Sacramento City College’s dental hygiene program requires 44.5 course units to be completed before applying. What’s that 0.5 unit course? “Intro to Dental Hygiene”! The rest of the courses are the typical classes that need to be done before applying to the program. The dental hygiene program itself consists of 45.5 units. So, from start to finish, it consists of 90 units. There are additional requirements for graduation for your Associate’s in Dental Hygiene, but none of those have to be met before applying to the program. As with the other 28 dental hygiene schools in California, the program at Sacramento City College is competitive. This simply means there will ALWAYS be more students applying for a spot than there are spots available. So make sure you’re on the ball every step of the way and you’ll give yourself the best possible chance of being accepted the FIRST time you apply! The dental hygiene pages on this site will provide you with plenty of information, so don’t forget to bookmark it!
The selection process for the Dental hygiene program at Sacramento City College is pretty straightforward. There’s no longer a waiting list, but after a random lottery drawing there is a drawing for students who will be placed on an “alternate” list. This “alternate” list is used to replace the spots of students who may withdraw their application or who choose not to enter the program. All prerequisite courses must be competed with at least a “C” grade. Any classes may be retaken in order to bring up the letter grade and overall GPA. There are several prerequisites that require at least a 3.0 GPA: the Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, and Microbiology courses must have a CUMULATIVE GPA of at least 3.0. This doesn’t mean that you need a “B” grade in each course, but these science courses combined must make up 3.0 or higher. Also, double check to make sure your American Heart Association CPR Certification is current!
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 is required for the Intro to Dental Hygiene, Psychology, Sociology, Nutrition, Intro to Public Speaking, and College Composition. So in reality, you want to shoot for at least a 3.0 for your prerequisites. The Sacramento City College dental hygiene program does a strictly random drawing, and as of the 2016/2017 school year, it is not done on a “point” basis. In other words, you can’t get extra points for work experience, previous education/licensure, etc. You have as good of a chance as anyone! It’s a crap shoot!
Sacramento City College states that applicants who are accepted into the dental hygiene program will need to be prepared to spend more than $3,500 at the start of the first semester. This is in addition to the standard costs for books, tuition, and other student fees. As with the other public dental hygiene schools in California, the tuition is $46/unit. So, for the 44.5 unit dental hygiene program, the tuition comes out to a bit over $2,200. Adding in books, uniforms, and the infamous “dental hygienist kit”, the entire program comes out to approximately $15,000. No matter which program you’re looking at, make sure to check out the Financial Aid office! They offer invaluable information and guidance for grants, scholarships, and other ways to keep the students’ expenses at a minimum.
Sacramento City College Dental Hygiene Program 916-558-2096 3835 Freeport BLVD Sacramento, CA 95822
As a person grows older, their teeth become unable to handle the stress meted out to them. The incidence of dental cavities, periodontal problems, oral cancer, etc. increases significantly as your age advances. All these problems can be completely avoided or at least its onset delayed with routine preventive care and by practicing good dental hygiene.
Dental Hygiene can best be described as the proactive goal of following professionally recognized standards of keeping the gums, mouth, and teeth healthy and clean. This is achieved by proper brushing, flossing and regular checkups by a dentist. Dentists are assisted by dental hygienists in this work. Dental hygienists work closely with dentists in performing various dental procedures. They educate patients about oral hygiene. The clinical role of a dental hygienist includes therapeutic and preventive care duties to control oral diseases. There is increasing demand for the services of dental hygienists as more people become aware of the importance of oral hygiene in the overall health of a person.
Dental hygienists deal directly with patients. Hence they should be adept in calming down a distressed patient. They should have good communication skills to instruct patients on ways to prevent oral diseases and motivate them to maintain good oral hygiene. They should be good team players.
A career in dental hygiene offers personal satisfaction in providing valuable advice on preventive oral care to patients. Flexible work schedules make balancing work and lifestyle needs on dental hygiene jobs very achievable. With a dental hygienist license and work experience, there are good growth prospects and earning potential in the profession. Some dental hygienists get opportunities to work as orthodontic therapists or to teach training courses.
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The subject of dental hygiene is very extensive in its content and the right education is the first step in how to become a dental hygienist. An aspiring dental hygienist should have the requisite educational qualifications and also possess personality traits suited for the role.
Dental hygienist schools receive their accreditation from CODA (Commission on Dental Accreditation) of the American Dental Association (ADA) can be found all over the country. A dental hygienist course is among the most accessible vocational training programs in the country.
Graduate education in dental hygiene is a must for becoming a dental hygienist. One must have a high school diploma or GED to get admitted into a dental hygienist school. Students should have done high school courses in mathematics, chemistry, biology and English and also have good college entrance test scores.
In order to become a Registered Dental Hygienist, at least two years of specialized dental training, as well as the necessary science prerequisites, is needed. Dental hygiene courses consist of dental anatomy, periodontology, patient management, etc. These courses also promote critical thinking, problem solving and information literacy. They prepare dental hygienists to work in dental clinics, educational institutions, research centers, etc.become a dental hygienist
The final step in how to become a dental hygienist is to obtain the dental hygienist license from your State of choice. To qualify for a license, one must complete a dental hygiene program that is properly accredited, as well as pass clinical and written examinations. The written examination is administered by the ADA’s Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. The exam is accepted by all 50 States. After passing the exams, an applicant must contact the licensing authority in the state where he / she wishes to practice. Licensing requirements vary from state to state. Hence it is necessary to find out the specific application requirements from the state licensing authority.
This is an ideal choice for someone who has the requisite skills and personal qualities to provide care for fellow humans. Now that you know how to become a dental hygienist and the prospects of this career, you may want to look at dental hygienist schools and programs near you. Year after year, the dental hygienist salary continues to go up!