Dental Hygiene
Career and Technical Program
Application to the January 2023 Dental Hygiene Program closed August 4, 2022. The next program will begin January 2025 with the application cycle opening in June 2024. Prerequisite courses must be completed by July 2024 to meet the anticipated application deadline. A component of the next application will include observation hour requirements. The Observation Hour Requirement form will be available on the program website in January 2024.
The Dental Hygiene program
prepares students for entry into the dental hygiene profession as licensed
clinicians (Registered Dental Hygienist-RDH). Dental Hygienists provide preventive, therapeutic, restorative, and
procedures to control oral disease and promote optimal oral health. The Dental
Hygiene program includes instruction in dental anatomy, microbiology, and
pathology; dental hygiene theory and techniques; dental materials; radiology;
patient education and counseling; and office management and professional
standards. Clinical education
experiences are integrated throughout the curriculum and offer students the
opportunity to gain competency through practice each semester.
Upon completion of this program,
graduates will be eligible to take the National Dental Hygiene Board
Examination (NBDHE), and the regional and or state clinical and local
anesthesia examinations. Applicants are
encouraged to contact the State Board of Dentistry in the states in which they
wish to practice for individual licensing requirements.
Dental Hygiene is a competitive
entry program. Students are admitted to the program every other year. The
prerequisite course requirements are open to all students. The AAS degree may
be obtained in a 24-month course of study following acceptance to the program.
A minimum grade point average of B or 3.0 is required in all DENT courses,
which includes BIOL 207 and PHAR 150.
Note: This program blends online theory,
scheduled on-campus labs, and experiential learning in a dental clinic.
Program
Accreditation
The Dental
Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has
been granted the accreditation status of initial accreditation. The
Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States
Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be
contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.
The Commission’s web address is: www.ada.org/en/coda.
Program Outcomes
New program - not applicable
Admission Requirements
Competitive Entry
- High school diploma or GED.
- 18 years old to participate.
- Application to the Dental Hygiene program.
- Minimum grades of C/2.0 must be earned in each of the required prerequisite courses listed below; however, application points will only be assigned/awarded for ‘C+’ or higher grades during the application process.
Minimum Prerequisites Needed to Apply
- BACT-250/250 Lab (General Microbiology)
- BIOL-175/175 Lab (Human Biology) or
BIOL-227/227 Lab (Human Anatomy and Physiology I)
(NOTE: BIOL-227/227 Lab is required for all future program applications beyond the Spring 2023 program start!)
- CHEM-105 (General, Organic and Biochemistry or
CHEM-102/102 Lab (Essentials of Organic and
Biochemistry)
- COMM-101 (Fundamentals of Oral Communication)
- ENGL-101 (Writing and Rhetoric I)
- MATH-123 (Math in Modern Society) or higher GEM 3 MATH
- PSYC-101 (Introduction to Psychology)
- SOC-101 (Introduction to Sociology)
- Minimum grades of B/3.0 must be earned in each
of the courses listed below. These courses are part of the program curriculum
but may be completed with the required minimum grade by the application deadline
for purposes of additional program application points.
Other Courses Assigned Points in Admissions
Process
- BIOL-207 (Concepts in Human Nutrition)
- PHAR-150 (Introduction to Pharmacology)
- All lab science courses (BACT, BIOL, and CHEM) must be no older than 7 years at the scheduled program start date.
- A criminal background check and drug screening
will be required upon acceptance. Violations may result in denied access to
clinical sites and therefore inability to complete the program. For questions
regarding specific violations, please contact the program director.
Contacts
Health Professions Advisor
(208) 625-2320
Janis
McClelland, RDH, BSDH, MSDH(c)
Dental Hygiene Program Director/Assistant Professor
Health
Professions Division
Meyer Health and Sciences Building Room 148
(208) 929-4014
janis.mcclelland@nic.edu
