans” 
4. In the student loan area, you will see “Process.” This will show you some things required for the loan, as well as tell you that they will contact you within 48 hours. 
5. Now you’re ready to apply. Hit the “Apply Now” button. 
6. On this page, click on “Get Started” 
7. If you are not a member of Mountain America, select “no”, then select “i’m not sure” then hit “continue” 
8. On the next page select, “Education Loan”, “New Student Loan”, then “continue” 
9. Select all of the following options. 
10. The following will pop up. Click “view form” and when you are satisfied with the loan disclosure, check “yes” then “continue” 
11. Fill out your personal info. then continue. 
12. The rest of the application process can’t be shown here, but it is all very simple and self-explanatory. Mountain America will get back to you within 48 hours (2 business days) after you complete your student loan application.

Mountain America has the ability to disburse your student loan funds directly to Core Dental Academy, so as soon as your loan is approved, your materials will be shipped to you, and you will receive an email with your student login info.

That’s it! Getting financial aid for your dental assistant education is really simple with Mountain America. We have enjoyed working with their student loan department and we know you will too.

For a more generic how-to about student loans, click here.

How can I apply for a student loan?

Applying for a student loan to cover your tuition at Core Dental Academy is a very simple process, but different than most of you college students are used to. As we have covered before, the FAFSA program cannot be used for loans or grants at Core Dental Academy. Fortunately, there are many other student loans available to our students through their favorite banks! Disclaimer: We recommend using a credit union instead of a regular bank for your student loan. The interest rates are generally much lower, and so are the banking fees i.e. no charge for debit cards or withdrawals or deposits etc. If you’re not sure whether your bank is a credit union, just ask them. If it’s not, and you would like to apply at a credit union for your student loan, we recommend Mountain America or you can click here to find a credit union near you.

Once you decide where you would like to go for your student loan, follow these simple steps to apply.

You can stop by or call, but I recommend visiting their website. 

1. Here is one credit union’s webpage. Each one will be slightly different, but the basic function is the same. *note: Before you can apply, some CU’s may ask you to have a small savings account with them. This isn’t money that you are paying them, It’s your money, they just require you to have a minimum balance (usually around $20) so that you can use their member services, like student loans.
2. You will want to look for the “loans” section of the webpage. For some CU’s you will find loans under “products” or “services”. For this CU it’s right here. 
3. After you find their loan section, you will see something like the photo below. This credit union gives 2 options, a student loan, or a personal loan. Some credit unions will offer what they call a signature loan. All three are all similar, and they will all work just fine for your tuition at Core Dental Academy.  Another view for a different CU, 
4. After you click on the loan option, you will see a page that talks about that loan.  and more examples…  
5. You will start seeing buttons that will say “apply now”. You can start the application process, but keep in mind that they will want a little more info from you for the loan. For some CU’s you will need to click “apply” to see the loan requirements, but for others there will be a list of requirements. Like this…   
6. Now that you have an idea of what they will need, you can begin the application process. You can click on their “apply” button, or you can call, or stop by and speak with a loan officer. If you get confused about any of the loan requirements, just ask the credit union or the bank about them. They are the ones who set the requirements, and making loans is their job, so they should be more than happy to help you understand their requirements.
7. During the application they may want more information about the school you will be attending. Here is a list of common items that they ask for…

• What is the School’s name? Core Dental Academy
• What is the address of the school? our school’s main office address is:
  •  1760 N Main St Ste 103,
  • Cedar City, UT 84721.
• How much $ do you need? $1800 (the regular cost of tuition at Core Dental Academy)
• What are your start and graduation dates? The first Monday of the month you start in, and the Friday, 12 weeks from the week of that Monday. For Example…
• All other information should be info about you, but if any other information from the school is needed, our admissions office should be contacted at 435-313-1014 or admissions@coredentalacademy.com

8.  Some loans may take up to 24 hours to process. As soon as you’re approved, they will disburse the loan. The common methods for disbursement are direct deposit, check, and wire transfer. The preferred method for loan disbursement to Core Dental Academy is wire transfer. If your CU cannot transfer the funds directly, then they will need to send us the check for the full amount. Some might put the loan funds directly into your account and make you responsible. If so, you will need to pay your tuition directly to us through secure debit or check.

9.  The moment your student loan funds are received by the school, your materials will be shipped to you and your instructor will send you your login info so that you can finally start school and become a dental assistant!

If you are ready to start this process, but you haven’t sent in an enrollment application yet, click here to go directly to the online enrollment application form.

What are the regulations for my state?

Long answer: Each state has different regulations for dental assisting. Some require a lot of certifications and paperwork, while some leave it up to the employer. No matter which state you are in, Core Dental Academy can help you begin a career in dental assisting. When you begin your education, a student advisor will be assigned to you. Your student advisor will help you comply with all of your state’s requirements, and by graduation, you will be 100% ready to begin employment as a dental assistant.

What are the class start dates? Is there a set class schedule?

Short answer: Every month.

Long answer: Classes start on the first monday of every month. Students can enroll early or for each class, or up to 3 weeks late. All students who enroll more than 3 weeks late will begin class with the next group. That way you can participate in the same discussions and lectures as your classmates without getting lost.

What are the class schedules? The course is self-paced and there are no specific due dates on assignments, but we recommend that you do one “module” per week so that you can have time to let the new information soak in, as well as keep from falling behind. Plus, delaying your progress is only delaying your career.

Are there specific class times? Your instructor will do live video lectures every week, during which you can learn, participate live in class, and ask questions. The specific days and times for these classes will be outlined in your course syllabus that you will receive when you start school.

How do I get hands-on experience?

Short answer: Goal-oriented externship!

Long answer: We realize that hands-on experience is a critical part of learning such a hands-on career like dental assisting, which is why we have developed a system that will help you to combine a real life experience with the knowledge that you will receive online.

In many cases, you will be told to “go get some hours.” These hours could end up being empty hours,  just sitting in a dental office, getting stuck with cleaning-only duties, or even just being signed off by a dentist. At Core Dental Academy, we make sure that you perform the critical skills that you will use in your daily duties during your externship, so that you can graduate with the full set of knowledge, certification, and skills that you will need to get your first job as a dental assistant.

Where do I go for my externship? Locally! A student advisor will help you find your externship. If you already have a place in mind, the student advisor will help you solidify the externship. If you don’t know where to go, then the advisor will help you find some good local offices that you can go to for your externship.

Do you accept FAFSA? Can I use any grants?

Short answers: No, yes!

Long Answer: Federal Pell Grants (FAFSA) are NOT accepted. Presently FAFSA will only offer Pell grants for title IV programs (the super long ones at universities). Although you can’t use FAFSA to attend Core Dental Academy, you can still use other methods to cover tuition, and you will get a comprehensive dental assistant education; everything you will need to be ready for work in 12 weeks or less.

What about other grants?

Most churches, tribes, social groups, organizations, and state programs offer educational grants to their members, and most of them will work with us. All you have to do is ask somebody in charge how you can apply for help with your education. Then when you are applying, have them contact our admissions office by calling 435-313-1014, or by e-mailing admissions@coredentalacademy.com, and we will give them all the information that they will need from us.

How can I pay tuition? Are there payment plans?

Short answers: Many ways, and yes, there are payment plans.

Long answer: There are many methods that can be used to cover the cost of tuition, and a couple of them involve payments. Here is a list that will help describe each method.

1) Full Cash Payment

The old fashioned and simple option. Whether you have the funds yourself or can receive them from a friend, relative, or organization, you can use a debit card or a check to pay tuition completely. To pay with a debit card, just click the “pay now” button on our website to pay securely online. To pay with a check, make the check payable to Core Dental Academy, and mail it to Core Dental Academy, 1760 N Main Street Ste. 103, Cedar City, UT 84721.

2) Student Loan

Your bank or credit union can provide you with a student loan. They will pay your tuition and you will make payments to them based on the payment plan that they give you. To get a student loan, apply with your bank by going online, calling, or stopping by and speaking with a loan officer. Tell them that you want to go to school at Core Dental Academy, and that your tuition cost (or loan amount) is $1800. For some banks, that will be enough, but others will still need more information. If they need more information, have them contact our admissions office by calling 435-313-1014, or by e-mailing admissions@coredentalacademy.com.

3) Grant

Most churches, tribes, social groups, organizations, and state programs offer educational grants to their members, and most of them will work with us. All you have to do is ask somebody in charge how you can apply for help with your education. Then when you are applying, have them contact our admissions office by calling 435-313-1014, or by e-mailing admissions@coredentalacademy.com, and we will give them all the information that they will need from us.

Federal Pell Grants are NOT accepted. Presently FAFSA will only offer Pell grants for title IV programs (the super long ones at universities). Although you can’t use FAFSA to attend Core Dental Academy, you can still use other methods to cover tuition, and you will get a comprehensive dental assistant education; everything you will need to be ready for work in 12 weeks or less.

4) Hybrid

Some students want to put $500 on a card, then get a student loan for the rest of their tuition. Others want to send a check for $350, then pay the rest in debit payments. All of this works. Just contact our admissions office at 435-313-1014, or by e-mail at admissions@coredentalacademy.com, and we will help you work out a combination of different payment methods that works for you.

5) Bill Me Later

This is a service through PayPal that can be handy in many situations. It gives you 6 months to pay the full amount before it starts charging you interest. It is subject to a credit approval, but it only takes seconds to qualify you, and if you qualify, you have 6 months to learn, start working, and pay off your tuition without owing any interest. To apply, click the “pay now” button on the “enroll” page of our website. If you have a PayPal account, log in and click Bill Me Later to apply for the service. If you don’t have a PayPal account, set up a PayPal account (3 minutes), and then in the checkout screen, click Bill Me Later to apply for the service.

If there are any questions about other possible payment methods, contact our admissions office at 435-313-1014, or by e-mail at admissions@coredentalacademy.com.

How Much is Tuition?

Short answer: $1800

Long answer: Tuition is $1800 at Core Dental Academy. Tuition includes everything that you will need to become a dental assistant. It covers books, access to a state-of-the-art online learning system, the time of our staff, and CPR and radiology certifications. This cost seems high to some and low to others. We have found it to be just right because it enables us to offer all of the important services that we provide to our students.

For only $1800, less than the cost of a semester at most colleges, our students are able to gain knowledge, certification, skills, and a job in a medical profession that has an average pay of $17.13 an hour.

Still, to make education more accessible, we have many payment options including student loans (the most popular option), credit cards, grants, payments, and more. See our FAQ answer about payment options to learn more, or contact our admissions office at (435) 313-1014 or admissions@coredentalacademy.com

If you are ready to enroll, you can return to our main website here or go directly to our online enrollment application.

How can I learn Dental Assisting online?

Quick answer: Easy

Long answer: Many students comment, “I didn’t know you could learn dental assisting online, I thought it was a more hands-on thing.”

Our reply? Dental Assisting is a very hands-on career, however, like many modern careers, the majority of it can be learned online, at each student’s own pace. There’s a lot of fundamental knowledge about dental assisting that is important to know before you practice it. It is important to know vocabulary, anatomy, tools of the trade, and other parameters of the job before you work on patients. It is also important to be certified in your state’s requirements for dental assisting, and to observe procedures before you try them. At Core Dental Academy, we help you complete all these steps online, at your own pace.

I did say that the majority of dental assisting can be learned online, but what about the rest? That is why we guide students through goal-oriented externships in their local communities, that are designed to help them combine the knowledge they have learned online with hands-on experience so that they can have the complete package when they graduate and begin working as a dental assistant.

Where Are We Located?

Quick answer: Online

Long answer: Core Dental Academy is an online dental assistant school. That’s why we are located online. We do not have a physical school where students must show up at a certain day and time to learn. This allows us to offer a flexible learning experience that works around our students’ schedules, as well as cut down on the cost of commuting.

Our instructors, however, are active in the dental community and work with individual students in their local externships whenever possible. This can be fun, however it is not necessary to graduate as a successful dental assistant from Core Dental Academy.

Our mailing address is: 1760 N Main St Ste 103, Cedar City, UT 84721