Dental Hygiene (AST)

Dental Hygienist

This specialized associate degree prepares you to start your career as a registered dental hygienist.

You’ll graduate with a thorough knowledge of dental hygiene practice, dental practice administration, all aspects of patient relations, and 1200+ hours of hands-on experience through our Dental Hygiene Clinic and clinical site visits. 

The demand for trained dental hygienists has steadily increased over the past decade, and this growth is expected to continue. So while earning your degree, you’ll also work on employability skills—things like teamwork, customer service, and industry terminology—that can make or break your career. After 22 months, you’ll have the complete set of tools to build a career as a dental hygienist.

Bloodborne Pathogen Policy
Interested applicants to the Dental Hygiene program need to be familiar with the Bloodborne Pathogen Policy. Read the policy here.

dental assistants working on patients
Program At a Glance:
  • Willow Street
  • 22 months, Monday–Friday
  • Varies based on clinic hours

Core Skills

  • DEN 100 Dental Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology
  • DEN 110 Dental Hygiene Theory I
  • DEN 120 Dental Hygiene Preclinical I
  • DEN 130 Dental Radiology with Lab
  • DEN 200 Orofacial Dental Anatomy
  • DEN 210 Dental Hygiene Theory II
  • DEN 220 Dental Hygiene Clinic II
  • DEN 250 Dental Management for Patients with Medical Disorders
  • DEN 300 Nutrition
  • DEN 410 Dental Hygiene Theory III
  • DEN 420 Dental Hygiene Clinic III
  • DEN 430 Pharmacology for Dental Hygiene
  • DEN 440 Dental Materials with Lab
  • DEN 450 Oral Pathology
  • DEN 460 Periodontology I
  • DEN 480 Periodontology II
  • DEN 470 Local Anesthesia with Lab
  • DEN 520 Dental Hygiene Clinic IV
  • DEN 550 Dental Hygiene Theory IV
  • DEN 560 Community Dental Health

CREDENTIALS You’ll Earn

You will be eligible to sit for the NBDHE. Passing the national written exam is required to apply for state licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist.

In the last semester, students are eligible to sit for this examination. The clinical examination is required to apply for state licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist.

Skills You’ll Learn

Oral Assessment

In our Dental Hygiene Clinic, students provide patient assessment and identify problems. Once a problem has been identified, students plan an intervention, implement their intervention plans, evaluate the results, and document patient procedures.

Patient Care

In addition to regularly providing assessments, treatments, and cleanings at our Dental Hygiene Clinic, students will also perform radiographic and other diagnostic procedures and administer local anesthetics.

Professionalism

Demonstrate ethics and professionalism while effectively communicating with colleagues and patients regarding dental hygiene diagnoses and treatments.

Ready to Start?

Submit your online application today.

The application portal for Dental Hygiene will open on September 1st, 2024;
the application deadline is March 1st, 2025, for the Fall 2025.

Apply Now

Apply for Higher
Education

Apply for High School Programs