Associate of Applied Science | 89 credits minimum, including prerequisites

Program Website
Academic and Career Advising

Program Description
The Dental Hygiene Program offers an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree which prepares graduates to practice entry level dental hygiene. Dental hygienists provide preventive and therapeutic health care services including oral health assessment & education, pit & fissure sealants, fluoride treatments, oral prophylaxis and advanced periodontal therapy; in addition to public dental health services.

Upon administrative approval, second-year SLCC dental hygiene students are eligible to take examinations required for licensure in all fifty states, including the written National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) and state or regional clinical examinations, such as the Western Regional Examination Board (WREB).

Career Opportunities
Dental hygienists may secure employment in a variety of settings, including private dental offices and clinics, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, public health facilities and other government agencies. Due to the unique nature of the profession, dental hygienists enjoy a flexible work schedule ideal for balancing career and lifestyle needs.

Transfer & Articulation Information
Please see the Dental Hygiene program advisor. Call 801-957-6215 for an appointment.

Estimated Cost for Students
Tuition and student fees: http://www.slcc.edu/student/financial/tuition-fees.aspx
Course fees: $2,500
Books: $1,250
Dental Hygiene Instrument Kit: $6,500
Clinic attire (scrubs, embroidery, shoes): $250
Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA): $230
Board and licensing exams:
   National Board Dental Hygiene Exam: $700
   Local Anesthesia Written Exam: $125
   Local Anesthesia Practical Exam: $370
   Clinical Board Exam: $1,150

NOTE: Fees may vary based upon specific registration and are subject to change.

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PROGRAM ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

GENERAL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

• Be admitted to SLCC as a matriculated student. See http://www.slcc.edu/apply/index.aspx. 
• Verification of high school graduation or equivalent (GED) will be required before the (program) admissions deadline. Send official high school transcripts to HighSchoolTranscripts@slcc.edu.
• For transfer credit, submit OFFICIAL, SEALED transcripts for ALL colleges and universities where prerequisite course work has been completed. Send to: SLCC Office of the Registrar and Academic Records, 4600 South Redwood Road, P.O. Box 30808, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0808
• Also, a request to have an OFFICIAL evaluation of student’s transcript(s) must be submitted to the SLCC Transfer Evaluation Office. The form is located at: http://www.slcc.edu/transcriptevaluation/. This process may take 4-6 weeks and must be completed before a student’s application will be considered. 
• Complete SLCC Placement exam, or submit current SAT/ACT test scores, if MATH and ENGL course work have not been transferred to SLCC (required before you are able to register for classes that have MATH and ENGL courses as prerequisites). See: www.slcc.edu/testing.

DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM SELECTIVE ADMISSONS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

This program is selective admission and has additional requirements to be accepted into the degree program. Specific requirements and process can be found here: http://www.slcc.edu/dentalhygiene/admissions.aspx. Please contact the Health Sciences Admissions Office, healthsciencesadmissions@slcc.edu or 801-957-6253, for additional information.

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Specialized Accreditation
The SLCC Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), 211 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611.

Licensure Information
It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Utah State dental licensing board (Division of Professional Licensing—DOPL) and seek advice regarding eligibility for certification and requirements needed to progress in this profession if the criminal background check discloses issues of concern.

Graduation from the Dental Hygiene program does not guarantee the ability to obtain a Utah state license to practice as a Dental Hygienist. Licensure is the exclusive right and responsibility of each state. In order to practice as a Dental Hygienist, students must satisfy individual state requirements, independent of SLCC graduation requirements. It is highly recommended that students consult in advance with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), or similar agencies in other states, to find out more about eligibility for licensure. DOPL can be reached at 801-530-6628 or at their website. 

For students who plan to work as a Dental Hygienist in another state, it is the students responsibility to know the licensing requirements for the state they will be relocating to.  The department of labor will generally list state licensing requirements at: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-licenses.aspx.  If you have difficulty finding the licensure requirements for your state, please contact your academic advisor or SLCC’s state authorization coordinator for help.