Associate in Science Degree

(88 Credit Hours)

Program Director

Kimberly G. Bastin, CDA, EFDA, CRDH, MS
941-752-5245, Bradenton
BastinK@SCF.edu / DentalHygiene@SCF.edu

Program Goal

The Dental Hygiene Program prepares graduates to become licensed dental hygienists who promote optimum oral health for individuals and groups of individuals through preventive education and clinical and therapeutic services. Graduates of the Dental Hygiene Program will be awarded an Associate in Science degree and will be educationally qualified to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and Florida state licensing examination, both of which are required for licensure in the state of Florida. The Dental Hygiene Program is accredited without reporting by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA) located at 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60611-2678. CODA’s phone number is (312) 440-2500.

Program Learning Outcomes

ETHICS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and LIFE LONG LEARNING - The dental hygiene graduate will:

•  Adhere to state and federal laws, recommendations and regulations in the provision of dental hygiene care.
•  Adhere to the American Dental Hygiene Association Code of Ethics
•  Ensure the privacy of the patient during dental hygiene treatment and counseling and the confidentiality of all patient information and records
•  Continuously perform self-assessment for life-long learning and professional growth.
•  Identify alternative career options within health care, industry, education and research and evaluates the feasibility of pursing dental hygiene opportunities.

QUALITY PATIENT CARE - The dental hygiene graduate will:

•  Systematically collect, analyze and record accurate, consistent and complete documentation for assessment, diagnosis, planning and implementation and evaluation of dental hygiene services.
•  Provide dental hygiene care to promote patient health and wellness using critical thinking and problem solving in the provision of evidence-based practice.
•  Perform comprehensive examinations using clinical, radiographic, periodontal, dental charting and other data collection procedures to assess the patient needs.
•  Use critical decision making skills to reach conclusions about the patient’s dental hygiene needs based on all available assessment data.
•  Collaborate with the patient, and /or other health professionals to formulate a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan that is patient centered and based on current scientific evidence.
•  Provide specialized treatment that includes preventive therapeutic services designed to achieve and maintain oral health.
•  Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented clinical, preventive, and educational services and modify as needed.

EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS and GROUPS - The dental hygiene graduate will:

• Promote the values of the profession to the public and other organizations and other professionals outside of dentistry.
• Promote community oral health services in a variety of settings.
• Assess, plan, and implement health and dental health programs and activities to benefit the people of all ages, socioeconomic and cultural populations in a variety of settings.

Program Entrance Requirements

In addition to the admission requirements of the College, the following are requirements for admission into the Dental Hygiene Program:

1. Earned grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or better in ALL general education courses required by the program toward the degree, and a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 to meet graduation requirements.
2. Satisfactory completion of any remedial coursework needed to be eligible for college level courses.
   NOTE: Prerequisite courses may be required for ENC 1101  and mathematics requirement. These prerequisites MUST be taken PRIOR to entry into the Dental Hygiene Program. Consult the course descriptions in the Catalog or the specific department of the College for additional information.
3. Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better by the end of the Fall term prior to the year to which you are applying.
   Prerequisite courses:
   BSC 2085C - Anatomy and Physiology I 
   CHM 1020C - The Chemistry of Everyday Life 
   Any Mathematics, Area II, A.S. MAC 1105 - College Algebra  OR STA 2023 - Elementary Statistics  preferred
4. A minimum grade of “C” is required for all courses applied toward the dental hygiene degree.
5. A completed application for the Dental Hygiene Program with supporting documentation of residence and the nonrefundable application fee of $20. (A separate application is required for admission to the College.)

Upon acceptance, the following are required:

1.  A statement of satisfactory physical and mental health from a licensed physician or nurse practitioner (form to be provided).
2. Background checks, fingerprinting, CPR certification, and health and drug screenings to meet local health care agency regulations. Based on the results of these checks and screenings, students may become ineligible for program admission. Continuation in the program is based on acceptable results from random/ongoing screenings and background checks. Clinical facilities may limit or prohibit students with positive drug screen results or criminal histories from participating in clinical experiences, thus making the student ineligible to continue in the program. Students are responsible for all fees incurred with these checks and screenings.
3. Successful completion of Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider (American Heart Association) CPR course. To ensure that certification remains valid throughout the duration of the program, this course must be taken no earlier than mid-June of the first semester. CPR courses are offered through the SCF Center for Corporate and Community Development.
4. Mandatory attendance at the Dental Hygiene Program orientation (date to be announced).
5. Completion of 16 hours of observation, volunteer service or work experience in dentistry. Verification by a signed statement from a dentist or dental hygienist is required.

Students are admitted to the Dental Hygiene Program once a year with classes beginning in the Summer term. This is a limited enrollment program. Completion of all or part of the general academic courses required for the degree does not guarantee acceptance into the program. However, priority is given to applicants who have completed the most required hours of coursework toward the degree by the end of the Fall term preceding the year for which the applicant is applying. If there are more qualified applicants than seats available in the program, the primary criteria for selection is the GPA of the general education courses required by the program. The secondary selection criteria is the overall college GPA.

For additional program and admission information, check the website at scf.edu/DentalHygiene.