Dental Hygiene Program Overview (PowerPoint)

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TRUCKEE MEADOWS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DENTAL HYGIENE
PROGRAM
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What is a Dental Hygienist?

• A professional, licensed dental health care
  provider specializing in periodontal therapy and
  oral health education.

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Career Options

• Clinical (private or public health)
• Administrative
• Education
• Consumer Advocate
• Research
• Legislative Advocate
• Corporate Sales

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Clinical Services

• Evaluation of medical and dental health history
• Identify oral or systemic health problems
• Remove calculus, stain and plaque above and below
  the gum-line
• Apply caries-preventive agents such as fluorides
  or pit fissure sealants

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Clinical Services

• Educate individuals or groups on oral health and
  health promotion
• Expose, develop and interpret oral radiographs
• Polish and contour amalgam restorations
• Provide nutritional counseling
• Design and implement community or school oral
  health programs
• Administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide
  sedation

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What skills are necessary to be a dental
hygienist?

• Manual dexterity and coordination
• Communication Skills
• Team Oriented
• Sensitive to diverse cultural backgrounds

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How is the job market?

• High demand for RDHs
• Excellent Compensation
• Work settings
• private offices
• clinics
• public health settings
• hospitals and nursing homes

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Why TMCC Dental Hygiene?

• Cost
• Community College
• Two-year program
• Decreased student cost
• Reputation
• Program with high standards for admission and
  graduation
• State-of-the-art dental hygiene clinic
• Program ranks in top 3 in US on National Dental
  Hygiene Board Examination Scoring
• 100 pass rate (first attempt) on Nevada State
  Boards Western Regional Board
• 100 pass rate on California State Board

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Why TMCC Dental Hygiene?

• University Transfer
• General education courses required help
  facilitate baccalaureate completion
• Dental Hygiene curriculum transferable to DH BS
  completion programs
• Smaller Classes
• 12-14 students admitted each Fall
• Excellent student-faculty ratios

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Why TMCC Dental Hygiene?

• Diverse patient population
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships from community and Nevada/Northern
  Nevada and National Dental Hygiene Associations
• Professional Socialization
• Students are strongly supported and mentored
  association members and faculty

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Preparation for Dental HygieneSchool

• Contact several DH programs for admissions
  criteria (recommended)
• High school strong in chemistry, biology,
  algebra
• College strong in biological science,
  humanities foundation
• Visit college academic advisors
• Talk to your dental hygienist

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General Education Requirements AS Degree

• Diversity 3 credits
• Refer to the Diversity section of the general
  education description of this course
• catalog for a list of approved courses. (See page
  B-6) Designated diversity courses can be
• used to fulfill other general education or major
  requirements.
• FINE ARTS Recommended ART 270 (also meets
  diversity category)
• English/Communications 6 credits
• Required ENG 101 and 102 or SPCM 113
• Quantitative Reasoning 6 credits
• Required MATH 126 and 127 or MATH 152 in place
  of 127
• Science (included in prerequisites) (12 credits)
• Humanities 3 credits
• Required Phil 135

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Dental Hygiene Program Prerequisites

• SCIENCES ( 12 credits)
• w/in last 5 years currency required
• (2.75 min science GPA)
• Biology 223 (AP I)
• Biology 224 (AP II)
• Chemistry 220
• Biology 251 (General Microbiology)
• The sciences are part of the GE courses versus in
  addition to
• NOTE Add COM 113 Fundamentals of Speech I
  required in the general ed coursework
• BIOL 190 is a prerequisite for BIOL 223
• CHEM 121 is a prerequisite for CHEM 220

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DH Curriculum Sequence

• DH 102 Dental Anatomy 2
• DH 103 Oral Biology 4
• DH 104 Dental Hygiene I 3 DH 105
  Introduction to Clinical Practice 2
• First DH 110 Concepts of Oral Health 2
• Semester DH 112 Oral Radiology 3
• Credits per Semester 16
• DH 113 General and Oral Pathology 3
• DH 115 Clinical Practice I 3
• Second DH 118 Adv Clinical Topics in DH 2
• Semester DH 120 Fund of Nutrition in
  Dentistry 3
• DH 202 Pharmacology 2
• DH 209 Pain and
  Anxiety Control 3
• Credits Per Semester 16
• DH 299B (1 Credit) is additional to each semester
• NOTE DH 110 and 118 are given as EARLY FALL
  courses (Jul-Aug)

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Curriculum Sequence

• DH 203 Special Patients 2
• DH 205 Clinical Practice II 5
• Third DH 211 Dental Materials for DH 2
• Semester DH 207 Periodontics I 2
• DH 208 Community Dental Health I 2
• Credits Per Semester 13
• DH 215 Clinical Practice III 5
• DH 216 Principles of Dental Practice 1
• Fourth DH 214 Periodontics II 1
• Semester DH 218 Community Dental Health II 2
• DH 107 Legal and Ethical Implications 1
• Credits Per Semester 10
• Total Credits in DH Emphasis
  (55)
• DH 299B (1 Credit) is additional to each
  semester

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Minimum Admission Requirements

• Meet TMCC general college entrance requirements.
  Apply to College
• Submit a completed TMCC Dental Hygiene Program
  Application
• Complete Dental Hygiene Program Prerequisite
  College Work
• (See list)
• Must have taken the DH Accuplacer test within the
  last 2 years
• Minimum GPA of 2.75 in courses for DH AS degree
• Minimum GPA of 2.75 in Prerequisite Science
  Courses
• Minimum of 8 hours of dental office observation,
  which must include observing roles of dentist,
  hygienist, assistant, and receptionist within the
  last year (beginning in Fall 2009).
• (Subject to annual review and
  changes)

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Criteria for Selection

• Overall GPA in general ed courses for AS degree
  and prerequisite sciences
• English Accuplacer Scores
• Related licenses, previous college degrees
• Experience in dental field
• Number of general education courses completed
  toward AS DH degree
• Nevada Residency
• Subject to review and changes, annually

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Need More Information?

• Contact
• TMCC Dental Hygiene Program
• 7000 Dandini Blvd RDMT 415-A
• Reno NV, 89512
• 775-673-8247
• www.tmcc.edu/dental/hygiene

Attend an Information Session