Program Description
Are you looking for an opportunity to be a key part of a health care team to meet the oral health needs of patients and thereby improve their quality of life? The TCC Dental Hygiene program offers you extraordinary clinical and academic opportunities in preventive oral healthcare and the promotion of good health.
The program prepares the individual to be a dental hygienist whose primary functions include the assessment of patients’ overall health; and formulating and performing treatment per evidence-based patient-centered care plans. Additional roles of the dental hygienist include participating in community health programs, research, sales and education. The dental hygiene student will perform procedures which include, but are not limited to, exposing radiographs; applying cavity-preventive agents; providing oral health education; administrating local anesthetics, nitrous oxide and antimicrobial agents; and performing oral prophylaxis, periodontal therapy, and risk assessments. The graduate will receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and will be eligible to take national, regional, and state licensing examinations.
Individuals who have:
- been addicted to narcotics or alcohol;
- received treatment for the habitual use of narcotics or alcohol;
- been convicted for a narcotics-related offense;
- been reprimanded, disciplined, disqualified or suspended from the practice of dentistry or another health-related field;
- been a patient in a sanitarium or institution for the treatment of mental illness; or
- been arrested/convicted of any felony offense, including a deferred sentence;
may not be eligible for dental hygiene licensure in the state of Oklahoma. If any of these circumstances exist, it is advised that the prospective student is advised to discuss this with the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry, (405) 524-3592, prior to making application to the program.
Accreditation: The Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, Chicago, Illinois.
Admission to the Program
Program Application Instructions
- All prospective Dental Hygiene students who have not been enrolled at TCC within the past year must complete an application for admission to the College, submit their high school transcripts, ACT scores and previous college transcripts to the Metro Campus Student Completion Services at 909 South Boston, Tulsa, OK 74119. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for admission into the Dental Hygiene Program. Admission to the College does not guarantee admission to the Dental Hygiene Program. ACT scores must come from the same ACT test, are only valid for 5 years from the date of the test and cannot be expired prior to the application deadline.
- Applications to the Dental Hygiene program must be completed online at tulsacc.edu/ApplyDH by March 1. For more information, contact the Dental Hygiene Program office at dentalhygiene@tulsacc.edu. You will need your TCC student ID number to complete the application.
- Ensure the Dental Office Experience Verification Form has been received by the Dental Hygiene Program at Tulsa Community College, School of Health Sciences before the March 1 deadline. Email dentalhygiene@tulsacc.edu to confirm receipt. All applicants must have a Dental Office Experience Verification Form on file to be considered but do not have to have dental office experience. The Dental Office Experience Verification Form is only valid for 5 years from the date(s) on the form and cannot be expired prior to the application deadline.
- Eligible applicants to be interviewed for consideration for admission into the Dental Hygiene Program will be notified through their TCC email. All interviewed applicants will also be notified through their TCC email regarding their selection status.
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the application status to make certain the Dental Hygiene Program has received all necessary information.
Program Admission Requirements
- Applicants must have a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA to apply.
- Applicants must have a minimum 20 ACT composite score to apply.
- BIOL 1314 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology and CHEM 1134 - General, Organic and Biological Chemistry must be completed the semester before the application deadline.
- Other prerequisite coursework must be completed before the end of the spring term in which the application is reviewed.
- An extensive criminal background check, including but not limited to, a seven-year county of residence nationwide criminal history check, national sexual predator screening, Social Security check, and Medicare/Medicaid fraud screening is required by all clinical affiliates. All Health Sciences students participating in clinicals are required to complete these background checks, immunizations and a drug screening test by the School of Health Sciences office deadline prior to the first clinical rotation. Any positive findings may be subject to review by the clinical affiliates and could prevent the student from completing clinical requirements.
English Language Proficiency
An official iBT® TOEFL (internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language) test score or an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Band score is required as proof of English proficiency for any International student for whom English is a second language who is applying to any Tulsa Community College health sciences program. Students who have graduated from a U.S. high school will not be required to take the iBT Toefl or IELTS tests. Your scores must be current within 2 years of the semester for which you are applying.
For health sciences students, the minimum sub-scores on the internet based TOEFL (iBT®) are 21 for Writing; 24 for Speaking; 20 for Reading; and 20 for Listening, with a total minimum score of 85.
For students choosing the IELTS test, acceptable scores include: 6.5 for Reading; 6.5 for listening; 7.5 for Speaking; and 6 for Writing, for a total IELTS Bans score of 6.5. These required minimum scores must be met for each of the four sub-tests on a single exam. A total score that does not meet the sub-score minimums does not meet the requirement. Exceptions to this policy may be considered on an individual basis.
Students must go to www.ets.org/toefl to find a TOEFL iBT testing site, register and pay for the test. Students may go to https://www.ielts.org/en-us/ to find an IELTS testing center and register and pay for the test. Both tests cost approximately $190. Students are highly encouraged to take practice tests to prepare for these important tests. Your official scores, including ALL Sub-scores, must be sent directly to the TCC Registrar’s Office.
Contact Information
Program Director
Rachel Ostberg, MS, RDH
Dental Hygiene Office 918-595-7022 or Program Director office 918-595-7019
dentalhygiene@tulsacc.edu or rachel.ostberg@tulsacc.edu
Additional Information Available
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed the program will be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.
Ethics, Professionalism and Communication
- Exemplify the American Dental Hygienists’ Association code of ethics, state and federal laws, recommendations and protocols in the provision of dental hygiene care.
- Communicate effectively using verbal, nonverbal, written, and electronic skills.
Dental Hygiene Process of Care
- Perform evidenced-based individualized dental hygiene education and care based on the periodontal condition as defined by the American Academy of Periodontology.
- Integrate methods to ensure the health and safety of the patient and the dental hygienist in the delivery of dental hygiene care.
Community Involvement
- Perform oral health services in a variety of settings.
- Assess, plan, implement and evaluate community-based oral health programs.
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Evaluate elements that can be used to promote patient adherence to disease prevention and/or health maintenance strategies.
- Identify individual and population risk factors for oral disease.
Professional Growth and Development
- Exemplify commitment to lifelong learning, utilizing current scientific literature and self-assessment skills.
- Identify the role of the dental hygienist within healthcare, such as: industry, education, research and public health.
Careers
Search careers in this field at Focus 2 Career or schedule an appointment with TCC Career Services to learn more about our free career planning and job preparation services.
Student Organizations
American Dental Hygienists’ Association (membership includes Oklahoma Dental Hygienists’ Association and Tulsa County Component).
Degree Requirements
View a semester-by-semester course plan of study on the Dental Hygiene AAS Program Map
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