Dental Hygiene
Delta's dental hygiene program was developed in 1975 and has a history of student success. The dental hygiene program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In the past three years, 100% of grads passed their board examinations and 100% were employed within six months of licensure.
Admission to the Dental Hygiene program
Dental Hygiene is a limited enrollment program.
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- 20 students per year enter the dental hygiene program
- 10 of the 20 students are accepted by scholarly admission.
Validation and Clinical Registration
Please see the notations section of the Dental Hygiene catalog page for program requirements. Once those requirements are completed you will apply to the dental hygiene program through a process called validation. The registration office will certify that you've completed the required prerequisite courses and qualifications.
Scholarly Admission Requirements
During the month of March all students validated for the dental hygiene program receive an email outlining the necessary steps to apply for scholarly admission.
For scholarly admission the following areas are reviewed:
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- Overall GPA
- Number of credits earned at Delta College
- Average grade for BIO 152/153 or BIO 140
- Grade earned in DH 100 and in DH 101
- Current Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) Licensure
- Paid or unpaid work experience involving patient care
- Honors courses
- Presidential Honors Scholar
Health Requirements
Students are required to complete health requirements including but not limited to:
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- Physical exam with completion of physical form
- Current CPR certification for the healthcare provider/ professional rescuer certification
- An annual TB skin test
- Immunization records including MMR, Td/Tdap, Varicella, and Hepatitis B or signed waiver
In order to maintain your position in the Dental Hygiene program, each Fall, all first- and second-year students must submit documentation of current physical, vaccines, BLS Healthcare Provider Card, results of a TB test, and Proof of Hepatitis B vaccine or waiver to the office professional by the specified date.
Estimated Required Curriculum Expenses
In addition to tuition, fees and textbook costs, students should plan for the following expenses following successful clinical entry: immunizations and CPR certification to meet health requirements, laboratory coats, clinic shoes, scrubs, safety glasses, dental hygiene instrument kits, board examination fees, board review fees and additional miscellaneous purchases. Currently, the estimated required curriculum expenses are $10,700 - $12,170 in addition to tuition and fees.
Transportation Expectations
Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from Delta College, community agencies, offices and health facilities as required by specific Dental Hygiene courses, e.g., community dentistry.
ADHA Student Membership
There are several benefits to joining the American Dental Hygiene Association including a reduced student membership fee and possible scholarships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Delta's Dental Hygiene Clinic has space for approximately 20 students at one time. The Dental Sim Lab has space for 20 students, as well. The Dental Clinic, Sim Lab and Dental Radiology spaces are shared between first year Dental Hygiene students, second year Dental Hygiene students and Dental Assisting students, which means up to 60 students are alternately scheduled in these areas throughout the week.
The Dental Hygiene program has required prerequisite courses. While in your last semester of your prerequisite classes, you will complete a validation application with the Registrar's Office. Once your validation application is approved, you will be assigned a date of validation (semester and year validated) and you will be required to waitlist yourself. Your entry into clinical is based primarily on your semester of validation.
Yes! Once validated, you must complete Clinical Waitlist Registration each year in June to assure you start clinicals as soon as you are eligible.
Please visit the clinical registration page for further information on this process. Validated students must complete this process to start clinicals and remain validated.
The program is five days per week.
Due to the time commitment of the program, working while in the clinical program (the final 5 semesters) is not recommended.
No, there is a lot of science, interpersonal communication and patient management skills to learn in the classroom that coordinate with practicing in clinic and lab. Academic learning (classroom) accounts for more than 40 percent of the program and hand-on learning (lab or clinical) accounts for close to 60 percent.
Yes, the physical exam form must be completed by a physician prior to the start of each fall semester that you are in the program. You will receive the physical exam form once you successfully complete the clinical registration process and are enrolled for clinicals.
Yes. All students must have documentation of their immunizations, including an annual negative TB test, Hepatitis B immunization, Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR), Varicella documentation, and a current TDAP and Influenza vaccine.
A criminal background check is not required for entry into the Dental Hygiene program but is required as a part of the state licensing application process.
- American Heart Association “BLS Healthcare Provider” CPR, must include AED.
- American Red Cross “BLS for Healthcare” CPR, must include AED.
(Blended/Hybrid courses are accepted as long hands-on demonstration is included and the appropriate certification is earned.)
BLS Healthcare Provider certification must be current from the start of the clinical program through graduation from the program. This program policy assures that no certifications will expire and/or lapse while students are in the Dental Hygiene program. This certification schedule still applies to students who may already be BLS certified.