Dental Hygiene
Department of Dental and Imaging Technology: (361) 698-2858
Pre-Dental, see: Pre-Professional Health
This program prepares the student to be a dental hygienist, whose primary duties are to provide patients with regular oral prophylaxis, dental x-rays, dental sealants, and dental health care instruction for the control of oral diseases and the promotion of oral health.
Graduates will receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and are eligible to take national, regional, and state board licensing examinations. After passing these examinations, the graduate is licensed to practice dental hygiene under the general supervision of a licensed dentist.
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (https://www.ada.org/coda), 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, (312) 440-4653. A Dental Advisory Committee assists College officials in the implementation of the curriculum under the standards established by the Commission.
Applicants to the Dental Hygiene program must submit the following information to ADEA Dental Hygiene Centralized Application Service (DHCAS), an online application service, before February 01 of the year admission is desired:
- Completed Dental Hygiene program application
- Official copies of college transcripts
- Have an overall 2.0 GPA in college courses
- If applicable, supply documentation of graduation from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), dental assisting program or CDA certificate. (Note: Dental Assisting experience is not an admission requirement.)
The application process can be accessed at ADEA DHCAS (https://dhcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login)
Note: It is recommended that the general education and science courses in the curriculum should be completed prior to admission to the program. All science courses completed must be within a five-year period prior to enrollment in the Dental Hygiene program. Completion of the general education and science courses enhances a student's selection to the program.
This selection criteria is weighted to arrive at a score for each applicant. A selection committee, consisting of the program director and program faculty, will meet to select the next class. All applicants will be notified by letter of the selection committee's decisions. Applicants not selected are advised to contact Del Mar College's Student Enrollment Center or Dental Hygiene Program Director for advice concerning their academic goals.
Final acceptance into the program is contingent upon a satisfactory background check.
Additional Requirements: The student must pass a background check, at student's expense, for security clearance and continued enrollment in the program. If admitted into the program, the student must also attend a mandatory orientation scheduled prior to the first day of class. On the day of orientation, the student must submit proof of physical, visual, and dental examinations.
If accepted into the Del Mar College Dental Hygiene program, a formal online application to Del Mar College must be submitted via the Apply Texas website (https://www.applytexas.org). Applicants must have an overall 2.0 GPA in college courses. Placement test scores, official high school and College/University transcripts also must be submitted to the Del Mar College Admissions office at 101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78404. Current Del Mar College students will not need to send any further documentation to the college.