Program Mission Statement
The RVC Dental Hygiene Program is committed to providing the highest quality education while fostering a learning environment that develops critical thinking and problem solving skills. The Program prepares students to be ethically responsible and clinically competent to enter the workforce as an entry-level dental hygienist. The Program offers an Associate in Applied Science degree with a curriculum facilitating transition toward a Baccalaureate degree. The Program strives to address the oral health needs of a diverse community by providing quality dental hygiene care in a cost- efficient manner.
Program Overview
Graduates of this program have acquired skills to provide care that supports optimal oral health, including educational, clinical and therapeutic services. Skills are mastered through classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences to provide well-rounded career preparation.
Work and Employment
A career in dental hygiene offers opportunities in multiple settings. Registered Dental Hygienists are part of a dental health team. Dental hygienists work in private and corporate dental offices, where they provide treatment and services that help to prevent oral disease such as dental caries and periodontal disease and educate the client about maintenance of optimal oral health. They also work in hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, schools, correctional facilities, health maintenance organizations and higher education institutions where they serve as faculty members.
Professional Credential and Program Accreditation
Graduates are eligible to take two board exams that lead to state licensure. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) under the auspices of the American Dental Association (ADA).
Admission to the Program
Admission is selective and competitive. All required documents must be submitted to the Dental Hygiene Program office on or before February 15th to be reviewed for admission for the fall semester. The Dental Hygiene Program holds information sessions that cover prerequisites and other important admission information.
Attendance of a session is required to receive an application packet for the program.
For details on scheduling to attend an information session, register online at: RockValleyCollege.edu/DentalHygiene; click on Information Sessions. Please see the RVC Dental Hygiene website for additional Dental Hygiene Program admission policies.
Prerequisite Courses - requirements
If accepted into the program, the following courses or equivalencies must be completed before starting this program.
- A prerequisite GPA of 2.5.
- Biology: BIO 281/282 – Human Anatomy and Physiology I/II, or equivalent and BIO 274 – Microbiology. Completion of BIO 282 within 5 years. BIO 281/282 must meet a minimum of 2.5 GPA.
- Chemistry: CHM 110/210 – General, Organic and Biochemistry I/II, or CHM 120 – General Chemistry I, or equivalent Chemistry course with lab.
- Communications: ENG 101– Composition I, or equivalent.
- Fitness, Wellness & Sport: FWS 237 – Nutrition for Optimum Living (3 credits as a prereq that must be completed within one year of entering the program).
- All prerequisites must be completed with a “C” or higher, unless noted above.
Requirements
Program of Study
Prerequisite General Education
| BIO-281 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO-282 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO-274 | Microbiology | 4 |
| - | | |
| CHM-210 | General, Organic and Biochemistry II | 4 |
| - | Or | |
| CHM-120 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| - | | |
| ENG-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| FWS-237 | Nutrition for Optimum Living | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 22 |
General Education
| PSY-170 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOC-190 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SPH-131 | Fundamentals of Communication | 3 |
| Elective- | Humanities / Fine Arts (IAI) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Dental Hygiene Core
Term I, Fall
| DNT-102 | Preventive Dental Hygiene | 2 |
| DNT-104 | Dental Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology | 3 |
| DNT-106 | Head and Neck Anatomy | 3 |
| DNT-108 | Pre-Clinical Dental Hygiene Theory | 2 |
| DNT-109 | Pre-Clinical Dental Hygiene Lab | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Term II, Spring
| DNT-112 | Clinical Dental Hygiene I | 2 |
| DNT-113 | Dental Hygiene Theory I | 1 |
| DNT-114 | General and Oral Pathology | 3 |
| DNT-116 | Dental Radiology Theory | 2 |
| DNT-117 | Dental Radiology Lab | 1 |
| DNT-118 | Dental Pharmacology | 2 |
| DNT-120 | Introduction to Periodontics I | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 13 |
Term III, Summer I
| DNT-208 | Dental Hygiene Pain Management Theory | 2 |
| DNT-209 | Dental Hygiene Pain Managment Lab | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 2.5 |
Term IV, Summer II
| DNT-210 | Dental Materials Theory | 2 |
| DNT-211 | Dental Materials Lab | 1 |
| DNT-212 | Clinical Interim | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4.5 |
Term V, Fall
| DNT-214 | Periodontics II | 2 |
| DNT-216 | Clinical Dental Hygiene II | 3 |
| DNT-217 | Dental Hygiene Theory II | 1 |
| DNT-220 | Community Dental Health | 2 |
| DNT-221 | Community Dental Health Practicum | 1 |
| DNT-223 | Dental Ethics, Jurisprudence, and Practice Management | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
Term VI, Spring
| DNT-224 | Clinical Dental Hygiene III | 3 |
| DNT-225 | Dental Hygiene Theory III | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 5 |