TOP Code:
1240.00The Dental Hygiene program prepares students to provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic services supporting oral health. Studies include the biological basis of the health of the teeth and oral cavity, as well as procedures used to prevent decay and to maintain dental health. Employment opportunities include working as a licensed dental hygienist in dental offices, public clinics, schools, dental industry, research and community health. The curriculum also prepares graduates for Degree Completion (BS in Dental Hygiene) in approved state and private institutions for an additional one year.
Participation in all off campus assigned sites are required for program completion. Students must provide their own transportation to off-campus sites. Some off-campus sites require homeland security screening and verification of legal status.
The two-year program follows a cohort model, with students accepted each fall semester.
A Certificate of Achievement is awarded upon completion of all required courses with a grade of C or better.
Upon successful completion of the program with a grade of C or better students are eligible to take the Dental Hygiene National Board examination and any applicable regional or state board examination(s) to obtain licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist.
The Dental Hygiene program at PCC is approved by the Dental Hygiene Board of California
DHBC
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1350
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-1978
https://www.dhbc.ca.gov
The Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 440-4653
https://coda.ada.org/
Program Admission Requirements:
- High School diploma or equivalent.
- Prerequisite Courses: Minimum grade of B in these science prerequisite courses. The following courses must be completed at the time you apply. (It is recommended that the sciences courses be taken within the last five years):
*MICR 002
NUTR 011
*ANAT 025
*PYSO 001
*CHEM 002A and B (Biochemistry)
*Note: The laboratory component of these courses must be completed in-person (with a wet laboratory component).
Wet Laboratory is a term used to distinguish classical benchtop experiments handling biological material from computer analysis or other theoretical work (Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC) requirement)
3. Prerequisite Courses: Minimum grade of C in:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL C1000 | ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING | 4 |
| or ENGL C1000H | ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING - HONORS | |
| PSYC C1000 | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| or PSYC C1000H | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY - HONORS | |
| COMM C1000 | INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3 |
| or COMM C1000H | INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC SPEAKING - HONORS | |
| or SPCH 010 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | |
| SOC 001 | INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY | 3 |
| or SOC 001H | HONORS INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY | |
| **College level math | ||
**Note: AP scores accepted for only English and Math courses as per DHBC program entry requirements | ||
Reference: Dental Hygiene Board of California DH Statuses and Regulations Division 11, Article 3, Section 1105 www.dhbc.ca.gov | ||
4. We strongly advise the applicant/student to consult their academic counselor for guidance for the proper General Education coursework for an Associate of Science degree track. Either of the following will be applicable:
- PCC Local General Education Pattern
- Cal-GETC General Education Pattern
- California State University-General Education-Breadth pattern (CSU GE-Breadth), if eligible catalog rights; OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC-CSU) pattern, if eligible catalog rights.
- Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution.
Students who have previously been awarded a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution shall be waived from the general education requirement and earn an associate degree upon completion of the Dental Hygiene Program. However, students must still complete the additional program prerequisites before consideration for admission.
Students who have previously been awarded an associate degree from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution might be required to complete additional general education courses to qualify for licensure. Graduates of the Dental Hygiene Program must earn an AS degree in Dental Hygiene and a Certificate of Achievement in Dental Hygiene.
For students without a degree, please consult with a PCC academic counselor to determine which classes are appropriate according to your catalog rights and which general education pattern you are completing.
Fees:
- Uniforms that abide by the Dental Hygiene Program's dress code: approx. $700
- Equipment and supplies, textbooks: approximately $9000
- Fees for California Dental Hygienists Association memberships: $50 for 2 years https://cdha.org/Membership/Student-Membership
- Malpractice Insurance: $70.
- A current CPR/Basic Life Support card for Health Professionals provided by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross. Approximately $75.
- Tuition $46/units for CA residents ($304/unit non-resident)
- Health Fee $22 - $27/semester
- Parking $64/semester
- Health clearance (one-time fee) $35
- Other fees (ASB, Student Activities) $12/semester
Other Requirements:
- A candidate for the Dental Hygiene Program must have the ability to communicate safely, accurately, and effectively in both written and spoken English.
- To enhance success, students are encouraged to complete HLSC 115 Medical Terminology prior to acceptance into the program.
- A grade of C or better is required in all college-level general education course prerequisites and a grade of B or better is required for college-level biomedical science prerequisite courses. All applicants must have GPA of 3.0 or better in all Dental Hygiene Program prerequisite courses to be considered for acceptance into the DH Program.
- All prerequisite and AS Degree requirement courses must be completed prior to applying. Work in progress is not accepted. For prerequisite courses including upper-division courses completed at another institution contact a PCC counselor to determine whether courses meet prerequisite requirement and/or equivalency.
- Continuation in the program requires the student to maintain a grade of C or better in all required dental hygiene courses. A grade of C (75%) or better in all Dental Hygiene course work is required to meet the Dental Hygiene Board of California regulations.
- Enrollment is determined by the applicant pool and the selection process is by lottery. Additionally, acceptance into the program may also be based on the outcome of a criminal background check.
- Current CPR/Basic Life Support (BLS) card, which must be maintained while in the program. CPR training for a Health Care Provider course can be obtained from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.
- Memberships to State (CDHA) and National (ADHA) Dental Hygiene Organizations at a student level must be maintained throughout the program.
- Once accepted into the program, students must purchase and maintain malpractice insurance.
- The PCC Dental Hygiene program does not accept transfer students from other Dental Hygiene programs
- After acceptance into the program, submit a completed health data form evidencing good health including required immunizations/chest x-ray or Mantoux test.
Program Outcomes
- Acquire the theoretical knowledge that will allow students to provide comprehensive dental health care to clients/patients.
- Apply the dental hygiene process of care to provide competent dental hygiene care as specified by the Dental Practice Act.
Requirements for the Certificate of Achievement
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 115 | HEAD AND NECK ANATOMY, HISTOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY | 3 |
| DH 101A | FUNDAMENTALS OF DENTAL HYGIENE | 5 |
| DH 109 | DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND DIVERSITY | 2 |
| DH 117 | DENTAL MORPHOLOGY AND OCCLUSION | 2 |
| DH 122 | MEDICAL EVALUATION OF DENTAL HYGIENE PATIENTS | 2 |
| DH 141 | ORAL RADIOLOGY | 3 |
| DH 200A | DIRECTED STUDIES IN CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE | 1 |
| DH 101B | FUNDAMENTALS OF DENTAL HYGIENE THEORY AND PRACTICE | 5 |
| DH 105 | PATHOLOGY | 3 |
| DH 116 | DENTAL MATERIALS | 2.5 |
| DH 108 | PHARMACOLOGY | 2 |
| DH 104A | CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE THEORY AND PRACTICE: PAIN CONTROL | 2 |
| DH 200B | ADVANCED TECHNIQUES IN CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE | 1 |
| DH 104B | CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE THEORY AND PRACTICE | 7 |
| DH 107 | INTRODUCTION TO ORAL HEALTH RESEARCH | 2 |
| DH 113A | PERIODONTICS | 2 |
| DH 119A | COMMUNITY DENTAL HEALTH | 2 |
| DH 121A | CLINICAL PRACTICE IN ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS I | 1 |
| DH 201 | DENTAL HYGIENE SKILLS ENHANCEMENT LAB | 1 |
| DH 104C | ADVANCED CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE THEORY AND PRACTICE | 7 |
| DH 111 | CURRENT ISSUES IN DENTAL HYGIENE | 2 |
| DH 113B | ADVANCED PERIODONTICS | 1 |
| DH 121B | CLINICAL PRACTICE IN ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS II | 1 |
| Total Units | 59.5 | |
Recommended Electives
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DH 120 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | 1 |
| DH 200C | CLINICAL BOARD PREPARATION AND DENTAL TECHNOLOGIES | 1 |
General Education Requirements for the Associate in Science Degree
- General Information
- PCC Local Gen Ed
- Students who have previously been awarded a bachelor‛s degree or higher from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution shall be deemed to have fulfilled the general education and elective course requirements for the Associate in Science degree.
- Cal-GETC
- Students with rights to the former general education patterns can complete IGETC or CSU GE in lieu of Cal-GETC. Students should consult with an Academic Counselor to determine which general education pattern to complete and may refer to an appropriate archived College Catalog or www.assist.org for more information.
Visit the Program Mapper for a suggested sequence of courses.