Dental Hygiene
Associate Degree Program
The Dental Hygiene program provides comprehensive educational experiences for qualified students to achieve the knowledge and skills necessary to be eligible for licensure and employment as dental hygienists. The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678. The Commission's web address is: . The program includes didactic, laboratory, and clinical experiences and is based at the Wilmington Campus. The Dental Hygiene program cycle begins once a year in the fall semester.
Academically ready students can apply to the program following the guidelines of the Allied Health competitive admission process. Interested applicants should review the information provided here and contact their program advisor for application requirements.
Offered at the following location(s): Wilmington
What You Can Do
In this program, you will gain the knowledge and skill to prepare you for careers in:
- Private dental practices
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Public health clinics
- Education
- Research
- Office management
- Business administration
- Dental companies
What You Will Learn
Program Graduate Competencies
The Program Graduate Competencies listed below identify the major learning goals related to your specific program of study and identify the knowledge and skills you will have when you graduate to be successful in your chosen field.
- Collect and analyze baseline data in a critical and scientific manner regarding the patient's health status to determine dental hygiene treatment needs.
- Utilizing professional communication skills and behaviors, initiate and responsibly advocate health care promotion and disease prevention for diverse populations.
- Provide dental hygiene care in a safe manner.
- Utilizing self-assessment skills, evaluate clinical performance and the effectiveness of dental hygiene treatment.
- Accurately document information related to dental hygiene care through proper record keeping.
- Recognize and manage the professional and ethical issues of dental hygiene practice in a dynamic environment.
Core Curriculum Competencies
The Core Curriculum Competencies listed below identify what you will be able to do as a graduate, regardless of your program of study. You will acquire these core competencies through general education courses and program-specific coursework. You will be expected to use relevant technology to achieve these outcomes:
- Apply clear and effective communication skills.
- Use critical thinking to solve problems.
- Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
- Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
- Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
- Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.
Pathway to Graduation
PROGRAM SPECIFIC ADVISEMENT STATEMENT
Delaware Tech does not apply blanket age limits to courses for the purposes of transfer in, meeting selective admission programs' ranking/entrance procedures, or meeting program requirements for award completion. There is an age limit used in the selective admission procedures for the Dental Hygiene program.
Semester 1
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Seminar | 1 | |
| Statistical Reasoning | 4 | |
| Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 | |
| General Chemistry | 4 | |
| Composition I | 3 |
Semester 2
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Terminology | 3 | |
| Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 | |
| Clinical Dental Hygiene I | 2 | |
| Dental Hygiene Fundamentals I | 3 | |
| Oral Histology/Embryology | 2 | |
| Dental Anatomy | 1.5 | |
| Head and Neck Anatomy | 1.5 |
Semester 3
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Microbiology | 4 | |
| Clinical Dental Hygiene II | 3 | |
| Dental Hygiene Fundamentals II | 3 | |
| Oral Radiography | 3 | |
| Periodontology/Cariology | 3 | |
| Oral Pathology | 3 |
Semester 4
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Composition II | 3 | |
| Sociology | 3 | |
| Clinical Dental Hygiene III | 2 | |
| Pharmacology for DHY | 1.5 |
Semester 5
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition | 3 | |
| Clinical Dental Hygiene IV | 4 | |
| The Compromised Dental Patient | 1.5 | |
| Advanced Clinical Techniques | 3 | |
| Community Dental Health | 2 |
Semester 6
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Psychology | 3 | |
| Clinical Dental Hygiene V | 4 | |
| Practice Management | 1 | |
| Operative/Specialty Dentistry | 1 | |
| Community Dental Health Fieldwork | 1 |
To complete program requirements, you must pass the above courses and earn at least 85 credits. The number of courses and credits required for graduation may be more depending on college readiness and the elective courses offered in your program major (if electives are a part of the program).
AHTAASDHY
Pursuing a Bachelor's Degree?
This is a program that enables you to complete your associate degree and then transfer to a four-year degree program as a junior. See a program advisor for details!
Alumni | Edelys Lizardo
This program is offered at the Wilmington campus.
This program is offered at the Wilmington campus.
This program is offered at the Wilmington campus.
Sharon Mossman
Department Chair, Instructor,
and Program Advisor
smossman@dtcc.edu
(302) 657-5177
The program in Dental Hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.
Commission on Dental Accreditation
211 East Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 440-2718
- Allied Health Admissions Process (PDF)
- (submission dates in effect)
- Ranking Worksheet (PDF)
- Cost Analysis Sheet (PDF)
- Technical Standards (Word)