Montco's Dental Hygiene associate's degree program prepares you to work as a dental hygienist in a variety of settings and to provide preventative and therapeutic oral care to the public. You'll receive extensive, hands-on training at Blue Bell Campus's new, state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center in its dental hygiene clinic. You'll also gain clinical experience at community-based sites.
Upon successful completion of the Dental Hygiene program, you'll receive an Associate of Applied Science degree and be eligible to take both the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) and the regional American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) Dental Hygiene Examination required to obtain licensure as a registered dental hygienist. States that accept the CDCA/WREB/CITA (ADEX) exam can be found online.
Program outcomes
- Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving.
- Perform skills that meet ethical and professional standards.
- Utilize communication and interpersonal skills to work with diverse groups.
- Implement evidence-based research into professional development.
Accreditation
The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements.” The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.
Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
phone: 312-440-2718
website: ada.org/en/coda
Mission Statement
The mission of the Dental Hygiene Program is to develop ethical and competent dental hygiene practitioners capable of integrating the varied roles of the dental hygiene profession. The program will strive to provide high quality, affordable and accessible educational opportunities to meet the educational needs of its students, while serving the community.
Special Admission Requirements – Intent to Register
All applicants seeking admission to the clinical component of the Dental Hygiene Program are required to submit an "Intent to Register" form at the completion of the spring semester to the Office of Admissions, Records and Registration.
Intent to Register
The Intent to Register period for fall 2024 clinical admission is now open and will close on Monday, July 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
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Program Curriculum
General Education Requirements
Major Requirements
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 131 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 132 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 140 | Microbiology and Immunology | 4 |
| DHG 100 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene I | 4 |
| DHG 111 | Dental Anatomy | 2 |
| DHG 155 | Dental Radiology | 2 |
| DHG 158 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene II | 5 |
| DHG 159 | Histology and Pathology of Oral Tissues | 3 |
| DHG 161 | Periodontics I | 2 |
| DHG 220 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene III | 6 |
| DHG 224 | Materials in Dentistry | 2 |
| DHG 225 | Oral Pharmacology | 2 |
| DHG 226 | Dental Pain Control | 2 |
| DHG 253 | Community Dentistry | 2 |
| DHG 258 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene IV | 6 |
| DHG 261 | Periodontics II | 2 |
Full-time sample course schedule
Semester 1
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 131 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| CMS 110 | Speech Communication | 3 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ESW 206 | Basic Nutrition | 3 |
Semester 2
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 132 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 140 | Microbiology and Immunology | 4 |
| ENG 201, ENG 202, ENG 211, ENG 212, ENG 221, or ENG 222 | Literature Elective | 3 |
Semester 3 (fall only)
| COURSE ID | TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 100 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene I | 4 |
| DHG 111 | Dental Anatomy | 2 |
| DHG 155 | Dental Radiology | 2 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
Semester 4 (spring only)
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 158 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene II | 5 |
| DHG 159 | Histology and Pathology of Oral Tissues | 3 |
| DHG 161 | Periodontics I | 2 |
Semester 5 (summer only)
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 224 | Materials in Dentistry | 2 |
| DHG 225 | Oral Pharmacology | 2 |
| DHG 226 | Dental Pain Control | 2 |
Semester 6 (fall only)
| COURSE ID | TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 220 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene III | 6 |
| DHG 261 | Periodontics II | 2 |
Semester 7 (spring only)
| COURSE ID | TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 253 | Community Dentistry | 2 |
| DHG 258 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene IV | 6 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
Part-time sample course schedule
Semester 1
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| BIO 131 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
Semester 2
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 201, ENG 202, ENG 211, ENG 212, ENG 221, or ENG 222 | Literature Elective | 3 |
| BIO 132 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
Semester 3
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 140 | Microbiology and Immunology | 4 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
Semester 4
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMS 110 | Speech Communication | 3 |
| ESW 206 | Basic Nutrition | 3 |
Semester 5 (fall only)
| COURSE ID | TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 100 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene I | 4 |
| DHG 111 | Dental Anatomy | 2 |
| DHG 155 | Dental Radiology | 2 |
Semester 6 (spring only)
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 158 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene II | 5 |
| DHG 159 | Histology and Pathology of Oral Tissues | 3 |
| DHG 161 | Periodontics I | 2 |
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 224 | Materials in Dentistry | 2 |
| DHG 225 | Oral Pharmacology | 2 |
| DHG 226 | Dental Pain Control | 2 |
Semester 8 (fall only)
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 220 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene III | 6 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| DHG 261 | Periodontics II | 2 |
Semester 9 (spring only)
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DHG 253 | Community Dentistry | 2 |
| DHG 258 | Theory and Practice of Dental Hygiene IV | 6 |
Transfer Options
Seamlessly transfer your Montco associate's degree to one of our four-year partner schools.
