Overview
The Dental Hygienist is a licensed preventive oral healthcare professional who provides a variety of patient care services. The graduate will be able to work in a variety of settings such as private practice, group specialty practice, hospitals, and schools. After completion of the Associate degree program, graduates are eligible to sit for licensing board exams.
The student's clinical experience will span three semesters, including a summer session, and will take place at several facilities including the Harcum College on-campus Cohen Dental Center, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia VA Hospital, Community Volunteers in Medicine, and other community sites.
Program Goals
Through the utilization of various educational principles and by providing a variety of on-site clinical and community-based experiences, the Dental Hygiene program endeavors to facilitate the development of individuals who will be able to:
- Provide comprehensive dental hygiene services based on the current standard of care.
- Be committed to lifelong learning and professional development within the changing environment of the healthcare professions.
- Integrate knowledge from general education, basic science, and dental hygiene coursework.
- Incorporate ethical and professional judgment into the practice of dental hygiene.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills-written, oral and interpersonal.
- Demonstrate a proficiency in critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-assessment skills in the provision of dental hygiene care.
Prerequisites for Admission
- Minimum combined SAT score of 950 (Critical Reading and Math Scores ONLY)
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- Completion in the High School level with a "B" or better in: Algebra I and II, Geometry, Chemistry, Biology with a lab
Application Requirements
- Completed Harcum College application with $50 application fee
- Official copy of high school transcript
- Official college transcript(s), if applicable.
- SAT scores (if applicable, for students under age 24 only)
- Letter of recommendation
- Written essay
- TOEFL scores are required for students for whom English is a second language
All application materials must be received by February 15. Notification of Admissions decisions will be mailed in mid-March for all students that have submitted a complete packet.
Admission to the Dental Hygiene program is competitive, and completion of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admittance to the program. Criteria such as completion of non-Dental Hygiene coursework, cumulative grade point average, and date of completion of minimum requirements may be used in the evaluation and decision process.
Due to class size limitations, the College does not guarantee continuous enrollment between non-Dental Hygiene coursework, the Dental Assisting Certificate program, and the Dental Hygiene program. Should a current Harcum student be interested in the Dental Hygiene program, a new application, along with supporting documents, must be submitted to the Admissions Office. All Dental Hygiene admissions requirements must be met.
Students accepted into the Dental Hygiene program must meet the following additional criteria:
- Medical documents and clearances as required by the Allied Health programs. A list of specific requirements for the Dental programs is available in the Harcum Health Center. Proof of medical insurance is required. Annual PPD, drug urine screen and influenza vaccination are required.
- Proof of current certification from an approved CPR course, including adult, child, infant and AED, prior to enrolling in Preventative Oral Health Services I. Current certification must be maintained throughout the program.
- Harcum Placement Tests (Accuplacer). The Accuplacer Exam is given to incoming students that do not have college experience or do not have the appropriate college level English, Reading and/or Math courses for their Harcum program. Students will be notified by the Admissions office if they need to take this exam. All remedial coursework must be completed prior to enrollment in the Dental Hygiene program.
- Child Abuse History Clearance and Criminal Record Check. A child abuse history will, and criminal record check may exclude participation in the clinical component of the Dental Assisting, EFDA and Dental Hygiene programs and may prevent the state of Pennsylvania from granting certification and/or dental hygiene licensure.
- Purchase of designated instrument kit and supplies, uniform scrubs, shoes, name tags, textbooks, manuals and forms packets.
- Attend the mandatory Dental Hygiene program Orientation
- The student is responsible for transportation to and from clinical rotation sites. Students may need to supplement the patient pool in the clinical education experience.
Dental Hygiene students must achieve a grade of C or higher in all science and dental hygiene courses and maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher throughout the program. A failing grade (C- or lower) or a grade or W/F in two dental hygiene or science courses on the first attempt will result in dismissal from the program. Re-entry into clinical courses is on a space-available basis.
Essential Functions
Technical Standards
Course Sequence:
Summer Session I
| ENG 101 |
Composition I |
3 cr. |
| CHE 102 |
Fundamentals of Chemistry |
3 cr. |
| MTH 113 |
College Mathematics |
3 cr. |
|
9 cr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Semester
| *BIO 103 |
Anatomy & Physiology I |
4 cr. |
| DE 150 |
Dental Radiology |
3 cr. |
| DE 192 |
Dental Anatomy |
2 cr. |
| DH 101 |
Preventive Oral Health Services I |
4 cr. |
| DH 170 |
Dental Histology/Embryology |
2 cr. |
|
|
15 cr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Semester
| DH 121 |
Medical Emergencies |
1 cr. |
| *BIO 104 |
Anatomy & Physiology II |
4 cr. |
| BIO 205 |
Microbiology |
4 cr. |
| DE 191 |
Head & Neck Anatomy |
1 cr. |
| DH 110 |
Preventative Oral Health Services II |
2 cr. |
| DH 111 |
POHS II Clinic |
2 cr. |
| DH 180 |
Periodontics I |
2 cr. |
|
|
16 cr.
|
|
|
|
|
Summer Session II
| DH 111 |
POHS II Clinic (continued) |
2 cr. |
| DH 280 |
Periodontics II Lab |
0 cr. |
| ENG 103 |
Public Speaking |
3 cr. |
| PSY 111 |
Intro. to Psychology |
3 cr. |
| DH 200 |
Dental Anesthesia - Part I |
1 cr. |
|
|
9 cr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Third Semester
| DH 201 |
POHS III Seminar |
2 cr. |
| DH 202 |
POHS III Clinic |
4 cr. |
| DH 203 |
Dental Anesthesia - Part II |
1 cr. |
| DH 280 |
Periodontics II |
3 cr. |
| DH 270 |
Pharmacology |
2 cr. |
| DH 142 |
Dental Materials |
2 cr. |
| DH 190 |
Oral Pathology |
2 cr. |
| BIO 210 |
Nutritional Biochemistry |
3 cr. |
|
|
19 cr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fourth Semester
| DH 210 |
POHS IV Seminar |
2 cr. |
| DH 211 |
POHS IV Clinic |
5 cr. |
| DH 271 |
Community Dental Health |
2 cr. |
| DH 282 |
Current Concepts in Dental Hygiene |
2 cr. |
| ENG 102 |
English Comp II |
3 cr. |
| SOC 109 |
Intro. To Sociology |
3 cr. |
|
|
17 cr.
|
|
|
|
| |
Total number of credits: 85 credits
*both courses must be taken at the same college or university
Dental Hygiene students meeting EFDA entrance requirements are eligible to take an optional Expanded Functions I & II course (DA 260 & 261) during the third or fourth semester or anytime after graduation. This will make students eligible to sit for the Pennsylvania Expanded Functions Certification Examination.
The College Protocol for Serious Communicable and Bloodborne Infectious Disease is available upon request from the College Safety officer, Health Center, Office of Human Resources, and Admissions Office.
Additional Important Information
- The Dental Hygiene program has required summer semesters.
- Dental Hygiene students participate in clinical rotations at the VA Hospital and geriatric facilities. Students also participate in clinical or rotations providing experience in hospital-based dental hygiene and geriatrics.
- A maximum of 30 transfer credits in equivalent Harcum College Dental Hygiene coursework can be accepted. Transfer credits are determined by the Harcum College Admissions Committee and Transfer Credit Evaluator. The courses that are transferable are the following with a grade of a "C" or better. Also, all science and math courses expire after 10 years.
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II* 4 credits each
- Microbiology 4 credits
- English Composition I & II 3 credits each
- Introductory Psychology 3 credits
- Introduction to Sociology 3 credits
- Public Speaking 3 credits
- Intro to Chemistry 3 credits
- College level Math 3 credits
*both courses must be taken at the same college or university
- Dental Hygiene students participate in community clinical rotations allowing students to experience a diverse patient population.
- There are additional fees for instrument kit, clinical attire, and other clinical-related needs.
Approval/Accreditation Status
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "approval without reporting requirements." The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
Click here to review the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry's licensure information.
Employment Outlook
Dental Hygiene is expected to be one of the 30 fastest growing occupations, according to the US Dept. of Labor.
Two years of formal education at an accredited institution of higher education is necessary for a candidate to take licensing boards. All candidates for licensure must take the Dental Hygiene National Board Exam. Depending on the State's licensing requirements, candidates must also take a regional or state clinical exam. A hygienist must obtain a separate license for each state in which he/she would like to practice.
Hygienists can work in a variety of settings, including private dental offices, specialty dental practices, geriatric facilities, and other health care facilities. Many students continue on for a Bachelor's degree and then have employment options in education, research and management.
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