Dental Hygienist
71 Credit Associate DegreeProgram Description
The Dental Hygienist Associate Degree program prepares individuals for a career as a Dental Hygienist. The Dental Hygienist is a member of the dental team and helps individuals maintain oral health and prevent oral diseases. Under the supervision of a dentist, the hygienist inspects the mouth, removes stains and deposits from teeth, applies preventative agents, prepares clinical and diagnostic tests, completes dental x-rays and performs many other services related to oral care. Dental Hygienists counsel patients about preventive measures such as nutrition, oral hygiene and dental care.
After graduating from an accredited program, Dental Hygienist graduates are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and clinical examinations given under the direction of the State Dentistry Examining Board, the American Dental Associations Joint Commission.
Please note: General Anatomy & Physiology (10-806-177) must be passed with a grade of "C" or better prior to submitting a petition for admission into this program.
Accreditation Information: The Dental Hygiene Associate Degree program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission On Dental Accreditation (CODA), 211 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611; telephone 800.232.6108; www.ADA.org/CODA.
Found in These Career Fields:
Approximate Program Cost
Starting Salary
Financial Aid
Competitive Admissions
This program has no waitlist, but uses a competitive admissions process.
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Availability
Courses for this program may be available at a variety of campus locations through multiple modes of delivery if you meet the admission requirements and prerequisites.
* Campus and online availability of courses and programs may be subject to change.
Prerequisites
Candidates must be 18 years of age at the start of the Dental Hygienist program.
Outcomes
Graduates will be able to…
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented client/patient dental hygiene care plan
- Provide preventative and therapeutic services that promote oral health according to the needs of the patient/client
- Formulate a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan in collaboration with the client and other health professionals
- Assess data on all aspects of patient/client health using methods consistent with dental hygienist scope of practice and legal principles
- Manage infection and hazard control
- Provide community oral health services in a variety of settings
- Counsel clients/patients to reduce health risks
- Model dental hygiene professional code of ethics
Careers
Some of the potential careers graduates can pursue are:
- Dental Hygienist
- Dental Treatment Coordinator
- Dental Sales Representative
Courses
The Dental Hygienist Associate Degree is a 71 Credit program. The following is a typical semester breakdown of the courses within the program.
* College 101 (10-890-165) is not part of the program credit requirements but is a College Requirement for graduation that must be passed with a “C” or better.
Credit for Prior Learning Available
View All Detailed Course Information
Accreditation
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission On Dental Accreditation (CODA), 211 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611; telephone 800.232.6108; https://www.ada.org/en/coda.
File a Complaint Against CODA or a CODA-Accredited Education Program
Transfer Information
You can continue your education to earn a four-year degree in a variety of ways.
Program Transfer
The following transfer guides, executed in partnership with post-secondary institutions, are based on agreements that allow you to continue your program at another college.
| School Name | Degree Name |
|---|---|
| Marian University | Bachelor of Dental Hygiene |
| Metropolitan State University | Bachelor of Dental Hygiene |
| Minnesota State University - Mankato | Bachelor of Dental Hygienist |
| Purdue Global | Bachelor of Health Science |
| Siena Heights University | Bachelor of Applied Science |
| UW Oshkosh | Bachelor of Human Services Leadership |
General Transfer
All associate degrees transfer to a variety of programs at other partner colleges to give you the opportunity to continue your education in other areas of study.
View all transfer guides
Cost of Attendance
2023-2024 Estimated Academic Year Budgeted Cost of Attendance
The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) is a budget that includes categories of expenses that a student can expect to incur while attending college. The COA does not reflect actual charges. It is an average based on the estimated living costs typical of our region. In determining the cost of attendance, Northcentral Technical College uses the budget established by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Financial Aid Budget Work Group. This budget is used to determine financial need for all students who apply for financial aid. A student's cost of attendance is composed of all educational expenses that can be included for financial aid purposes that a student may accrue while pursuing their education for the year (or semester, if enrolled less than a year). A student's financial aid cannot exceed their cost of attendance. Schools are required to provide a fuller picture of what it may cost students to pursue their degree, not just what they will owe in tuition/fees and books/supplies.
| Expenses | Student Living With Parents (Home) | Student Living on Own (Other) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time Tuition (based on a total of 30 credits, 15 credits fall and 15 credits spring) |
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| Living Expenses (Housing & Food) | $4,052 | $9,614 | ||
| Books / Supplies | $2,061 | $2,061 | ||
| Transportation | $2,007 | $2,007 | ||
| Personal Expenses | $2,245 | $2,245 | ||
| Loan Fees | $83 | $83 | ||
| Professional Licensure / Certification | $1,575† | $1,575† | ||
| Total Estimated Cost Of Attendance |
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* Tuition listed is based on approved rates for the 2022-2023 academic year with a projected base increase of 1.65%. Rates are approved each March by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and estimated budgets are updated at that time.
Students with dependent care, computer or study abroad expenses should contact the Financial Aid Office to document allowable expenses which may serve to increase their COA.
Students awarded Federal Direct Loan(s) also have an average of the mandatory loan fees automatically added to their COA.
Students with disability-related expenses may contact the Financial Aid Office to have their additional expenses considered. Disability-related expenses include but are not limited to: personal assistance, equipment, and supplies. The Financial Aid Office may potentially include disability expenses in the COA that are not provided by other assisting agencies.
† National Dental Hygiene Board Exam (NDHBE): $550 (incurred during the 2nd year spring term), Central Regents Dental Exam (CRDTS): $1,025 (incurred during the 2nd year spring term).
NTC also offers a Net Price Calculator to help estimate costs.
For more information regarding billed tuition and fees visit https://www.ntc.edu/admissions/tuition-fees
We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how the financial aid process works. Please feel free to reach out for more information.
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NTC Financial Aid Office
- 715.803.1647
- financialaid@ntc.edu
Additional Information
Licensure/Certification Information
NTC's Dental Hygienist Associate Degree is designed to meet licensing criteria in the states of Wisconsin and Kansas. However, NTC has not made a determination whether this program meets licensure requirements in other. Students who may be seeking professional licensure or certification in states other than Wisconsin or Kansas should contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to verify that the NTC program meets licensure or certification requirements.
Admissions Process
Our application process takes just a few minutes to complete, but we want to make sure you have the things you’ll need on hand to complete the application. We’re here to help if you have any questions while submitting your application.
Before you apply, you should know
- This program may require a Criminal Background Check and/or Health Record. Acceptance to Northcentral Technical College will not be denied based on a criminal background or health record, however, a check may be required for placement at clinical sites or field experiences.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification is required prior to starting program courses or within the timeframe discussed at program orientation. Accepted certifications include BLS CPR from American Heart Association or American Red Cross.
- After admission to the college, you will be considered a pre-dental student. Students are eligible to submit a financial aid application at this point and can work to complete general education courses as laid out in the program curriculum. Students interested in beginning the core clinical dental program courses will submit an online form during designated petition dates. This program only starts during the fall semester, therefore the petition dates will be each spring semester.
Fill out our application
The application can be submitted online and takes just a few minutes to complete. There is no fee to apply.
Apply NowThen, submit one of the following
Documentation can be sent via email to admissions@ntc.edu, via mail, addressed to: Northcentral Technical College, ATTN: Admissions, 1000 W. Campus Drive, Wausau, WI 54401, or delivered in person to any NTC campus.
- High school transcript indicating a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. Contact the high school you attended if you do not have a copy of your transcript.
- ACT composite score of 18 or above. Request an ACT College Report from ACT or contact the high school you graduated from if you do not have a copy on hand.
- Accuplacer scores. Score requirements vary by program and version of the Accuplacer test that was taken. For more details, please contact Admissions. If you did not take the Accuplacer at NTC, contact the college at which you took it to obtain a copy of your scores.
- College transcript indicating a cumulative GPA of 2.5 over a minimum of 12 credits, earned at a single college.
If you do not meet any one of the above criteria, don’t worry, complete the application anyway and we will contact you to discuss your options.
What’s Next?
We’ll review your application and let you know if we need anything else. If you’re all set, your acceptance letter will be emailed to you.