Dental Hygiene

Associate in Health Science
Credit Requirements: 84 Semester Credit Hours

The dental hygienist is a licensed primary health care professional, oral health educator and clinician who, as co-therapist with the dentist, provides preventive, educational and therapeutic services supporting total health for the control of oral diseases and the promotion of oral health. Dental hygiene positions are available in general and specialty dental practices, community health centers and hospitals, as well as federal programs, the armed services and dental product promotion.

The curriculum, which includes both general education and professional dental hygiene courses, is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Dental Hygiene National Board Exam and individual state board examinations for licensure.

Admission Requirements
Applicants will be admitted to the Dental Hygiene program on a first-qualified, first-admitted basis. Applicants are considered to be qualified for admission to the next available class when they meet all College and program requirements. Classes in this program begin Spring Semester.

APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS
I. General College Admission Requirements 
Achieve admission to the College by meeting TTC's requirements for associate degree programs. Please note that applicants not achieving appropriate test scores will be required to complete courses indicated by placement test scores. 

Note: Admission to the College does not guarantee admission to the Dental Hygiene program.

II. Program Admission Requirements
Applicants should ensure that documentation of each of the following admission requirements is on file in the Admissions office as soon as it is completed. Information may be submitted in person or by mail to:

 Trident Technical College
 Admissions Office, AM-M
 (Student Center, Bldg. 410, Room 110)
 P.O. Box 118067
 Charleston, SC  29423-8067

1. Achieve qualifying scores on the College's placement test, SAT or ACT. Contact an academic advisor and complete all courses indicated by placement test scores.
2. Complete an Allied Health application for the Dental Hygiene program. NOTE: When the number of applicants qualifying at the same time exceeds the number of spaces available in this program, admission will be prioritized according to the date and time that the Allied Health application was received in the Admissions office.
3. Attend an official advising session and obtain a signed statement from your program faculty advisor verifying attendance. 
4. Provide proof of high school graduation or equivalent by submitting a copy of your high school transcript, diploma or GED.
5. Provide proof that general education courses and their prerequisites (support courses required in the Dental Hygiene program) have been completed with a minimum grade of C and a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Laboratory sciences must be completed within five years of the admission date with a minimum GPA of 2.5. The following required general education courses may be completed prior to admission to the Dental Hygiene program or may be completed concurrently with the Dental Hygiene curriculum:
   
     PSY 201      General Psychology
     SOC 101     Introduction to Sociology
     ELE HUM   Humanitives Elective
   
   
6. Satisfy academic probation/suspension requirement, if applicable, by providing proof of a minimum 2.0 GPA on all college course work by submitting official copies of college transcripts, other than TTC transcripts, to the Admissions office.
   OR
   Complete 10 semester credit hours with a minimum grade of C in each course, and a cumulative 2.0 GPA. At least one of these courses must be a laboratory science of four semester credit hours. Laboratory sciences must have been taken within five years of admission date with a minimum grade of C and a cumulative GPA of 2.5.
7. Submit proof of a minimum of 15 hours of observation of a licensed dental hygienist working in a dental practice. The applicant is responsible for arranging the observation time.
8. Achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA in the four required prerequisite science courses and an overall minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA at the time of admission and date of entry into the program. In addition, students must not be on academic or disciplinary suspension at the time of admission and date of entry into the program. 
9. At the time of entry to the program, show evidence of completion of the criminal background check required by the College.

III. General Admission Procedures for the Dental Hygiene Program
Prior to admission to the program, provide the TTC program coordinator with a completed, current Allied Health-Student Health Record. Applicants who meet College and program requirements will be considered qualified and will be admitted on a first-qualified, first-admitted basis. Qualified applicants will be sent a letter indicating the year and semester that they have been admitted. If openings occur in earlier semesters, students who are not enrolled in another Allied Health program may be offered the opportunity to move to an earlier acceptance date.

Note: Falsification of any information submitted will make a student ineligible for admission to or continuation in the Dental Hygiene program.
 
Transfer to the Dental Hygiene Program
Students seeking admission to the Dental Hygiene program at TTC who have been enrolled in (and not completed) another Dental Hygiene program must complete the following requirements to be considered for admission:

1. Meet the College's admission requirements.
2. Meet the Dental Hygiene program's admission requirements.
3. Submit a letter from the dean or director of the former Dental Hygiene program that addresses the student's
   
   

   a.  theoretical standing
   b. clinical standing
   c. eligibility for readmission to that program
   
   Note: Only students who have no more than one unsuccessful attempt in a clinical Dental Hygiene course are considered for admission. 

4. Meet the College's requirements for 25 percent of the curriculum credit hours to be taken at TTC.
5. Meet all prerequisite and corequisite courses applicable to the semester for which the student is seeking entry. Laboratory sciences must be taken within five years of the date of entry into the program.
6. Once the student is eligible for admission, he/she may request consideration for transfer credit for Dental Hygiene courses taken within the last two years.

Readmission to a Program
Students who receive a W, D or F in a prerequisite or corequisite course may request consideration for readmission to the Dental Hygiene program. Readmission to the program is not automatic. Specific policies and procedures for readmission are listed in the Dental Services Department Policies and Procedures Manual. Students requesting readmission must meet all admission criteria in place at the time of readmission. See the Allied Health Sciences overview.

Course Sequence and Progression
To progress to the next Dental Hygiene course, the student must:

1. Achieve a grade of C or better in each professional course.
2. Achieve a grade of C or better in all prerequisites and corequisites for professional courses.
3. Receive a "satisfactory" in Professional Development.