DENTAL HYGIENE (DH03)

The Dental Hygiene program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for positions in the dental profession.  The program is a two-year, 123-credit hours curriculum leading to the Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science degree. Learning opportunities develop academic, technical, and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement.  The program provides the skills and knowledge needed to become a competent dental hygienist performing numerous critical services designed to detect and prevent diseases of the mouth.  These include oral prophylaxis; examining the head, neck, and oral areas for signs of disease; educating patients about oral hygiene; taking or developing radiographs; and applying fluoride or sealants.  In this setting, registered dental hygienists play a vital role in protecting the oral health of the American public.

Dental Hygiene Program Requirements 

Applicants must be at least seventeen (17) years old and be an official high school graduate or GED recipient.  All general education core course work must be successfully completed prior to acceptance into the program.  All applicants must file an application for admission into the Dental Hygiene program along with a $15 non refundable application fee.

Entrance into the program is competitive, and applicants must meet the following criteria in order to be considered:

• The student must have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher in the core dental hygiene classes.

• The student must take the PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Test, and pass with a score of 230 or better. (The PSB is given by CGTC and may be taken a maximum number of 2 times.)

Students who meet the above criteria will be ranked according to GPA and PSB scores. The 18 students with the highest scores will be chosen to enter the dental hygiene program. Slots are filled from the highest pre-requisite core grade point average downward until the maximum enrollment total is reached.

Courses are available at the Macon Campus.

A student who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be admitted into the dental program, but such a conviction may prohibit one from obtaining a state license to practice dental hygiene. (In the case of a felony conviction, applicants can not be licensed in the state of Georgia.)

Dental Hygiene program selection occurs once each year in the Spring.  The following core courses must be completed to be considered for selection with a minimum core grade point average of 3.00 or higher.