Dental Hygiene, Associate of Applied Science

Curriculum Code #2409

Effective May 2024

Division of Health and Wellness Sciences

The dental hygiene program at LCCC will prepare students to perform dental hygiene services in accordance with the state practice act and reflective of current theory and practice. The student will also be prepared to acknowledge the role of the dental hygienist as a member of the dental health team. Lorain County Community College has articulation agreements with colleges and universities including programs offered by Lorain County Community College’s University Partnership.

¹

Indicates that this course has a prerequisite.

²

Indicates that a grade of C (2.0) or better must be earned in order to continue in the sequence.

³

A student must register for the orientation course when enrolling for more than six credit hours per semester or any course that would result in an accumulation of 13 or more credit hours.

American Heart Association Healthcare Provider certification is required upon entrance into the program.

For information about admissions, enrollment, transfer, graduation and other general questions, please contact your advising team.

More program information can be found on our website.

Admission Requirements for Dental Hygiene

All requirements for admission into the Lorain County Community College (LCCC) Dental Hygiene Program must be met before applying to the program. All of the admission requirements must be met and a COMPLETE application must be received before the screening/selection process can be initiated. Incomplete applications may be returned followed by a delay of the screening/selection process.

If you are interested in applying to the Dental Hygiene Program, A COMPLETE application is mandatory and includes the following:

1. Complete the LCCC Application for Admission. The LCCC Dental Hygiene Program is a competitive and limited enrollment program; therefore the interested student must apply to LCCC separately AND apply to the Dental Hygiene Program.
2. Complete the Placement assessment.
3. Complete all program Pre-Admission Requirements as specified on the program check list. (The checklist provides you with information regarding the application requirements and admissions procedures for a particular Health & Wellness program. It can be obtained from an academic advisor.)
4. Meet with an academic advisor to verify that all requirements have been fulfilled. Upon verification of requirements, you may then file a Program Application.

Completed program application forms must be on file by February 5 to be considered for fall program admission.

Admission Requirements

1. Official high school or GED and college/program transcripts
   (if applicable)  
2. Minimum GPA of 2.5 on all college level coursework
   (includes transfer/transient work) 
3. Official high school (or GED) and college/program transcripts by February 1 each year to be considered for fall program admission 
4. Official LCCC transcripts indicating completion of Science Support courses and grades awarded and attendance dates by February 5 each year to be considered for fall Dental Hygiene Program admission.  
5. Recent completion of the following science support courses (with at least a 2.5 in each course) is required prior to applying to the Dental Hygiene Program: CHMY 161 (General, Organic, and Biochemistry I), BIOG 221 and BIOG 222 (Anatomy and Physiology I and II), and BIOG 251 (General Microbiology). It is strongly recommended that applicants, who have not completed the science support courses within the last five years, consider auditing them as a refresher.
6. Official college transcripts from institutions other than Lorain County Community College (LCCC) indicating completion of Science Support courses and grades awarded and attendance dates by February 5 each year to be considered for fall Dental Hygiene Program admission. 
7. If there are transfer credits from another college or university, the transcripts will be evaluated for course equivalency. To ensure that the processing of non-LCCC transcripts is completed well in advance of the LCCC Dental Hygiene program application deadline, the Records office must receive all transcripts at least 12 weeks prior to the time in which the student intends to complete a program application. Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with an advisor. It is always the prerogative of the degree granting institution to accept or reject courses taken at an institution other than Lorain County Community College.
8. Completion of six hours of observing a Registered Dental Hygienist in a dental office setting: The experience must consist of three hours of observation in one dental office location and three hours of observation in a different location. The dental offices must be separate practices, and must not be where the interested student may be employed. See Observation Form for further details. The observations must take place within one year of the date that the candidate first applies for fall Dental Hygiene Program admission.  If the student is not admitted and wants to reapply in a subsequent year, a new observation experience is not required.
9. All admission requirements steps #1-8 above, including observation hours and documentation, must be complete prior to receiving a program application form.
10. Interview (by invitation only)
11. A writing sample/essay- Testing Center (by invitation only)
12. Non-native English speaking applicants: The Commission on Dental Accreditation and Lorain County Community College (LCCC) Dental Hygiene Program Competencies mandate that students must be competent in interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interact with diverse population groups. The ability to communicate verbally and in written form is basic to the provision of oral health services in a safe and effective manner. Therefore, applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL, IBT http://www.toefl.organd score minimally, 21 Reading and Listening, 23-Writing, and 25-Speaking. Arrangements and costs incurred for the TOEFL is the responsibility of the student.
13. (See Information for: Students Who Were Previously Enrolled in Another Dental Hygiene Program. All Dental Hygiene courses are scheduled in a designed sequence and approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.)

Please note: Selection for program entry is competitive and based on a combination of factors including grade point average, interview, completion of six observation hours, a writing sample/essay and completion of program supporting non-technical courses. Only selected candidates (initially based on support coursework completed and GPA) will be asked to interview and submit a narrative form, along with observation hour documentation.

Important Notes for Students in this Program

• Students applying to a program in the Health & Wellness Pathway must successfully complete all deficiencies shown during the placement assessment process with a grade of C or better prior to the submission of a program application.
• Students are REQUIRED to attend lectures, college laboratories, and clinical sections.
• Transportation to and from community sites is the responsibility of the student. Transportation is not provided.
• Standardized examinations prepared by state and/or national organizations are mandatory for licensure. The cost of these examinations is the responsibility of the student.
• To assure compliance with specific state licensure or certification agency examination eligibility, students who have been previously convicted of a felony must schedule an appointment with the appropriate program coordinator (program director) and division dean prior to enrollment (entry or re-entry) into any Health & Wellness Sciences program. Certain programs require students to be fingerprinted and/or drug tested prior to program entry.

If you are transferring from another college or university, the Records office should receive all transcripts at least 12 weeks before you complete a program application. This ensures that the processing of non-LCCC transcripts is completed well in advance of specific Health & Wellness program application deadlines.

Learn more about Allied Health program requirements

Credit for Prior Learning (PLA) options may be available for your program.  For more information, please visit our website:  www.lorainccc.edu/PLA

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Successfully perform dental hygiene examination, assessments, dental treatments and post treatment evaluations to provide dental hygiene services to LCCC dental hygiene patients.
2. Effectively interview patients through a dialogue history with appropriate follow up questions to obtain an accurate and comprehensive medical/dental health history for total treatment planning.
3. Successful completion of the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination (NDHBE) and commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA) practicum and all required State license written certifications.
4. Synthesize information effectively to support clinical dental hygiene treatment through critical thinking, careful assessment and appropriate decision-making actions.
5. Comprehensively prepare competent students in the discipline of dental hygiene science.
6. Demonstrate a professional and mature acknowledgement of diverse populations in all clinical interactions.