The SJVC dental hygiene program in Visalia Ca is 16 months long, after which you’ll earn your Associate of Science degree in Dental Hygiene. All students are eligible to take an examination written by the National Board. They are also eligible to sit for a Regional and/or State Board Examination in order to get a license as a Registered Dental Hygienist. The Visalia campus also has healthcare programs in Dental Assisting, Respiratory Therapy, Registered Nursing, Medical Assisting, and LVN training.
San Joaquin Valley College began operations in 1977, and their dental hygiene program is properly accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA CODA). No matter what program you’re looking into, make sure they have their ADA CODA accreditation. You can check SJVC’s accreditation status HERE.
There are a number of prerequisite courses you’ll to complete before admission into the program. These courses include:
Students can take the CHE 4 and BIOL 14 courses at the SJVC Visalia campus if they meet all the other prerequisite requirements of the Dental Hygiene Program. Also, the Intermediate Algebra course is excluded from the minimum GPA requirements necessary to warrant entry into the Dental Hygiene program.
It is important to note that all students must complete the prerequisite coursework at an accredited institution. The respective accrediting bodies have to be recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE). The minimum GPA requirement for admission into the program is 2.75. Mathematics is not included in the calculation of this GPA. This simply means that you can take the prerequisites at any accredited community college. So just keep those grades up!
The students must have completed the science courses within the past 7 years. Consideration for the program will require all applicants to meet the technical standards. The Admissions Committee employs these technical standards as a point of reference from which the applicants will be evaluated pending their enrollment into the Dental Hygiene program. “Technical Standards” is just an overly complex way of saying that you have to be able to move your hands properly. You have to be physically capable of using the equipment.
The Dental Hygiene program at SJVC Visalia is considered selective. There are 30 seats per cohort start. Only the most qualified candidates will be chosen to fill these seats. So, what does that mean? I’ve talked to some graduates of the SJVC dental hygiene program, and the consensus seems to be that while it’s somewhat competitive, it’s not as tough to get into as most of the public dental hygiene schools in California.
Each applicant will be evaluated on a number of criteria that include GPA, admissions assessment and past work experience. A personal interview is also conducted by the admissions team. A point scale of several categories will be used to determine admission and it involves:
The available seats will be granted to the applicants with the highest point scores. Each student cohort warrants 5 alternatives. Complete documentation must be provided in the application process.
Applicants must include the official transcripts from the regionally accredited education institutions that they attended. Candidates must also send their prerequisite coursework transcripts to SJVC Visalia before the application deadline. That simply means, make sure to get transcripts from any schools you attended.
The applicants have to explain why they want to become Dental Hygienists in a two-page personal statement. This statement is submitted alongside the application. Personally, I would recommend finding an example of a good personal statement online to give you some ideas.
The application must also include two recommendation letters from persons who are capable of evaluating the applicant’s ability to complete the Dental Hygiene course. The candidates who qualify are eligible for an invitation to an interview by the selection committee.
The cost of the dental hygiene program at the San Joaquin Valley College Visalia campus is $57,500, which includes books, tuition, and fees. Those ever-present “fees”. But, when comparing the sticker price on the SJVC program at their Visalia campus to the other private dental hygiene programs in California, it’s actually on the affordable side. Hard to believe, I know. But it’s true. the USC dental hygiene program is close to $150,000, and the Concorde Career College programs in San Bernardino, San Diego, and Garden Grove are nearly $70,000.
So while the cost of a dental hygiene degree is about $40,000 more than the Community College dental hygiene schools in California, there are a couple of upsides: First, the programs at the SJVC campuses accept more students per year than most of the other programs. Second, the program can be completed quicker than most of the other dental hygiene programs. At San Joaquin Valley College, the program is 16 months long. So, when you take into account the needed prerequisites, you can go from Zero to a Registered Dental Hygienist in under three years.
According to the SJVC dental hygiene program documentation, nearly 90% of students receive some sort of financial aid. Between federal student loans, private student loans, scholarships, and other forms of financial aid, paying for the program may be difficult. But it isn’t impossible. While you’re exploring all the possibilities of the different California dental hygiene programs, take a look at all possible avenues to find the best way to get started on what many consider to be one of the best careers available.
SJVC Dental Hygiene Program Visalia Campus 559-651-2500 8344 W Mineral King Ave Visalia, CA 93291
As a Registered Dental Hygienist, one is presented with the opportunity to direct their profession to several areas of dental hygiene. The most common sectors are detailed herein. Also included is information on the median salaries of each profession as documented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Public health administrators design and develop programs that promote oral health care. Following specialization in health administration and health policy, Dental Hygiene students often focus in public health.
Public health is associated with several aspects including oral health and nutrition, hygiene, preventative dentistry, community dental health, public policy development and human resource management. These help students set themselves up in the public health administration sector.
A pediatric dental hygienist specializes in the dental care of young children. They are well versed in several aspects including development of baby and teeth, educating children on oral hygiene, creation of safe environments for young children and alleviating children’s dental procedure fears. They also offer consultation on aspects of thumb sucking and usage of fluoride varnishes in addition to all other pediatric dentistry queries.
Dental hygiene educators are specialists with a dental hygiene background who possess skills and knowledge to teach adult students. Dental hygiene educators will cover courses dealing with preventative oral hygiene, periodontal health, student assessment as well as curriculum design. Students who specialize in this area often work in dental schools, vocational schools, community colleges and Universities.
A periodontal dental hygienist is a specialist in diseases that affect teeth and general health of teeth. They often go on to work at public health agencies and the offices of private dentists. They are knowledgeable in tongue hygiene, charting, nutrition, oral cancer screenings and denture care. They focus on holistic oral care and treatment.
To be successful in this profession, dental hygienists must possess specific skills, credentials and expertise on the tools and technology at their disposal. The checklist provided below expounds on these components.
Dental hygienists should be able to effectively teach oral hygiene and care. They are well versed with the best practices in order to be able to communicate the same to the patients. Proper education is one of the key components of this profession.
Communication skills are very important in the Dental Hygiene profession. Patients must be properly informed on the dental procedures that will be performed on them. Dental Hygienists also have to acquire accurate information on the medical histories of the patients as required by the dentists.
Dental hygienists must learn to properly schedule their daily activities in order to avoid keeping patients in the waiting area for long periods. Effective time management is the first step in efficient dental health care provision.
SJVC Visalia staff is dedicated to ensuring students get higher education at reasonable costs. Various financial aid programs are available to the students who qualify. The students receive financial aid consultation from the SJVC Admission Advisor; a professional with vast experience. Students are taken through the entire process and properly informed about their financial aid options.