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2018-2019 Catalog

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Dental Hygiene

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Associate in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene

81 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.

Accreditation

Dental Hygiene and Expanded Duty Dental Assisting
Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611-2678

General Education Core Curriculum

ENG 101 English Composition I 3
MAT 110 College Algebra 3
or
MAT 120 Probability and Statistics 3
PSY 201 General Psychology 3
SPC 205 Public Speaking 3
or
SPC 209 Interpersonal Communication 3

REQ HUM Select from Humanities 3

Total:   15

Major Requirements

AHS 113 Head and Neck Anatomy 1
BIO 210 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
BIO 211 Anatomy and Physiology II 4
BIO 225 Microbiology 4
CHM 105 General Organic and Biochemistry 4
DHG 115 Medical and Dental Emergencies 2
DHG 121 Dental Radiography 3
DHG 125 Tooth Morphology and Histology 2
DHG 140 General and Oral Pathology 2
DHG 141 Periodontology 2
DHG 143 Dental Pharmacology 2
DHG 154 Pre-Clinical Dental Hygiene 4
DHG 165 Clinical Dental Hygiene I 5
DHG 175 Clinical Dental Hygiene II 5
DHG 230 Public Health Dentistry 3
DHG 231 Dental Health Education 1
DHG 239 Dental Assisting for the DHG 2
DHG 241 Integrated Dental Hygiene I 1
DHG 243 Nutrition and Dental Health 2
DHG 255 Clinical Dental Hygiene III 5
DHG 265 Clinical Dental Hygiene IV 5
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology 3

Total:   66

APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING  REQUIREMENTS

  1. 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.

  2. 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 a Health Sciences 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 Health Sciences application was received in the Admissions office.
    3. Complete online Information Session and Quiz.
    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. 
    6. Provide 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.
       
  3. General Admission Procedures for the Dental Hygiene Program
     

    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 notified via my.tridenttech.edu email indicating the year and semester that they have been admitted. Students will be required to provide a completed, current Health Sciences – Student Health Record including all immunizations and titers, TB (PPD) tests, as well as current Healthcare Provider CPR certification, major medical insurance and medical professional liability coverage.

    Students will also be notified by my.tridenttech.edu email the date and time of the mandatory program orientation. Failure to attend will result in forfeiture of seat in the program.


    Note: Falsification of any information submitted will make a student ineligible for admission to or continuation in the Dental Hygiene program.

Course Sequence and Progression
To progress to the next Dental Hygiene course, the student must achieve a grade of C or better in all courses required for the program.