Looking for a career in healthcare? Dental hygienist falls within the top ten best healthcare support jobs. The profession offers countless benefits including flexibility, job opportunities, and growth. Dental hygienists work one-on-one with patients as they remove stains, tartar, and plaque from teeth, take and develop x-rays, examine patients for oral diseases, and provide general counsel on good oral health. If you’re considering dental hygiene as a career option, the training time needed provides an added incentive. The minimum educational requirement is an associate degree, which you can complete in two years or less. Furthermore, some of the coursework may be delivered online for your convenience. In two years, you could begin working in a stable industry and earn a decent salary that will multiply your returns on your educational investment.
Collin College
Students enrolled in the Dental Hygiene Program at Collin College will acquire knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet the needs of individuals and the community. The training will include didactic and practical instruction to aid the transition from the classroom to the workplace. Course topics include anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, orofacial anatomy, histology, and embryology, dental radiology, preclinical dental hygiene, preventative dental hygiene care, general and dental nutrition, pharmacology for the dental hygienist, dental hygiene care, dental materials, periodontology, general and oral pathology, community dentistry, dental hygiene practice, and social psychology. Students will be awarded the Associate of Science Degree after completing the required 68 credit hours and will be eligible to take the NBDHE to apply for national and regional licensing exams.
Program overview:
Dental Hygiene, Associate of Applied Science
Duration: 2 years
Credit hours: 68
Prerequisites:
- Apply for admission to the program
- Submit official copies of all college transcripts including Collin College transcripts mailed directly to the Dental Hygiene Program Director
- Must have completed prerequisite courses – Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Chemistry, Microbiology –within five years prior to the application deadline. Transcripts are required.
- Submit scores for the HESI exam – taken within the specified timeframe
- Submit a typed 1-2 page essay discussing why you have selected College Dental Hygiene
- Provide two professional reference forms completed by an employer or educator
- Provide a photograph – size 4×6
- Provide proof of exemption/waiver of TSI
- Provide proof of meningitis vaccination
- Complete mandatory campus safety training
- Must be certified in CPR, AHA from the BLS for Health Care Providers
- Complete formal training in Infection Control Procedures
- Must maintain a minimum overall GPA or 2.5 once enrolled as a dental hygiene student
- Complete drug screening and a criminal background check
- Must be in good health upon acceptance
- Complete annual TB testing
- Provide documentation of immunization
Program cost:
Tuition costs $54 per credit for in-county residents and $100 per credit hour for out-of-county residents.
- Website: https://www.collin.edu/
- Address: 3452 Spur 399 – McKinney, Texas 75069
- Phone: 972.548.6790
El Centro College
The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene Program at El Centro College is open to persons with no prior experience. The AAS requires completion of 68 credit hours. Students will learn through lectures in the classroom and hands-on activities in a skills lab followed by real-world experiences in the school’s on-site dental clinic. Areas of study include anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, orofacial anatomy, histology, and embryology, dental radiology, preclinical dental hygiene, preventative dental hygiene care, general and dental nutrition, pharmacology for the dental hygienist, dental hygiene care, dental materials, periodontology, general and oral pathology, community dentistry, dental hygiene practice, and social psychology. Graduates will receive the AAS and will be eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) and a regional clinical board in order to apply for licensure by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to become a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH).
Program overview:
Dental Hygienist – Associate of Applied Science Degree
Duration: 2 years
Credit hours: 68
Prerequisites:
- Attend an admission interview with an Admission Representative
- Submit a completed application for admission to DCCCD
- Apply for admission to the Dental hygienist program
- Meet the high school graduation requirements or equivalent
- Meet the Texas Success Initiative standards and course prerequisites
- Take and pass an admissions assessment
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must have a valid photo ID and social security card
Program cost:
Tuition costs $1,896 annually for in-district students and $3,240 for out-of-district students. Students must cover the cost of books, fees, and uniforms.
- Website: https://www.dallascollege.edu/pages/default.aspx
- Address: 1601 Botham Jean Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215
- Phone: 214-378-1500
Tarrant County College – Northeast Campus
The Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science degree offered by Tarrant County College prepares students to become licensed oral health professionals who will focus on preventing and treating oral diseases to protect patients’ teeth and gums. Students will learn practical steps to take and develop dental x-rays, talk to patients about their oral health and report the information to dentists, teach patients good oral hygiene practices, and use tools to clean and polish patients’ teeth. They will also develop marketable skills such as critical thinking, communication, reasoning, personal and social responsibility, teamwork, and computer literacy. Course topics include anatomy and physiology, general and dental nutrition, preventative dental hygiene care, preclinical dental hygiene, orofacial anatomy, histology, and embryology, dental materials, dental radiology, microbiology, periodontology, pharmacology, community dentistry, general and oral pathology, dental hygiene practice, and special topics in dental hygienist. Graduates will be eligible to take the NBDHE to apply for licensure by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to become a Registered Dental Hygienist. Full-time students meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. A [art-time option is not available. Enrolment is limited to 24 students per cycle in the fall semester.
Program overview:
Dental Hygiene, Associate of Applied Science
Duration: 2 years
Credit hours: 68
Prerequisites:
- Secure admission to TCC before applying for the Dental Hygiene program
- Submit a completed application to the Dental Hygiene Program to the secretary of the selection committee for Health Sciences
- Must the TSI requirements for credit course enrolment
- Submit official high school and college transcripts – must indicate grades and GPA
- Schedule and take the HESI Admissions Exam
- Bonus points available for applicants who complete college-level general education and science courses
- Complete all prerequisite courses with a grade C or better – must have been completed within 5 years prior to the application date
- Must obtain satisfactory results from a substance abuse screen and criminal background check
Program cost:
The program cost of $19,677 includes tuition, books, immunizations, and prerequisites.
- Website: https://www.tccd.edu/
- Address: 828 W Harwood Rd, Hurst, TX 76054
- Phone: 817-515-8223
Texas A&M University
The Caruth School of Dental Hygiene at Texas A&M University produces preventive oral health professionals who are capable of providing educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to practice in private dental practices, dental clinics, public health agencies, schools, hospitals, government agencies, and research. Applicants to the program must have completed at least 60 semester credit hours of college-level coursework. Course topics include theory of dental hygiene, introduction to dentistry, dental anatomy, oral radiology, preclinical dental hygiene, microbiology, introduction to pathology, applied dental materials, health promotion and disease prevention, pharmacology, medical emergencies, oral pathology, oral radiology, perspectives in dental hygiene, comprehensive care, gerontology, periodontics, and public and community health. Graduates will be eligible to take the NBDHE to apply for licensure by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to become a Registered Dental Hygienist.
Program overview:
Dental Hygiene – Bachelor of Science Degree
Duration: 2 years – not including prerequisite courses
Credit hours: 120
Prerequisites:
- Obtain acceptance as a degree-seeking student at Texas A&M University
- Apply for admission to the School of Dentistry and pay the application fee of $35
- Submit transcripts of college-level courses – must have at least 60 credit hours prior to admission
- Submit a biographical sketch as part of the online application
- Submit a passport sized photo with the application – 2×2
- Submit high school transcripts. All transcripts must indicate the applicant’s grade and GPA
- Submit scores from Texas Success Initiative (TSI), Exemption is granted to applicants who submit satisfactory SAT/ACT or TEAS scores
- Submit a completed Observation Verification Form
- Submit completed Evaluation Forms – completed by a Dental Hygienist, College Profession, Employer, or Supervisor
- Complete the required admission interview – available by invitation only
- Submit a completed physical examination form provided by the University
- Submit a record of required immunizations
Program cost:
Tuition costs $2,100 per semester for in-state juniors and $1,325 for seniors. The cost of books, instructions, and fees is not included.
- Website: https://dentistry.tamu.edu/
- Address: 3302 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231
- Phone: 214-828-8100
Concorde Career College
Concorde Career College offers an Associate of Science degree in Dental Hygiene to prepare students for licensure and practice as a Registered Dental Hygienist. The curriculum covers 1810 contact hours of theory and hands-on activities in the classroom, lab, and dental clinics. Hands-on instruction will focus on dental cleanings, screening, and x-rays. Areas of study include elements of human communication, dental office emergencies, dental radiography, dental materials, dental hygiene, dental public health, nutrition, board review, dental law/ethics, oral pathology, dental office management, general psychology, chemistry, microbiology, dental anatomy/tooth morphology, and periodontology. Some of (approximately 45 percent) the coursework will be delivered online for students’ convenience. Upon completion of the 88.5 semester credit hours, graduates will be eligible to take the NBDHE to apply for licensure by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to become a Registered Dental Hygienist. The duration of the program is 70 weeks.
Program overview:
Dental Hygiene, Associate of Applied Science
Duration: 18 months
Credit hours: 88.5
Prerequisites:
- Attend a personal interview and campus tour
- Complete the application for admission and sign the enrolment agreement
- Take and pass the admission exam – Wonderlic with a score of 20 or above or HESI with a score of 75
- Provide proof of completing high school or high school equivalency
- Must be a citizen or permanent resident or eligible non-citizen
- Must complete a health certificate that includes a copy of immunization records and the results of specified tests
- Must be able to read, write, and speak English
- Must complete a satisfactory criminal background check
- Attend an interview with the program director
Program cost:
The program cost of $18,633 includes tuition, books, supplies, and fees.
- Website: https://www.concorde.edu/
- Address: 12606 Greenville Ave., Suite 130, Dallas, Texas 75243
- Phone: (469) 251-4371
- Fax: (469) 221-3480