Gulf Coast State College
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Dental Hygiene (DENTH-AS)
AREA OF CONCENTRATION:The dental hygiene program is a limited access, selective admissions program designed to assist students in developing and mastering basic clinical competencies and theoretical concepts of dental hygiene practice. Graduates will receive an A.S. degree in Dental Hygiene and will be eligible to apply for the national and state board examinations in any state. The dental hygiene program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. Students are encouraged to complete as many of the general education courses as possible prior to seeking admission into the program. Because of limited enrollment, students are encouraged to prepare application requirements in the fall for the next year's class.
PRIME ADVISORS: Kim Guilford 850.747.3244
Leah Rising 850.769.1551 (ext. 2819)
To apply for this program of study, students should obtain a program application packet from the Division of Health Sciences or Internet web page containing a current listing of admission guidelines and course requirements.
ADMISSIONS:
The Dental Hygiene program is a limited access program. A selective admissions policy with specific selection criteria is utilized in order to select the most qualified applicants. The strength of the applicant pool varies year-to-year, with the best qualified applicants receiving first consideration. It is the applicant's responsibility to inquire about these specific admission and selection criteria and to ensure that all required documents are received on campus prior to the deadline of March 15.
Provisional Admission Requirements:
- Application to Gulf Coast State College.
- Official High School transcript or GED sent to the Office of Admissions and Records for evaluation.
- Official College transcripts (from each college or university attended) sent to the Office of Admissions and Records for evaluation.
- Demonstration of Math/Algebra, English and Reading Competency via current (within 2 years) CPT/PERT scores or ACT/SAT equivalent.
- Application to Dental Hygiene program, including:
- Dental Hygiene Application
- Technical Standards Form
- Work/Observation Form
- Additional documentation if applicable (as specified in the Application Packet)
Requirements After Provisional Acceptance:
- Completion of prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better prior to First year Fall – Term 2.
- BSC2085, Anatomy & Physiology I
- BSC2085L, Anatomy & Physiology I Lab
- ENC1101, English
- HUN1201, Nutrition
- Report of Vaccination History to include:
- Hepatitis B vaccine series or signed declination waiver
- Annual TB test according to program requirements: (May require chest radiograph if history of positive results)
- MMR
- Tetanus (every 10 years)
- Copy of current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certificate (BLS for Healthcare Providers)
- HIV Saliva Test may be required in preparation for external clinical rotations.
- Satisfactory fingerprint/criminal background check.
Readmission Guidelines
- 1. A student who withdraws from or earns a grade lower than a "C" in one of the approved science courses and/or in a Dental Hygiene course will not be permitted to continue in the Dental Hygiene Program. A student who does not meet the Technical Standards of the program will not be permitted to continue in the program.
- Applicants who wish to apply for readmission should do so prior to March 15 if planning to enroll in the Fall semester or October 1 if planning to enroll in the Spring semester.
- Readmission to the Dental Hygiene Program will be dependent upon available resources.
- In order to be considered for readmission by the Admissions Committee, the applicant must do the following:
- Submit a written request letter (not e-mail) to the Dental Programs Coordinator presenting evidence to justify readmission. This may include letters of recommendation from a previous faculty member or coordinator, additional course work, work experience, etc.
- Meet current guidelines for admission to the College and the Dental Hygiene Program.
- Readmission may be contingent upon the candidate's agreeing to audit previously completed course work.
- A student who applies for readmission to the Dental Hygiene Program must provide significant evidence which suggests the potential for future success in the program. This evidence may address such things as unusual circumstances, remedial study, and/or additional preparation.
Dental Programs Transfer Policy
Applicants who are currently enrolled in another Dental Hygiene/Dental Assisting Program to a GCSC Dental Program and wish to investigate transferring must 1) meet all current admission requirements, 2) apply at least two months prior to the expected date of enrollment, and 3) notify the Assistant Coordinator in writing, stating anticipated entry date and reason for transfer, and 4) provide evidence of successful completion of previous core dental courses from an American Dental Association accredited program. Acceptance of any transfer student will be dependent upon available resources.
Dental Programs Articulation Policy
Students who elect to articulate must have completed said courses with a grade of "C" or better from an American Dental Association accredited Dental Assisting Program within the last three years and have actively been working in the dental field at least 3 months prior to entrance in the program. If you feel you meet articulation requirements, please contact the Dental Programs Coordinator for more information.
GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES CH
+* ENC1101, English I 3
+* Approved College Math (MAC, MGF, STA) 3
+* Humanities Elective 3
* SYG2000, Sociology 3
* PSY2012, General Psychology 3
+* BSC2085, Anatomy and Physiology I 3
+* BSC2085L, Anatomy and Physiology I Lab 1
+* BSC2086, Anatomy and Physiology II 3
+* BSC2086L, Anatomy and Physiology II Lab 1
+* MCB2004, Microbiology 3
+* MCB2004L, Microbiology Lab 1
MAJOR COURSES
* HUN1201, Principles of Nutrition 3
+* SPC1608, Intro to Public Speaking 3
+*# DES1000, Dental Anatomy 2
+*# DES1010, Head and Neck Anatomy 2
+*# DES1100C, Dental Materials 3
+*# DES1200, Radiology I 2
+*# DES1200L, Radiology I Lab 1
+*# DES1201, Radiology II 1
+*# DES1201L, Radiology II lab 1
+*# DES1832, Expanded Functions 1
+*# DES1832L, Expanded Functions Lab 1
+*# DEH1002, Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene 3
+*# DEH1002L, Pre-Clinical Procedures 3
+*# DEH1130, Oral Histology and Embryology 2
+*# DEH1400, Oral Pathology 2
+*# DEH1800, Dental Hygiene I 2
+*# DEH1800L, Dental Hygiene Clinical I 5
+*# DEH1802C, Dental Hygiene Clinical II 3
*# DEH2300, Pharmacologyfor the Dental Hygienist 2
+*# DEH2602, Periodontology 2
+*# DEH2702, Community Dental Health 2
+*# DEH2702L, Community Dental Health Lab 1
+*# DEH2804, Dental Hygiene III 2
+*# DEH2804L, Dental Hygiene Clinical III 5
+*# DEH2806, Dental Hygiene IV 2
+*# DEH2806L, Dental Hygiene Clinical IV 5
TOTAL DEGREE HOURS 88
* Minimum grade of "C" required.
+ Prerequisites required.
# Applies only to A.S. degree, A.A.S. degree, and certificate programs.
