Academics

Dental Hygienist

If you’ve been to the dentist’s office lately, you’ve probably spent some time with a dental hygienist. These health care professionals play an important role in helping people develop good habits in caring for their teeth, gums, and oral health.

After this program, you will work under the supervision of a dentist. You’ll clean people’s teeth, expose x-rays to be interpreted by the dentist, and apply cavity-preventing materials such as fluoride treatments and sealants. You will also teach patients how to care for their teeth!

Because you work directly with patients and as a member of the dental health care team, you should enjoy working with people. You’ll need to have good manual dexterity because your job will require you to use dental instruments within the patient’s mouth. Good communication skills and a sound understanding of biology, chemistry, and math are needed.

You’ll have options of working full time or part time. Some work very flexible hours, often filling in for other hygienists as needed.

Recent graduates of the program earn, on average, $22 per hour.

Admission Groups

In the interest of fairness to various groups of applicants seeking admission to our health career programs, we maintain several categories for admission.

For Dental Hygiene, 24 total students can be admitted into the program. This is broken down as: 4 high school – in district; 14 post high school – in district; and 6 post high school – out of district.

Admission to the Program:

• High School graduate with GPA 2.6 or higher, or equivalent (i.e. GED of 165 or higher) OR 9 hours of required courses from program sequence with a “C” or higher.
• One year of high school algebra with a “C” average or higher OR placement into MATH 098 or higher.
• One year high school lab science including chemistry or biology, with a “C” average or higher OR completion of an equivalent college science course with a “C” or higher.
• Placement into ENGL 110.
• ICC grade point average (GPA) of a 2.0 or above (if you have attended ICC).
• GPA of 2.0 or above at the last college attended (other than ICC) OR 9 hours of required courses from program sequence with a “C” or higher.

NOTE:  BIOL 140 and CHEM 115, must be completed prior to the start of the program.

Requirements upon Program Acceptance:

• Drug screen, fingerprint criminal background check, physical exam, and immunizations.
• Documentation of current CPR certification from the American Heart Association (AHA) BLS (Basic Life Support) Provider or American Red Cross (ARC) Professional Rescuer andd BLS Provider, or ICC course HLTH 041 or equivalent, is required.  This CPR certification must remain current throughout student enrollment within the health career program.

Recommended High School Subjects: (1) two years English (2) two years laboratory science including chemistry (3) one year algebra (4) one year geometry (5) keyboarding.

Accreditation

The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body of the American Dental Association. Contact information for ADA/CODA, 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611-2678.Phone: 312-440-2500

Accreditation Review: Dental Hygienist Accreditation Notice - Site Visit: October 13-14, 2021

Degree

Associate in Applied Science (Career Program)
Total Credit Hours: 76.5

Program Requirements

Select a course number below to see a course description.

Required General Education Courses

Required Program Courses

* See specific requirements for Associate in Applied Science degree.

Recommended Course Sequence

Career Pathway

Pathway programs at ICC have a map that shows the courses/degree requirements that will lead students to their desired education and employment goals.

National and Regional Clinical Board Results

** passed on 2nd attempt

Dental Hygienist Program Goals

1. Students will be clinically competent.
2. Students will demonstrate communication skills.
3. Students will develop critical thinking skills.
4. Students will model professionalism.
5. The program will graduate entry-level dental hygienists.

Essential Skills and Abilities

An applicant must have the ability and skills necessary to provide competent patient care. Skills and abilities typically performed by a dental hygienist include:

• Observation
• Communication
• Motor Ability
• Conceptualization
• Integration and Quantification
• Behavior/Social Acceptability

Technological compensation can be made for some handicaps in certain areas, but an applicant should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary is not acceptable, in that an applicant’s judgment must not require mediation by someone else’s power of observation and selection.

In order to perform these skills, the applicant must have the ability to or possess:

A. Observation

• Normal vision and focusing abilities (corrective lenses, if needed), including transfer vision and peripheral vision.
• Ability to read small letters and numbers on gauges, dials, and instruments.

B. Communication

• Hear to normal range (correction, if needed).
• Communicate effectively and with sensitivity with people of all professional and social levels in writing and verbally.

C. Motor Ability

• Maintain normal balance.
• Perform fine motor hand skills, including bilateral arm, hand, and finger dexterity.
• Sit for extended periods of time.
• Operate dental chair foot controls with varied pressures.
• Normal back, neck, hand, and wrist strength (IE: not prior problems, such as arthritis, carpal-tunnel syndrome, etc.)
• Move about in the limited space of a dental room.

D. Behavior

• The ability to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities necessary for members of the health profession.
• Maintain composure when subjected to high stress levels.
• Respond quickly and in an emotionally-controlled manner in emergency situations