Outcomes
Knowledge: The student will integrate didactic and clinical knowledge using evidence-based decision-making.
Patient Communication: The student will apply the dental hygiene process of care to meet patient oral health goals.
Clinical Skills: The student will demonstrate competent and effective dental hygiene services for a diverse population.
Interprofessional Collaboration: The student will demonstrate interprofessional collaboration.
Ethical Care: The student will provide safe and ethical dental hygiene services for a diverse population.
Program Mission Statement
The RVC Dental Hygiene Program prepares students to practice in a variety of professional settings using critical thinking skills, ethical principles, and clinical proficiency to provide high standards of care.
Vision Statements:
The Program offers an associate degree with a Curriculum that supports matriculation to an advanced degree.
The Program Strives to address the oral health needs of a diverse community by providing high quality DH Care.
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
The dental hygienist is a licensed preventive health professional who provides educational, clinical, and therapeutic services and promotes overall health. At Rock Valley College, dental hygiene is a career program leading to an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene.
The Dental Hygiene Program is two years in length, including six terms: two fall, two spring, and two summer sessions. Throughout the Program, students will provide treatment to prevent oral diseases such as dental caries (cavities) and periodontal disease and educate patients about optimal oral health.
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 March 31st to be reviewed for admission for the fall semester.
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.
- All prerequisites must be completed with a “C” or higher, unless noted above.
Requirements
Program of Study
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Prerequisite General Education
| BIO-281 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO-282 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO-274 | Microbiology | 4 |
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| | |
| CHM-210 | General, Organic and Biochemistry II | 4 |
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| Or | |
| CHM-120 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
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| | |
| ENG-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 19 |
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, Summer II
| DNT-110 | Nutrition & Biochemistry | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 2 |
Term II, 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 III, 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 IV, Summer I
| DNT-208 | Dental Hygiene Pain Management Theory | 2 |
| DNT-209 | Dental Hygiene Pain Management Lab | 0.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 2.5 |
Term V, Summer II
| DNT-210 | Dental Materials Theory | 2 |
| DNT-211 | Dental Materials Lab | 1 |
| DNT-212 | Clinical Interim | 1.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4.5 |
Term VI, 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 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Term VII, Spring
| DNT-223 | Dental Ethics, Jurisprudence, and Practice Management | 2 |
| DNT-224 | Clinical Dental Hygiene III | 3 |
| DNT-225 | Dental Hygiene Theory III | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 7 |