Dental Hygienist

Program admission requirements:

• Current high school senior or high school graduate with minimum high school GPA 2.7, or 9 credit hours of college-level courses with minimum GPA 2.0 or higher

  OR

• College/ICC student with minimum overall college GPA 2.0 or higher

  AND

• Complete BIOL 140 and CHEM 115 with minimum GPA 2.0 or higher

Additional requirements after program acceptance:

• Complete drug screen, criminal background check, physical exam, and immunizations

• Complete Healthcare Provider CPR certification from the American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) or American Red Cross (ARC) BLS and keep it current throughout program

• Participate in scheduled program registration and orientation sessions

• Maintain minimum GPA 2.0 and earn GPA 2.0 or higher in all courses required within program

Recommendations:

• Before application, schedule an appointment with college health careers student success advisor for help enrolling in required courses

• Required general education courses from program sequence may be completed with grade C or higher, prior to acceptance/admission into program

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: October, 2028

Graduates are eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a regional/state examination for registration as a Dental Hygienist in Illinois, and other states. The dental hygienist works under the supervision of the dentist in dental offices and other health agencies by performing duties delegated by the dentist in accordance with the Illinois Dental Practice Act or other applicable state practice acts. Duties include cleaning teeth, exposing xrays, providing oral healthcare instructions to patients, maintaining patient records, etc. Students receive extensive clinical experiences in the Illinois Central College Dental Hygiene Clinic and selected agencies.

All required general education courses may be taken prior to admission into the program.

A grade of C or better in all DHYGN courses, BIOL 140, BIOL 210, CHEM 115, and NUTR 110. Students enrolled in the Associate in Applied Science degree program must meet with their assigned academic advisor to plan a specific course schedule meeting Illinois Central College and personal requirements.