u/elephants444

I’m in a dental assisting program in Texas and I’m trying to understand whether the 120-hour externship is legally required for getting my RDA license, or if it’s only required by my school to graduate.

So far I have already completed:

* the San Antonio dental assistant registration course/exam

* fingerprints

* CPR certification

* human trafficking training

* background check

My instructor told me I MUST complete the externship “period” or I won’t graduate. I understand that may be the school’s rule, but I’m trying to figure out if Texas actually requires the externship for RDA registration itself.

Has anyone in Texas dealt with this before?

* Were you able to apply for your RDA before finishing externship hours?

* Did your school withhold paperwork or completion verification?

* Is the externship a state requirement or just a program requirement?

Any advice would help. Thank you.

I’m 22 and I think I might have undiagnosed dyslexia and dyscalculia, and it’s hitting me really hard emotionally.

Ever since I was little I felt like something was “off” with the way I learned, especially with reading and numbers, but my parents always brushed it off and told me I was fine. Now I’m in dental assistant school and it feels impossible to ignore.

When my teacher asks me to read out loud, I mix up letters/words or freeze up completely. Yesterday I messed up reading in class and felt so embarrassed my teacher looked at me like I was sooo dumb I’ve been crying about it since yesterday.

We also had a tooth numbering quiz and even though I studied for days and simplified it so my brain would understand it , the second my instructor gave me the paper and it was in front of me my mind went blank. Numbers feel scrambled in my head sometimes and I couldn’t even finish all my answers.

I think part of what hurts is realizing there may have been a real reason school always felt harder for me. My classes are over next Friday I’m feeling discouraged to finish and show up to class and to continue on going to college in the future

Has anyone else realized they had dyslexia/dyscalculia as an adult?