Dental Hygiene Program

Click below for more information on each item:

• Dental Hygiene Information Packet
• Prerequisites for limited enrollment courses
• Mental and Physical Requirements
• Background Check
• Checklist of Exams and Immunizations
• Accelerated Achievement for Academic Admissions (AAAA)
• TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) DEH requires a cut score of 60 with a science score of 50. The AAAA program requires a overall TEAS score of 65 with a science score of 55. You may take the TEAS test 3 times for consideration.  Quad A can only take the test twice.

UPDATE:  Due to COVID 19, you can take the TEAS test 3 times per year up until the end of spring 2021 semester.  This does not apply to Quad A students.  

• List of Additional Costs

Prerequisites for limited enrollment courses:

Program Waiting Lists: Health Science (HS) degree programs consist of open enrollment courses (general education and division specific) and program specific courses with limited enrollment. The open enrollment courses may be taken prior to entry into the limited enrollment courses. The limited enrollment courses are offered during the technical portion of the program that includes clinical, practicum, or professional practice experience.

The technical section of a program has restrictions on the number of students that may start the limited enrollment courses each term (or year), based on space availability and accreditor guidelines, i.e., objective quantitative factors. As a result of this limited class size, there may be a waiting period between completion of the prerequisites and other program requirements for entry into the limited enrollment courses, and the start of those courses. This waiting period varies by program, and it is recommended that students use this time to prepare for the rigorous coursework ahead. Suggestions include taking additional classes needed for graduation and planning for the financial and time obligations that are associated with completion of the program.

The Physical Therapist Assistant, Respiratory Care and Veterinary Technology programs have instituted a competitive selection process for entry to the limited enrollment/restricted courses. Additional information on the process can be found at the Program Specific Information link on the department's webpage.

The Dental Hygiene Program requires Chemistry within the past five years plus the following prerequisites to qualify for limited-enrollment courses. All science course must have been completed successfully within five years of entering the program.

For information regarding additional program specific requirements, or to discuss making the most of any waiting period, please contact Academic Advising.

Mental and Physical Requirements

To work as a dental hygienist, clinicians must:

• Have use of both hands, dexterity in the fingers, and tactile sensitivity to manipulate dental instruments, materials, dental hand pieces, and operate dental equipment. The use of feet is necessary to manipulate the rheostat for hand pieces and other dental equipment.
• Have the ability to work seated in a dental operator’s stool, as well as, stand for a duration of time.
• Have color discrimination, manual dexterity/motor coordination, hand-eye coordination, physical communication, visual acuity, forms/spatial ability, and effective verbal communication.

Prospective students to the Dental Hygiene Program are responsible for determining their own eligibility in light of these qualifications, for informing the college of any potential problem areas and for identifying to the Dental Hygiene Department any particular accommodations they may need. Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with Accessibility Services and may utilize these services to determine appropriate accommodations. Students with disabilities who enter the program do so with the understanding that they will be expected to meet course requirements with any reasonable accommodation that may be provided by the college.

Accelerated Admission for Academic Achievement

The Division of Health Sciences established a pilot admission model for some of its programs called Accelerated Admission for Academic Achievement (AAAA). This model was established to reward students for excellence in academic achievement. Participating programs will be permitted to accept a percentage of students into each cohort eligible to start limited-enrollment courses based on department established criteria.

This model for admission is in addition to the open enrollment admission Sinclair Community College has for its programs, and will not prevent students who meet the established program prerequisites from qualifying for entry to limited-enrollment courses on a space-available basis.

The Dental Hygiene program incorporated the AAAA model as an optional process for entry to the technical courses with limited enrollment, effective Fall 2008. For students to be eligible for the AAAA track they MUST have an “A” or “B” grade in EACH SCIENCE course taken to date. This includes transfer credits from another institution. If, however, the student wishes to retake the course or its equivalent and receives an “A” or “B” that “A” or “B” will replace the original grade. A student can only retake a course for this consideration one time. Once the criterion has been established, students may receive additional points toward their total placement score for the following:

• Student already has an Associate of Science degree in a HEALTH program
• Student already has a Bachelor’s degree or graduate level degree
• Student provides proof of being a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
• Student is an Ohio licensed Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary (EFDA)

An established scoring system is in place to allow students who meet these criteria to be ranked and placed on the AAAA eligibility waiting list according to their scores. To be considered for the incoming Fall cohort, all records will be reviewed and scored after the spring semester grades are posted.

The Program can admit up to 50% of each Fall's cohort year based on academic achievement rather than placement on the waiting list. Once the 50% has been reached, those who did not rank for this cohort year will be placed on the top of the list for the following cohort year.

Our hope is that this option will encourage students to be highly successful in their prerequisite courses and reward them with the possibility of entering the limited-enrollment courses earlier.