This program prepares dental hygiene students to be primary oral health-care professionals who play a key role in promoting oral health through educational, preventive and therapeutic services. The curriculum consists of general education, biomedical sciences, dental sciences, and dental hygiene sciences all provided within a framework of academic and clinical experience.

An Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded upon graduation. Dental hygienists have employment opportunities in general and specialty dental practices and clinics, pharmaceutical and dental supply companies, community health agencies, education and research institutions, and management settings. Dental Hygiene program graduates must pass the online National Board Examination, Regional and/or State Examination, and a state jurisprudence examination to be eligible to apply for state licensure.

Students desiring admission to the program must first meet the basic entrance requirements for Temple College and then apply for admission to the Dental Hygiene Program. Enrollment is limited and admission is competitive. Special program admission criteria and procedures are necessary to be accepted into the program.

 

Temple College Dental Hygiene Program Mission Statement:

The mission of the Temple College Dental Hygiene Program is to provide quality educational experiences and opportunities that promote the practice of dental hygiene and overall wellness.

Program Philosophy

The Temple College Dental Hygiene Program aligns itself with the mission and goals of Temple College. It is committed to excellence in the process of positioning dental hygiene students to reach their full potential by developing academic and clinical competencies, critical thinking skills, communication proficiency, and civic responsibility. Although the student is ultimately accountable for his/her own learning process, the Temple College Dental Hygiene Program strives to provide a variety of quality academic, laboratory, clinical and community learning experiences that prepare the student for the diverse demands of today’s profession. Through the Program’s student-oriented, positive learning environment, the graduates are motivated to become life-long learners and educators in disease prevention and oral health promotion and maintenance. In addition, it is the intent of this Program to reflect the mission statement of the Commission on Dental Accreditation by ensuring quality and continuous improvement in dental hygiene education in an ever-changing dental environment.

Program Admission Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1.    It is required that students attend a pre-application Dental Hygiene Program Information Session.

2.    Complete the Temple College admission procedure and achieve admission to Temple College.

3.    Complete a Dental Hygiene Program Admissions Application form.

4.    TSI Complete in Math.

5.    Provide copies of all relevant transcripts: 1) high school or High School Equivalency (HSE); 2) college/university; and 3) other.

6.    Provide official transcript of course grades. Prerequisite courses required prior to the application deadline are: BIOL 2401 , BIOL 2402 , BIOL 2420  or BIOL 2421 , CHEM 1405  or CHEM 1411 . Applicants must have a minimum of a “C” or better in each course. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 is required for admission to the Dental Hygiene Program. Biological science courses must have been taken within the past five years.  

7.    Pass all sections of the pre-entrance departmental aptitude test; ATI TEAS 

8.    It is required that you observe and submit verification of sixteen (16) TOTAL hours of Dental Hygiene observation time in two different dental facilities that employ dental hygienists.

9.    Completion of the above admission criteria does not guarantee admission to the Dental Hygiene Program. The highest qualified applicants will be ranked according to scores of the program admission criteria. Twelve applicants will be accepted into the program each year.

10.    Upon conditional acceptance into the program, the following must be provided:

      • Essential Qualifications & Technical Standards Document

      • Pre-entry Visual Acuity Exam

      • Online background check

      • Proof of required immunizations    

     

Deadline for applying to the Dental Hygiene Program each year is 12:00 PM the second Friday of February. Letters of notification will be mailed by March 15th. Accepted applicants have until March 31st to notify the Program Director in writing of applicants’ intentions.

 Requirements for Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene    

To graduate with a Temple College Associate of Applied Science degree in Dental Hygiene, the following requirements must be met:

1.   Three semester hours of English: ENGL 1301  

2.   Three hours of speech: SPCH 1311 , SPCH 1321 , SPCH 1318 , or SPCH 1315  

3.   Eight semester hours of human anatomy and physiology: BIOL 2401  and BIOL 2402 ; four semester hours of chemistry:  CHEM 1405  or CHEM 1411 ; and four semester hours of microbiology: BIOL 2420  or BIOL 2421 .  

4.    Six semester hours in social and behavioral sciences: PSYC 2301  and SOCI 1301 .

5.    Three semester hours in Language, Philosophy & Culture/Creative Arts to be selected from the disciplines of art, history, literature, music, speech (excluding SPCH 1311, 1321, 1318, and 1315), and theater. Students may select one course of three semester hours credit or several courses totaling three semester hours credit.

6.    At least 68 semester hours of course credit, exclusive of all 0000-level courses.

7.    Included in the 68 semester hours of course work must be all of the required dental hygiene courses for a total of 37 hours credit.

8.    The student must be enrolled in Temple College during the semester of his/her graduation.

9.    Complete at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for the degree at Temple College.

10.    For any variation from the above prescribed requirements to be counted toward graduation, a written statement to this effect, signed by the Dental Hygiene Department Chairperson and the Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services must be on file in the student’s record folder.