Dental Hygiene

Program Narrative
Dental hygienists are licensed oral health professionals who play an integral role in assisting clients in achieving and maintaining optimal oral health. The dental hygienist provides educational, clinical, and therapeutic services for individuals and populations of all ages, including the medically compromised, mentally and physically challenged, and socially or culturally disadvantaged.

Dental hygienists provide a variety of services that prevent the initiation of, or limit the extent of, cavities and/or periodontal (gum) disease. During the two-year program, all pre-clinical and clinical practice occurs in the dental clinic located at the Main campus.

The dental hygiene program is competency-based and assesses all clinical and laboratory courses using pass/fail criteria. Students must earn grades of C (75%) or better in all DENH courses to qualify for semester promotion.

While most dental hygienists practice in private dental offices, others provide services in hospitals, private businesses and industries, correctional institutions, and private and public centers for pediatric, geriatric, and special needs clients. Articulation agreements have been established with dental hygiene baccalaureate degree completion programs to facilitate the transfer of credits and admissions.

The program in Dental Hygiene 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.

Program Mission
While upholding the mission and vision of Northampton Community College, the Dental Hygiene Program provides excellent, comprehensive learning experiences to prepare students with the knowledge and clinical skills to competently practice as dental hygienists.

Statement of Values
The Dental Hygiene Program values:
Excellence - Quality in the educational experiences that we provide
Innovation - Curricular responsiveness to adapt quickly to changes in the profession
Accountability - Individual responsibility for his/her actions, growth and development
Integrity - Academic, personal and professional honesty, fairness, ethical conduct and respect for others
Engagement - Involvement in and collaboration with the communities we serve

Program Admissions Requirements
Admission is on a competitive basis. All applicants must submit:

  • an application OR a re-entry form
  • a change of major form (only if currently enrolled)
  • official transcripts
  • a completed Career Assessment form

The minimum admission requirements to the program include:

  • Completed high school Biology with a lab component with a grade of B and
  • completed high school Chemistry with a lab component with a grade of B (if a candidate did not complete Biology and/or Chemistry with B grades in high school, equivalent courses taken at a post-secondary institution are acceptable substitutes, i.e., NCC CHEM 135 and BIOS 115) and
  • an overall high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B)

The minimum admission requirements to the program for applicants who have completed more than 12 college credits include:

  • the most recently completed Biology course with a lab - if completed in high school with a grade of B, or if completed in college, a grade of B minus (i.e., NCC BIOS 115, BIOS 160 or BIOS 204) and
  • the most recently completed Chemistry course with a lab - if completed in high school with a grade of B, or if completed in college, a grade of B minus (i.e., NCC CHEM 135) and
  • a program-specific college science GPA of 2.70 (possible courses include NCC CHEM 135, BIOS 160 and BIOS 202 only) and
  • a cumulative college GPA of 2.70 in all program-specific non-science courses

Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the dental hygiene program.

Please Note: Students accepted into the Dental Hygiene program will be required to submit results of a criminal background check and Pennsylvania Child and Elder Abuse History Clearance to the program director.

Deadlines
To receive primary consideration, completed applications must be submitted by February 1. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a space-available basis. Contact the Admissions Office at 610-861-5500 for further information.

Program Outcomes
1. Students will be competent as defined by the department document, "Competencies for Entry into the Profession of Dental Hygiene." Students must demonstrate competency in the following:

Core Competencies

  • Adhere to state and federal laws, recommendations and regulations in the provision of dental hygiene care.
  • Model professional behavior.
  • Gather, evaluate and use information effectively.
  • Reflect on personal performance through self-assessment.
  • Communicate effectively with individuals and groups from diverse populations both verbally and in writing.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

  • Identify risk factors, and develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to promote health and prevent disease.
  • Utilize methods to ensure the health and safety of the client and the dental hygienist in the delivery of dental hygiene services.
  • Community Involvement
  • Assess the oral health needs of the community, and plan, implement, and evaluate programs to address those needs.
  • Provide community oral health promotion and disease prevention activities in a variety of settings.

Client Care

  • Systematically collect, analyze and record data on the general, oral and social health status of a variety of clients to identify client needs and oral health problems. (Assess)
  • Use critical decision making skills to reach conclusions about the client's dental hygiene needs based on all available assessment data. (Diagnose)
  • Collaborate with the client, and/or other health professionals, to formulate a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan that is client-centered and based on current evidence-based practices. (Plan)
  • Provide specialized treatment as identified in the assessment, diagnosis, and planning phases that includes preventive and therapeutic services designed to achieve and maintain oral health. (Implement)
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented clinical, preventive, and educational services and modify them as needed. (Evaluate)

2. Students will be prepared to successfully complete the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and the Northeast Regional Board Examination.

3. Students will be satisfied with their dental hygiene education.

4.Clients will be satisfied with dental hygiene services.

 

© Northampton Community College 3835 Green Pond Rd Bethlehem, PA 18020  610-861-5300