Dental Hygiene
Department of Dental and Imaging Technology: (361) 698-2858
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 of 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.
A Dental Programs Advisory Committee assists College officials in the implementation of the curriculum under the standards established by the Commission.
In addition to the admission requirements of the College, 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 2.5 GPA in college courses
- If applicable, supply documentation of graduation from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), dental assisting program or Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certificate (Note: Dental Assisting experience is not an admission requirement).
The application process can be accessed beginning November 01 at ADEA DHCAS (https://www.adea.org/DHCASapp/applicants).
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 in March to select the next class. All applicants will be notified by e-mail of the selection committee's decisions by March 31st. 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 and drug screening.
Note: The student must pass a background check and drug screening, 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 required physical examination.