Degree Description

The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education. The program prepares the student to provide preventive dental hygiene care in dental offices, clinics, and educational or health care institutions. Registered Dental Hygienists (RDH) work as part of the dental health team to provide preventive health care for each patient. Responsibilities include oral health screenings, initial treatment appointments and maintenance appointments, nutritional counseling, fluoride, sealant application, and radiographic techniques. H.S. preparation should include biology and chemistry. Courses in physics and geometry are highly recommended.

Career Possibilities

A degree in Dental Hygiene offers many career opportunities. Career Coach allows you to explore different career options for the degree you are pursuing. You can even take a look at each job title to see an in-depth overview, salary, job growth, and live job postings.

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Degree Pathway

Degree Pathways outline one possible sequence of courses students may complete to fulfill their degree requirements as full-time students over the course of three.

AdditionalInformation

Successful completion of the following requirements is required for eligibility:

  1. Be admitted to Mott Community College and declare intent to enter the dental hygiene program.
  2. Complete the ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) at the overall Proficient Level (or higher) on the ATI Academic Preparedness Level scale; must complete all sections of the exam, including Reading, Mathematics, Science, and English & Language Usage. The exam must have been taken at MCC and completed in no more than 3 attempts.
  3. Demonstrate College level reading comprehension on the ACCUPLACER placement test within the last 5 years, OR a minimum score of 20 on the reading portion of the ACT within the last 5 years. A satisfactory grade in RDNG 030 or ENGL 100 within the last 5 years will also meet this requirement.
  4. Demonstrate math proficiency by placing into Math 130, or higher, on ACCUPLACER within the last 5 years or complete Math 120 (or higher) with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
  5. Submit verification of 8 hours of observation of a dental hygienist.
  6. Provide high school transcript or G.E.D. and any related college transfer transcripts.
  7. Complete 2 of the following four science courses: BIOL 151, BIOL 152, BIOL 156, and CHEM 118 with a 2.5 or better in the last five years. All four science classes must be completed prior to beginning the program.
  8. Pre-program students must maintain a minimum overall college GPA of 2.8. In ENGL 101 and ENGL 102, COMM 131, PSYC 281 , and SOCY 191, students must have a minimum of 2.0 in each course.
  9. All transfer credits must be from an accredited institution.
  10. Submit a Dental Hygiene Application by January 30th to Health Science Division when eligibility is complete. Students will be notified of the final outcome of the admissions process. Applications will be considered for one year only. Students not accepted into the entering class must submit a new application for the next year.
  11. Must have an acceptable criminal background check by to apply, for the purpose of identifying any student who could not continue in the program due to a felony conviction (within! the last 15 years) or misdemeanor conviction (within the last 1, 3, 5 or 10 years) in accordance with State statutes and laws. Students will be required to have an additional criminal background check at the time of application for licensure as required by the board of Dentistry. The cost of the criminal background check is the responsibility of the student.
  12. Submit a current CPR card. The card must be either the BLS Health Care Provider (American Heart Association) or the Professional Rescuer (American Red Cross).

The ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is designed to assess a student’s preparedness to enter the health science field. At Mott Community College, students must take the TEAS as part of the basic eligibility requirements for entry into the Associate degree in the Dental Hygiene program.

The TEAS measures basic essential skills in the academic content areas of reading, mathematics, science, and English and language usage. The objectives assessed on the TEAS are those that are deemed most relevant to measure entry-level academic readiness of dental hygiene program applicants.

TEAS Guidelines

A criminal background check is required prior to program application. Only the CBI is needed for application, the compliance tracker and drug screen will be completed after acceptance into the program.

The start-up packet provides instruction regarding the process to complete and submit the background investigation. Students will not be admitted to any health science program without a clear CBI.

Michigan law requires criminal background screening for individuals working in certain health care facilities. Conviction of a criminal offense (felony or misdemeanor) may make the student ineligible to be assigned to a clinical site, making program completion/graduation unattainable. In addition, conviction may make the graduate ineligible to take the licensure exam (CDCA/NBDHE). In order to ensure that the student can participate in required clinical experiences, he/she must have an acceptable criminal background investigation (CBI). The CBI must be completed after the mandatory orientation, at the student's expense. Additional CBIs may be required, including at the time of application for professional licensure. Some clinical agencies may require additional CBIs and/or require students to submit to drug screening procedures, prior to or during the clinical experience. The student is responsible for all costs related to these screens. A positive drug screen may make the student ineligible to begin or continue in the program.

Dental Hygiene applications are due January 30th

Fulfillment of the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission into the Dental Hygiene program at Mott Community College. Qualified applications will be reviewed by the Dental Hygiene Program Coordinator during the Winter semester for admission. Final determination of program entry will be made by a competitive (selective) process.

Students meeting the minimum eligibility requirements will be ranked for admission into the program using a value point system. Points will be awarded to students based on the application submitted by the deadline.

All eligibility coursework must have been completed prior to the application deadline; consideration will not be given for coursework or other requirements that are in progress. Applicants with all required science courses completed at the time of application will be more competitive.