The Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) performs oral cancer screenings, provides dental health education, promotes and encourages the preventive aspects of dental care, exposes and processes dental x-rays, removes deposits and stains from teeth, administers local anesthesia, delivers nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia, performs periodontal soft tissue curettage, and assumes responsibilities for preventive care in the dental office. Completion of the Dental Hygiene Program leads to an Associate in Science degree. After completing the program, passing the National Board Dental Hygiene examination, passing a clinical dental hygiene examination, the graduates are eligible to apply for licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist. Dental hygiene students will be required, as part of the total dental hygiene program, to participate in service learning activities. These activities could include community dental health projects, hospital clinical practice, and other field excursions of educational value.
Application Requirements
Enrollment is limited in the dental hygiene program. Minimum qualifications for selection must be met. There are no restrictions as to age, race, gender, or marital status. Minimum prerequisite requirements for application to the program are the following:
1. Have graduated from high school or have an average score of 45 on the General Educational Development (GED) test.
2. Have a minimum cumulative college grade point average (GPA) of 2.70.
3. Have completed Biology 20, Human Anatomy, and Biology 22, Human Physiology, (or equivalent), or Biology 21A and Biology 21B (or equivalent) each with a grade of “C” or better.
4. Have completed English C1000, Academic Reading and Writing; Mathematics 103, Foundations of Algebra, or another more advanced math course; Chemistry 3A, Introduction to General Chemistry; Chemistry 3B, Organic and Biological Chemistry; Biology 31, Microbiology; Food and Nutrition 35 or 40, Nutrition and Health or Nutrition; Communication Studies C1000 or C1004, Introduction to Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication; Psychology C1000, Introduction to Psychology; and Sociology C1000, Introduction to Sociology (or equivalents to these courses) with grades of “C” or better.
5. Have completed an Academic Summary Form for the Dental Hygiene Program.
6. Have no physical impairment that would preclude the performance of all dental hygiene duties.
7. Be in good physical and mental health.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
All program entry requirement courses listed above must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. In order to be eligible to take the licensure examinations, all other courses leading to the associate degree must also be completed with a grade of “C” or better. Students in the dental hygiene program must earn a “C” grade or better in all dental hygiene courses. Less than a “C” in any dental hygiene course requires that the course be repeated before continuing with the major. Courses must be repeated in their entirety. Courses may be repeated once only. Safe professional practice is necessary for retention of students in the program. If a student demonstrates that they are unsuited to the profession or is not progressing satisfactorily, based on the professional judgment of the faculty, they may be asked to withdraw from the program.
BACKGROUND CHECK
Upon entry into the program, students may be required to obtain a background check.
CHANGE OF NAME, ADDRESS, AND/OR TELEPHONE NUMBER
Applicants and dental hygiene students must keep the Dental Hygiene Office informed of any change in name, address, and/or telephone number. Failure of applicants to inform the Dental Hygiene Office of this vital information may result in loss of entry into the program. Dental hygiene students must have working e-mail addresses.