Dental Hygiene
|
Admissions Requirements |
|
Must have a high school diploma or GED.
GPA of 3.0 or equivalent in
high school or 3.0 in college with minimum of 10 credits or
550 Battery Average on GED. Must take the
college placement test to determine Math and English levels if no
college level courses were previously completed.
Required TEAS scores must be achieved within two attempts of taking the
test. English: 70 percent
Reading: 75 percent Math: 50
percent Science: 55 percent
Math: minimum grade of B in MAT 099 or place into
MAT 100 level or above. Biology: minimum grade of
B in high school biology or B in BIO 101 (recommended) or other college
biology class.
Chemistry: minimum grade of B in high school chemistry or B in CHM 090.
English: minimum grade of B in ENG 100 or place into ENG 101.
Four hour dental office observation. Math and
science courses must be taken within five years of application.
Required grade must be earned within two attempts of
taking and completing the course. |
|
Next Step |
|
The program prepares students for an entry-level position
as a dental hygienist. Dental hygienists must be licensed by the state in
which they practice. Licensure in Massachusetts requires that applicants
pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and the Northeast
Regional Board Examination. |
The dental hygiene program prepares students to enter the profession of
dental hygiene. At Quinsigamond, students receive a thorough background in the
sciences and dental hygiene subjects. They learn and practice their clinical
skills in a modern, on-campus dental hygiene clinic.
Dental hygienists are members of the dental health care team who provide
preventive oral health services, including dental health education, health
promotion, oral prophylaxis, dental x-rays, fluoride treatments, pit and fissure
sealants, and preliminary patient examinations. As licensed health care
professionals, dental hygienists promote total health through maintenance of
optimum oral health.
Career opportunities for licensed dental hygienists include positions in private
dental offices, clinics, hospitals, school districts and federal, state, and
local health agencies. For students who continue their education to the bachelor
and master degree levels, additional career opportunities exist in public
health, research, and dental hygiene education.
This program also prepares students for further study at four-year colleges and
universities. To assure that courses are selected that will be applicable to a
degree program at a particular four-year college or university, students should
make their academic advisor aware of their intent to transfer in order to
satisfy the requirements of the receiving institution.
Admissions Requirements
To be eligible for consideration for admission into the dental hygiene program
students must have a
high school diploma or GED and earned a GPA of 3.0 or equivalent in high school
or 3.0 in college with a minimum of 10 credits or a 550 Battery Average on the
GED.
In coming students are required to take the TEAS and achieve scores of 70
percent in English, 75 percent in Reading, 50 percent in Math and 55 percent in
science within two attempts of taking the test.
The college placement test must be taking to determine a student's Math and
English level if no college level courses were previously completed. This test
is required of all in coming students.
To be admitted into the dental hygiene program students must earn a minimum
grade of B in MAT 099 or place into MAT 100 level or above on the
placement test; minimum grade of B in high school biology, B in BIO 101
(recommended) or other college biology class; minimum grade of B in high school chemistry or B in CHM 090; minimum grade of B in ENG 100 or place into ENG 101
on the placement test.
All Math and science courses must be taken within five years of application.
Required grades must be earned within two attempts of taking and completing the
course.
Additionally, students must take a four hour dental office observation.
Additional Requirements
A Criminal Offender Records Information (CORI) and Sexual Offender Records
Information (SORI) check is required of all students accepted into the program.
Accepted applicants must have physical examinations, hepatitis B vaccinations,
immunizations as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and
test free from tuberculosis before entering the program. Students are required
to maintain health insurance throughout their enrollment.
All students, faculty and staff involved directly in providing patient care must
have current certification in Basic Life Support at the American Heart
Associations Health Care Provider Level.
Additional costs
Dental hygiene students should anticipate additional expenses for
uniforms/clinical wear, dental instruments, textbooks, professional liability
insurance, licensing examinations, and any required skills remediation.
Graduation requirements
All courses in the curriculum are required for graduation.
In order to continue
in the program a grade of C or higher must be achieved in all dental
hygiene courses, BIO 111, BIO 112, CHM 101, and BIO 241. Students who have
received a grade below a C in BIO 111, BIO 112, CHM 101 and BIO 241 are
required to repeat the course and obtain a grade of C or higher by the end of
the cluster/semester in which they are required or required as a prerequisite.
In addition, all clinical and program requirements, including regulations for
attendance and conduct, must be satisfied in order to continue in the program
and to be eligible for program certification for participation in licensure
examinations.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental 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, Illinois 60611.
|
Courses |
|
Cluster A
Anatomy & Physiology I
Introduction to the Chemistry of Living Systems
Dental Hygiene Process I
Anatomy of the Head & Neck
Oral Histology & Embryology
Dental Anatomy
Dental Radiology
English Composition & Literature I
|
Cluster B
Anatomy & Physiology II
Dental Hygiene Process II
Periodontology
Oral Pathology
Local Anesthesia for the Dental Hygienist
Nutrition in Oral and Systemic Health |
|
Cluster C
Medical Microbiology
Health Promotion
Dental Hygiene Process III
Dental Pharmacology
Dental Materials
Introduction to Psychology
|
Cluster D Dental Ethics, Jurisprudence, &
Professional Issues
Dental Hygiene Process IV
Dental Public Health
English Composition & Literature II
Introductory Sociology (Principles)
Liberal Arts Elective |
|
