DENTAL HYGIENE (DH03)

The Dental Hygiene program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for positions in the dental profession.  The program is a two-year, 124-credit hours curriculum leading to the Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science degree. Learning opportunities develop academic, technical, and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement.  The program provides the skills and knowledge needed to become a competent dental hygienist performing numerous critical services designed to detect and prevent diseases of the mouth.  These include oral prophylaxis; examining the head, neck, and oral areas for signs of disease; educating patients about oral hygiene; taking or developing radiographs; and applying fluoride or sealants.  In this setting, registered dental hygienists play a vital role in protecting the oral health of the American public.

Dental Hygiene Program Requirements 

Applicants must be at least seventeen (17) years old and be an official high school graduate or GED recipient.  All general education core course work must be successfully completed prior to selection into the program.  All applicants must file an application for admission to CGTC and declare Dental Hygiene as their major, along with a $15 nonrefundable application fee.

Entrance into the program is competitive.

Dental hygiene students are selected at the end of the Spring quarter by the Registrar Department. A GPA of 3.0 is required for the student to be selected for the program. The GPA of the 6 core classes listed below will be weighed at 65%. Dental Hygiene students must also take the Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) Health Occupational Aptitude Test, which features a dental hygiene component. Student must pass with a grade of 230 or higher. The PSB score will be weighed at 35%. Students are allowed to take the PSB a maximum of two times.

Selection of Student

• A student's GPA will be converted to a score; for example, a GPA of 4.0 = 400 X .65 = 260
• This will be added to the PSB score. Example: 230 X .35 = 81
• Total example score would be 341

The 18 students with the highest mathematical score will be chosen.

Dental Hygiene courses are available at the Macon Campus only.

A student who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be admitted into the dental program, but such a conviction may prohibit one from obtaining a state license to practice dental hygiene. (In the case of a felony conviction, applicants cannot be licensed in the state of Georgia. This is a state law.)

The following core courses must be completed to be considered for selection with a minimum core grade point average of 3.00 or higher.