Dental Hygiene, Career Associate of Science

The Associate Degree Program in Dental Hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “Approval without Reporting Requirements.”   The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at

211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2678.

The Commission’s web address is: http://www.ada.org/en/coda.

Additional Graduation Requirements

In addition to College graduation requirements, the students must have a grade of C or better in all dental hygiene courses.

The Dental Hygiene Program reserves the right to discontinue, at any time, the enrollment of a Dental Hygiene student, if, in the judgment of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Dental Hygiene faculty, the student does not appear to have the necessary qualifications for dental hygiene. Any student who earns a “D”, “F”, or “W” in any Dental Hygiene Course, will not be allowed to continue on to the next semester within Dental Hygiene. If this is their first “D”, “F”, or “W” the student may re-apply to Dental Hygiene. The Dental Hygiene faculty will determine which previously successfully completed courses, if any, must be repeated by the student for continuity of skill acquisition and/or professional knowledge.

If the student earns a “D” or “F” for a second time, it will result in permanent dismissal from the Dental Hygiene program.

Any student who interrupts enrollment in Dental Hygiene for more than 1 year must repeat all professional course work upon readmission.

Additional Costs and Requirements

Dental Hygiene students will be responsible for additional fees for uniforms, instruments, liability insurance and membership in the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Dental Hygiene Licensure

After successful completion of the five semester Dental Hygiene program which includes both didactic and clinical components; an Associate of Science degree will be awarded. Graduates will then be academically eligible to apply for licensure upon passing a written national board and a regional clinical exam. The Georgia Board of Dentistry has the right to refuse to grant a license to any individual who has been convicted of legal and/or moral violations specified by Georgia law. Additional costs will be incurred for licensure.

To be considered for admission to the Dental Hygiene program, the applicant must:

1. Apply and be fully admitted to Albany State University before May 1st of each year. 
   1. Click here to apply on-line
   2. A $20 application fee (subject to change) is required at the time you apply to the institution.
   3. Declare Health Science as your primary major and Pre-Dental Hygiene as the secondary major. 
   4. Please do not send the ASU application or the application fee to the DH Program. The two application processes are separate and no additional fee is required when submitting the DH Program application.
   5. For transfer students, official transcripts from all colleges or universities ever attended must be submitted to the ASU Registrar’s Office and must be received by the June 1 deadline.  
   6. Please note that admission to the college does not ensure admission to the DH program.  
2. Electronically submit your FASFA application for Financial Aid before May 1st each year.
   1. For information on completing your FASFA application, please visit Albany State University’s Office of Financial Aid webpage.
3. Submit the completed DH application packet and requirements by the June 1 deadline.
   1. The student must complete a Dental Hygiene Application and all required forms. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all application material has been completed by utilizing the checklist at the end of the application.
   2. Any submitted incomplete application will not be given full consideration.
4. Observation Hours
   1. Must complete a minimum of 16 observational hours in two separate general dentist office locations.
   2. The hours must be documented and verified/signed by a dentist or registered dental hygienist.
   3. Observation hours should be spent observing a registered dental hygienist (RDH) performing direct patient care.  
   4. An Observational Hours Form is located within the application packet.
   5. Observation hours are considered applicable for a period of two years.
5. Essay
   1. Must include a hand-written essay explaining why you have chosen DH as a career and why you would be an asset to the profession. (no required length for the essay)
6. TEAS Testing
   1. Include an unofficial copy of your TEAS Score Report
   2. TEAS information & registration through ATI testing:  https://atitesting.com/teas/register
   3. Please refer to page 14 of this application packet for more information.
7. Dental Hygiene Admission Orientation
   1. Students will be required to sign an acknowledgement form stating they will have to attend the mandatory Dental Hygiene Admission Orientation.  This orientation is usually held the week prior to the start of fall semester only for those accepted into the professional phase.  The orientation will be held on the ASU West campus and will be available via internet viewing for students more than 60 miles away from campus only.  While internet viewing will be available, attendance is encouraged as a tour of the dental hygiene clinic will be included in the orientation.  
8. Completion of courses required for program admission. 
   1. See below for a complete list of required general education courses that are required for Dental Hygiene program admission.
   2. A minimum of a 2.5 GPA on DH general education courses is required for program admission is mandatory.
      1. While it is strongly advised that all general education courses be completed prior to application to the professional phase of the program, it is not mandatory. 
      2. THE FOLLOWING COURSES ARE PRE-REQUISITE COURSES AND MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE JUNE 1ST APPLICATION DEADLINE:  MATH 1111; BIOL 1100K OR BIOL 2411K and BIOL 2412K; CHEM 1151K  AND BIOL 2211K.
         1. Science courses must not be older than 10 years at the time of program application.
         2. The courses required for program admission must be completed or in progress for spring semester of the year of application. These pre-requisite courses must be successfully completed by the June 1st deadline with a grade of a C or better.
         3. Potential students should be advised that while a C is an acceptable passing grade for general education courses, too many C’s will not achieve the required 2.5 GPA of general education core curriculum for dental hygiene.
         4. The Dental Hygiene GPA is calculated strictly on required general education courses required for DH program admission.
         5. EACH course attempt will be included in the calculation of the GPA.  (If a course is taken for a second time, the two course grades are average together and figured into the GPA.)
         6. Students who have completed all of the courses required for program admission will likely have higher scores in the competitive admission process.
9. Proof of Hepatitis B immunization prior to first patient contact.
10. Proof of CPR certification (American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Card) prior to first patient contact.
11. Readmission of returning students: Any student who must interrupt enrollment must re-apply to the Dental Hygiene Program and, if accepted, placement will be determined after previous coursework has been evaluated by the Program Director. The evaluation may result in repeating a course previously completed successfully for continuity of skill acquisition and/or professional knowledge. Dental Hygiene courses more than two years old must be repeated. Students who fail a Dental Hygiene clinical course must repeat both the clinical course and the concurrent lecture course.
12. To progress successfully through the curriculum and function as a practicing dental hygienist after graduation, the individual must have:
    1. Visual acuity with or without corrective lenses to read an instrument calibrated in mm and to detect subtle dental stains;
    2. Hearing with or without auditory aids to measure blood pressure using an aneroid sphygmomanometer and to obtain a medical/dental history by interview;
    3. Physical ability to operate equipment (unit, stool, x-ray machine, etc.);
    4. Manual dexterity to perform the fine motor functions associated with intra-oral

Recommended Pre-Requisite Courses for Career Associate of Science Degree Program

¹

Humanities requirement may be met by taking any literature or appreciation course in the Humanities Area of the Core IMPACTS.

¹

Course may be taken prior to program acceptance.

²

Humanities requirement may be met by taking any literature or appreciation course in the Humanities Area of the Core IMPACTS.

Special Note on ASU 1101

Depending on your enrollment status, you may be required to take ASU 1101, “First Year Experience.”