Associate of Science - Dental Hygienist Degree Program

AF73 - 202012

Program Description

The Dental Hygiene program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for positions in the dental profession.  Learning opportunities develop academic, technical, and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. Registered dental hygienists work in a variety of professional settings. The public is most familiar with dental hygienists in the private dental office, where they perform numerous critical services designed to detect and prevent diseases of the mouth. These include oral prophylaxis; examining the head, neck, and oral areas for signs of disease; educating patients about oral hygiene; taking or developing radiographs; and applying fluoride or sealants. In this setting, registered dental hygienists play a vital role in protecting the oral health of the American public.  The Associate of Science Degree is designed as an agreement to provide opportunities for qualified students to achieve the goal of earning both an AS and a BS degree in a seamless, coordinated curriculum. This program serves to facilitate access to a BS degree completion program in Dental Hygiene and increase the number of Dental Hygienists who are eligible for advanced careers in education, research, management, and public health.

Program Specific Information

The Dental Hygiene Degree program admits fifteen students once per year at the beginning of the Fall Semester. The length of the program is 5 semesters, including a summer semester, over a period of 21 months. Interested students must first enter the Interdisciplinary Studies Degree program to meet the minimum core requirements. Acceptance into the Interdisciplinary Studies Degree program and meeting the minimum requirements for program admission does not guarantee an applicant’s acceptance into the Dental Hygiene Degree program.

Program Length & Availability

General education core (38 credit hours) plus 5 semesters of program specific course work

Campus Availability: Hall

Financial Aid

This program is eligible for the Pell Grant and may be eligible for Institutional and State Financial Aid. 

Contact a Financial Aid Counselor for eligibility requirements and application materials.

Admissions Requirements

New students at LTC wishing to enter the dental hygiene program will:

  • Apply for admission to Lanier Technical College.
  • Submit required proof of high school diploma or GED.
  • Request official ACCUPLACER, SAT, or ACT test scores be sent to the Admissions Office or refer to our Admissions Assessment Procedure found here for more options: Admissions Testing – Lanier Technical College.
  • To begin the Pre-Dental Hygiene core coursework, select Dental Hygiene as your major.  You will be placed in the Interdisciplinary Studies Degree program enabling you to meet the required 38 credit hours of Pre-Dental Hygiene coursework.  Entry into the Associate of Science Dental Hygienist Degree program requires prior completion of the Pre-Dental Hygiene coursework.

Admission into the Dental Hygiene Degree program involves a competitive selection process. Students who have met the minimum requirements to apply for the dental hygiene program must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age.
  • Complete at least 23 of the required 38 credit hours of Pre-Dental Hygiene core courses prior to the March 15th deadline. This must include at least two of the science courses (8 credit hours). A minimum grade of “C” is required in all courses.
  • Complete ALL 38 credit hours of required Pre-Dental Hygiene coursework by the end of the Spring semester of the application year.
  • Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 with the pre-dental hygiene core classes.
  • Take the TEAS for Allied Health test.
  • Attend one of the pre-program orientation sessions for Dental Hygiene. These sessions will be announced in January.
  • Complete at least 60 hours of experience in a dental practice. The dental experience hours may include observation, working as a hygiene assistant or working as a dental assistant. Submit the Dental Experience form.
  • Ensure all transcripts from prior colleges are received by LTC prior to the March 15th deadline.  (Official transcripts or GED scores must be submitted from all colleges and/or high schools attended for credit.)
  • Submit all completed Dental Hygiene Program admission documentation to the Dental Hygiene Department Administrative Assistant by March 15th.

Curriculum - College Catalog Specific to Dental Hygiene

The Pre-Dental Hygiene coursework is composed of 26 hours of general education core and 12 hours of non-general education core, all of which must be completed before applying to the Associate of Science Dental Hygienist Degree Program.  

General Education Core – Total of 26 Hours

Area I – Language Arts/Communications – Choose 6 Hours

ENGL 1101Composition & Rhetoric

3

SPCH 1101Public Speaking

3

Area II – Social/Behavioral Sciences – Choose 6 Hours

PSYC 1101Introductory Psychology

3

SOCI 1101Introduction to Sociology

3

Area III – Mathematics – Choose 3 Hours

MATH 1101Mathematical Modeling

3

MATH 1103Quantitative Skills/Reasoning

3

MATH 1111College Algebra

3

Area III – Natural Sciences – Choose 8 Hours

CHEM 1151Survey of Inorganic Chemistry

3

CHEM 1151LSurvey of Inorganic Chem Lab

1

CHEM 1152Survey Organic & Biochemistry

3

CHEM 1152LSurvey Org Chem/Biochem Lab

1

Area IV – Humanities/Fine Arts – Choose 3 Hours

ARTS 1101Art Appreciation

3

ENGL 2130American Literature

3

HUMN 1101Intro to Humanities

3

MUSC 1101Music Appreciation

3

Non General Education Core - Total of 12 hours

BIOL 2113Anatomy & Physiology I

3

BIOL 2113LAnatomy & Physiology I Lab

1

BIOL 2114Anatomy & Physiology II

3

BIOL 2114LAnatomy & Physiology II Lab

1

BIOL 2117Introductory Microbiology

3

BIOL 2117LIntroductory Microbiology Lab

1

Program-Specific Courses – Total of 45 Hours

DHYG 1000Tooth Anatomy/Root Morphology

2

DHYG 1010Oral Embryology/Histology

1

DHYG 1040Preclinical Dental Hygiene

2

DHYG 1050Preclinical Dental Hygiene Lab

2

DHYG 1206Pharmacology & Pain Control

3

DHYG 1020Head & Neck Anatomy

2

DHYG 1070Radiology Lecture

2

DHYG 1090Radiology Lab

1

DHYG 1110Clinical Dental Hygiene I

2

DHYG 1111Clinical Dental Hygiene I Lab

3

DHYG 1030Dental Materials

2

DHYG 2011Dental Hygienist Clinical Lecture II

1

DHYG 2020Clinical Dental Hygiene II Lab

2

DHYG 2105Nutrition

1

DHYG 2200Periodontology

3

DHYG 2051Oral Pathology & General Pathology/Pathophysiology

2

DHYG 2070Community Dental Health

3

DHYG 2080Clinical Dental Hygiene III

2

DHYG 2090Clinical Dental Hyg III Lab

4

DHYG 2131Dental Hygiene Clinic Lecture IV

1

DHYG 2140Clinical Dental Hygiene IV Lab

4

Total Credit Hours:45

Total Credit Hours: 83

Graduation requirement includes completion of a total of 83 hours in the above areas.

Graduation Plan - Suggested Sequence

Note: For a list of which courses are part of the elective area, please see the Curriculum tab for this program.

Pre-Dental Hygiene Core Course Sequence (38 hours)

Most students will enroll in the Interdisciplinary Studies Degree to complete the Pre-Dental Hygiene core coursework.

Semester One

ENGL 1101Composition & Rhetoric

3

MATH
COURSE

3

PSYC 1101Introductory Psychology

3

SOCI 1101Introduction to Sociology

3

Total Credit Hours:12

ENGL 1101 - Pre-Req: Test Scores – See Advisor

PSYC 1101 and SOCI 1101 - Pre-Req: Regular Admission* for English

Semester Two

BIOL 2113Anatomy & Physiology I

3

BIOL 2113LAnatomy & Physiology I Lab

1

CHEM 1151Survey of Inorganic Chemistry

3

CHEM 1151LSurvey of Inorganic Chem Lab

1

HUMN
COURSE

3

SPCH 1101Public Speaking

3

Total Credit Hours:14

BIOL 2113 :- Pre-Req: Regular Admission*, Co-Req: ENGL 1101 + BIOL 2113L

BIOL 2113L - Co-Req: BIOL 2113

CHEM 1151 - Pre-Req: Area III MATH, Co-Req: CHEM 1151L

CHEM 1151L - Co-Req: CHEM 1151

SPCH 1101 - Pre-Req: Regular Admission* for English

Semester Three

BIOL 2114Anatomy & Physiology II

3

BIOL 2114LAnatomy & Physiology II Lab

1

BIOL 2117Introductory Microbiology

3

BIOL 2117LIntroductory Microbiology Lab

1

CHEM 1152Survey Organic & Biochemistry

3

CHEM 1152LSurvey Org Chem/Biochem Lab

1

Total Credit Hours:12

BIOL 2114 - Pre-Req: BIOL 2113 + Lab, Co-Req: BIOL 2114L

BIOL 2114L - Co-Req: BIOL 2114

BIOL 2117 - Pre-Req: BIOL 1111 + Lab or BIOL 2113 + Lab, Co-Req: BIOL 2117L

BIOL 2117L - Co-Req: BIOL 2117

CHEM 1152 - Pre-Req: CHEM 1151 or CHEM 1211, Co-Req: CHEM 1152L

CHEM 1152L - Co-Req: CHEM 1152

This plan is for informational purposes ONLY. It is not a substitute for meeting with a program advisor each term.

Associate of Science - Dental Hygienist Degree Program (45 hours)

Students must first complete all core coursework and be accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program before beginning this curriculum.

Semester One

DHYG 1000Tooth Anatomy/Root Morphology

2

DHYG 1010Oral Embryology/Histology

1

DHYG 1040Preclinical Dental Hygiene

2

DHYG 1050Preclinical Dental Hygiene Lab

2

DHYG 1206Pharmacology & Pain Control

3

Total Credit Hours:10

DHYG 1040 - Co-Req: DHYG 1050

DHYG 1050 - Co-Req: DHYG 1040

Semester Two

DHYG 1020Head & Neck Anatomy

2

DHYG 1070Radiology Lecture

2

DHYG 1090Radiology Lab

1

DHYG 1110Clinical Dental Hygiene I

2

DHYG 1111Clinical Dental Hygiene I Lab

3

Total Credit Hours:10

DHYG 1020 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1010

DHYG 1070 and DHYG 1090 - Co-Req: DHYG 1020

DHYG 1110 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1040, Co-Req: DHYG 1111

DHYG 1111 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1050, Co-Req: DHYG 1110

Semester Three

DHYG 1030Dental Materials

2

DHYG 2011Dental Hygienist Clinical Lecture II

1

DHYG 2020Clinical Dental Hygiene II Lab

2

DHYG 2105Nutrition

1

DHYG 2200Periodontology

3

Total Credit Hours:9

DHYG 1030 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1000

DHYG 2011 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1070 + DHYG 1110, Co-Req: DHYG 2020

DHYG 2020 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1070 + DHYG 1090 + DHYG 1111, Co-Req: DHYG 2011

DHYG 2105 - Pre-Req: CHEM 1152 + Lab

DHYG 2200 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1010

Semester Four

DHYG 2051Oral Pathology & General Pathology/Pathophysiology

2

DHYG 2070Community Dental Health

3

DHYG 2080Clinical Dental Hygiene III

2

DHYG 2090Clinical Dental Hyg III Lab

4

Total Credit Hours:11

DHYG 2051 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1010 + DHYG 1020

DHYG 2070 - Pre-Req: DHYG 1110

DHYG 2080 - Pre-Req: DHYG 2011, Co-Req: DHYG 2090

DHYG 2090 - Pre-Req: DHYG 2020, Co-Req: DHYG 2080

Semester Five

Apply for Graduation

DHYG 2131Dental Hygiene Clinic Lecture IV

1

DHYG 2140Clinical Dental Hygiene IV Lab

4

Total Credit Hours:5

DHYG 2131 - Pre-Req: DHYG 2080, Co-Req: DHYG 2140

DHYG 2140 - Pre-Req: DHYG 2090, Co-Req: DHYG 2131

Total Credit Hours: 83

This plan is for informational purposes ONLY. It is not a substitute for meeting with a program advisor each term.

Program Accreditation

The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of approval without reporting requirements. 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, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is https://www.ada.org/en/coda.

Additional Dental Hygiene Information

Welcome to Lanier Technical College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic:
 
Interested in Joining Lanier Technical College’s Dental Hygiene Program?
 
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