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Dental Hygiene
Associate of Applied Science Degree Program
The Dental Hygiene program is a sequence of courses which prepares students for positions in the dental profession. Learning opportunities develop academic, technical, and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. Program graduates receive a Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science degree.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Registered dental hygienists work in a variety of professional settings. The public is most familiar with dental hygienists in the private dental office, where they perform numerous critical services designed to detect and prevent diseases of the mouth. These include oral prophylaxis; examining the head, neck, and oral areas for signs of disease; educating patients about oral hygiene; taking or developing radiographs; and applying fluoride or sealants. In this setting, registered dental hygienists play a vital role in protecting the oral health of the American public as well as function as a vital member of the dental team. Other employment settings include hospitals, military bases, correctional facilities, dental product companies, or insurance companies.
PROGRAM ACCREDITATION
The American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation serves the public by establishing, maintaining, and applying standards that ensure the quality and continuous improvement of dental and dental-related education and reflect the evolving practice of dentistry. The Commission formally evaluates programs at regular intervals. The Commission is a specialized body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The dental hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "initial accreditation".
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
The dental hygiene curriculum leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree requires students to engage in diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition of essential dental hygiene skills. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical, and social abilities are required to satisfactorily perform these functions. In addition to being essential in the successful completion of the requirements of an Associate of Applied Science degree in dental hygiene, these functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients, fellow candidates, faculty, and other healthcare providers. The essential qualifications that students must demonstrate include but are not limited to the following:
- Students must have the intellectual, conceptual and critical thinking abilities to assess, analyze, reason and synthesize data in order to draw sound conclusions and make clinical decisions. Students must be able to problem solve as well as obtain, interpret, and document information.
- Students must have effective oral and written communication skills in order to accurately transmit information appropriate to the ability of patients, colleagues, and other healthcare workers. Students must be able to read and write legibly in English with proper spelling of medical and dental terms.
- Students must have gross and fine motor skills sufficient to lift and operate equipment and provide safe and effective dental hygiene care. Students must be able to reach and adjust the x-ray tube which is at a height of 52-60 inches from the floor. Students must assist or move patients from wheelchairs, when necessary, into the dental chair using proper body mechanics. Students must also have the motor skills necessary to perform basic life support and first aid in event of an emergency situation.
- Students must have interpersonal skills such that they are capable of interacting with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
- Students must have the physical mobility necessary to move from place to place in small spaces as well as full range of motion, manual, and finger dexterity.
- Students must have physical endurance that enables them to stay on task for a prolonged period while sitting, standing, or moving.
- Students must have the visual and perceptual abilities sufficient for observation of patients, oral conditions, and assessment. Students must have the ability to discriminate between subtle changes in oral conditions clinically and radiographically. Students must possess a high degree of hand-eye coordination.
- Students’ auditory ability and other sensory skills must be sufficient to monitor and assess the health needs and diagnose the oral conditions of patients as well as maintain patient safety.
- Students’ tactile sensitivity must be sufficient for the use of detection, light pressure, and control when using small instruments in the oral cavity.
- Students must demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors. Students must be able to use reasonable judgment under stressful conditions that impact patient care. Students must be able to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress and time constraints, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical problems of many patients. Students must be able to work independently as a member of a team to maintain the highest ethical standards in relation to quality care. Students must possess attributes such as compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility, and tolerance. Students must be able to present a professional appearance, maintain personal health, and be emotionally stable. Students must display excellent oral hygiene and dental health reflective upon the chosen profession of dentistry.
If a student does not meet the essential qualifications of the dental hygiene program, he/she may be dismissed from the program.
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
- Submit a completed application & application fee;
- Be at least 17 years of age;
- Submit official high school transcript or GED transcript;
- Submit official college transcripts, if applicable;
- Attend a scheduled dental hygiene program orientation presented by
Dental Hygiene faculty; - Meet the following assessment requirements:
Test Reading Writing Numerical Algebra ASSET 41 42 42 42 COMPASS 79 60 47 37 SAT 480 440 ACT 25 21 CPE 75 75 75 - Complete the following courses (28 credit hours) with a minimum grade of "C" in each course and a cumulative GPA of 3.0. CHM, BIO, and AHS courses must have been completed within 5 years.
Course Hours CHM 191 Chemistry I 5 ENG 191 Composition and Rhetoric 5 MAT 191 College Algebra 5 BI0 193 Anatomy and Physiology I 5 AHS 104 Introduction to Health Care 3 PSY 191 Introductory Psychology 5 - If applicable, but not required, provide documentation of paid dental office experience, within the last 2 years. This documentation must state the number of hours of paid experience that you have worked and must be signed by a licensed dentist. Submit documentation to the Director of the Dental Hygiene program.
- If applicable, but not required, provide documentation of graduation from an accredited Dental Assisting program with a GPA of 3.0 or better. Submit documentation to the Director of the Dental Hygiene program.
- Obtain a dental hygiene program information packet. Review, sign, and submit a "Statement of Interest in the Dental Hygiene Program" to the Director of Dental Hygiene after all the criteria stated above has been met. Deadline for submission of required documents is June 13, 2008, in order to be considered for admission into Summer quarter 2008.
Note: Only one class will be accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program each year, beginning summer quarter.
DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM COMPETITIVE ADMISSION PROCESS
Admission to the Dental Hygiene program is via a competitive selection process based primarily on grade point average of required core classes. Slots are awarded from the highest core grade point average downward until the maximum enrollment of approximately twelve (12) students is reached. In the case of a tie between candidates, the following criteria will be used to determine which candidate will be offered admission.
- Documentation of paid dental experience
- Documentation of graduation from a CODA accredited dental assisting program with a grade point average of 3.0 or better
- Submission date of completed required documentation
In the event of a tie of the above stated criteria, the tie will be determined by a personal interview by the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee. This committee will consist of the Dental Hygiene Faculty and the Dean of Health Sciences. A ranking form will be completed during the personal interview and the highest ranking individual will be granted the position into the program.
If admitted into the Dental Hygiene program, students must have the following official documents on file with the Director of Dental Hygiene prior to entering any DHY course:
- Current certification in Health Care Provider CPR and basic first aid;
- Complete physical and dental examinations, including copies of all immunization records to include TB skin test, tetanus vaccination, MMR vaccinations, and Varicella vaccination;
- Documented proof of malpractice insurance purchased through Southeastern Technical College
In addition to the information above, evidence of the following official documents must be on file with the Director of Dental Hygiene prior to entering the clinical component of the program:
- #4402 Forensic Drug Panel (7)
- Criminal Background Check*
- Affidavit of non-drug dependency/felony arrest or conviction/misdemeanor arrest or conviction (excluding minor traffic violations)
*NOTE: Arrest or conviction of a misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations) or arrest or conviction of a felony could make a student ineligible to take the licensing exam(s) required by the profession. Early notification to the appropriate board is required.
BLOODBORNE/AIR-BORNE PATHOGEN EXPOSURE
The practice of dental hygiene puts the student at risk for exposure to bloodborne and infectious diseases. Southeastern Technical College's Exposure Control Plan is designed to provide the faculty and students with recognition of tasks, procedures, and activities which present the potential for occupational exposure to blood and air-borne pathogens and a means of eliminating or minimizing exposures in the performance of their instructional duties or activities. The Dental Hygiene program at Southeastern Technical College follows all state and federal regulations for the protection of faculty, students, patients, and staff. A complete manual of our compliance policies and procedures is available upon request.
DENTAL HYGIENE CURRICULUM
The standard curriculum for the Dental Hygiene program is designed for the quarter system. A student may begin taking core classes anytime during the year prior to the Summer Quarter that the Dental Hygiene program begins. Students must achieve a minimum grade of C or higher in each course. To graduate, degree-seeking students must earn a minimum of 124 quarter credit hours. Once the six core classes have been completed and acceptance has been granted into the program, the program is seven quarters.
| CURRICULUM OUTLINE | CREDITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GENERAL CORE COURSES | 35 | |
| ENG 191* | Composition and Rhetoric (OL) | 5 |
| ENG 193* | Literature and Composition | 5 |
| SPC 191* | Fundamentals of Speech (OL) | 5 |
| PSY 191* | Introductory Psychology (OL) | 5 |
| SOC 191 | Introduction to Sociology | 5 |
| MAT 191* | College Algebra (OL) | 5 |
| CHM 191* | Chemistry I | 5 |
| OCCUPATIONAL COURSES | 86 | |
| AHS 104 | Introduction to Health Care | 3 |
| BIO 193 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 5 |
| BIO 194 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 5 |
| DHY 100 | Tooth Anatomy & Root Morphology | 3 |
| DHY 101 | Oral Embryology and Histology | 2 |
| DHY 102 | Head & Neck Anatomy | 3 |
| DHY 103 | Dental Materials | 3 |
| DHY 104 | Preclinical Dental Hygiene Lecture | 2 |
| DHY 105 | Preclinical Dental Hygiene Lab | 2 |
| DHY 106 | Introduction to Dental Hygiene | 1 |
| DHY 107 | Radiology Lecture | 3 |
| DHY 109 | Radiology Lab | 1 |
| DHY 110 | Clinical Dental Hygiene I Lecture | 2 |
| DHY 111 | Clinical Dental Hygiene I Lab | 3 |
| DHY 113 | Microbiology and Infection Control | 5 |
| DHY 200 | Periodontology | 4 |
| DHY 201 | Clinical Dental Hygiene II Lecture | 2 |
| DHY 202 | Clinical Dental Hygiene II Lab | 4 |
| DHY 205 | Oral Pathology | 4 |
| DHY 206 | Pharmacology and Pain Control | 4 |
| DHY 207 | Community Dental Health | 4 |
| DHY 208 | Clinical Dental Hygiene III Lecture | 2 |
| DHY 209 | Clinical Dental Hygiene III Lab | 4 |
| DHY 211 | Biochemistry and Nutrition | 3 |
| DHY 213 | Clinical Dental Hygiene IV Lecture | 2 |
| DHY 214 | Clinical Dental Hygiene IV Lab | 4 |
| DHY 220 | Clinical Dental Hygiene V Lecture | 2 |
| DHY 221 | Clinical Dental Hygiene V Lab | 4 |
| FUNDAMENTAL OCCUPATIONAL COURSES | 3 | |
| SCT 100* | Introduction to Microcomputers (OL) | 3 |
Credit Hours: Students are advised that if they are accepted into this program, the seventh quarter does not contain enough credit hours to be considered full time for some financial aid and health insurance. The clinic contact is twelve to sixteen hours per week, but the credit hours do not reflect the number of hours scheduled for patient experiences. Students should also be advised that if they elect to take the additional core courses as prerequisites and not follow the suggested curriculum sequence, they may have additional quarters that do not contain enough credit hours to be considered full time for some financial aid and health insurance.
PROGRAM COSTS
(Costs are estimates and are subject to change.)
Tuition/Fees: $3,500
Books/ Supplies: $1,000 per quarter
Uniform Costs: $300
Liability Insurance: $12 per quarter
Dental Hygiene National Board Exam: $165
CRDTS Examination: $860
Supplies/site fee for clinical boards: $260
Georgia License Fee: $50
Criminal Background Check: $50
Dental Exam: $150
Physical Exam: $150
(does not include vaccinations)
#4402 Forensic Drug Panel (7) or similar screening: $25
TB Test: $40
Hepatitis B Series: $100
Varicella titer: $62
Or
Varicella immunizations $160
Tetanus Vaccination: $20
Student American Dental Hygienist's Association membership: $90
Instruments: $1500
Misc supplies: $525
READMISSION TO THE DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM
Students dropped from any Dental Hygiene course for attendance (i.e., maternity, health related, family illness, personal difficulties), academic reasons, or students who have made less than a "C" in a Dental Hygiene course will be not be allowed to remain in the dental hygiene program. Students have the option of reapplying to the program the following year. Readmission to the program will be granted on a competitive and space-available basis, whereas all criteria apply as described in the admission criteria section listed above. Due to the nature of the dental hygiene program, students must retake all courses and will not be given the option of a comprehensive written exam or a clinical skills competency exam.