Dental Hygiene
Program Information
Location(s) of Program: Forrest County Campus
Brief Description of Program: Four semester program after core academic requirements are met. A.A.S. degree awarded upon completion of the program.
What Dental Hygienists Do
Dental hygienists clean teeth, examine patients for signs of oral diseases such as gingivitis, and provide other preventative dental care. They also educate patients on ways to improve and maintain good oral health.
Duties
Dental hygienists typically do the following:
- Remove tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth
- Apply sealants and fluorides to help protect teeth
- Take and develop dental x rays
- Keep track of patient care and treatment plans
- Teach patients oral hygiene, such as how to brush and floss correctly
Dental hygienists are skilled health care providers that specialize in the teeth and surrounding tissues of the oral cavity. Dental hygienists are trained to recognize early signs and symptoms of oral and systemic diseases and how oral and systemic health together affect the overall health of the patient. Dental hygienists are trained to use a variety of instruments to remove calculus, plaque, and stains from tooth surfaces. A series of examination and screenings gives insight to the hygienist to develop an individualized care plan to restore a person’s mouth to health. All of these tasks are done with optimal infection control procedures to provide safety to the hygienist and patient.
Essential Requirements of a person in this career field: Good people skills; Excellent hand/eye coordination; Ability to work in a team environment
Instructor Contact Information for the Program:Dr. Shana Allen
601.554.5509
sallen@prcc.edu
Possible Careers in this Program: Private Practice, Sales, Education
What a student can expect from a career in this field: Very hands on – A career in Dental Hygiene prepares you to work one on one with patients providing educational, preventative, and therapeutic services.
Possible earnings of jobs in these career field: On average $22 – $30/ hour
Mission of Program: To offer an allied health program which upon successful completion will qualify students for entry – level employment in the field of dental hygiene.
Goals of Program: To provide the academic foundation as well as the technological education and clinical practice enabling the graduate to have the knowledge and skills to practice dental hygiene competently, ethically, and legally in the State of MS.
Curriculum
Pre-requisite Academic Core Curriculum (must pass with a grade of “C” or higher)
| Course | Semester Hours |
|---|---|
| ENG 1113/1114 English Composition I | 3-4 |
| PSY 1513 General Psychology | 3 |
| BIO 2923 & BIO 2921 Microbiology & Lab [completed within the last five (5) years] | 4 |
| BIO 1513 & 1511 Principles of Anatomy and Physiology I & Lab [completed within the last five (5) years] | 4 |
| BIO 1523 & 1521 Principles of Anatomy and Physiology II & Lab; OR Bio 2523 & BIO 2521 Anatomy & Physiology II & Lab. [completed within the last five (5) years] | 4 |
| SPT 1113 – Public Speaking I | 3 |
| SOC 2113 – Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| CHE 1313 & CHE 1311 Principles of Chemistry & Lab; OR CHE 1213 & CHE 1211 General Chemistry I & Lab [completed within the last five (5) years] | 4 |
| Humanities/Fine Art Elective | 3 |
| TOTAL REQUIRED ACADEMIC HOURS: | 31-32 hours credit |
Suggested Courses: FCS 1253-Nutrition
Freshman Year – 1st Semester
| Course | Semester Hours |
|---|---|
| DHT 1116 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene | 6 |
| DHT 1242 Anatomy & Histology Head and Neck | 2 |
| DHT 1252 Dental Anatomy & Embryology | 2 |
| DHT 1314 Dental Radiology | 4 |
| DHT 1931 Dental Medical Emergencies | 1 |
| TOTAL | 15 hours credit |
| 2nd Semester | |
| DHT 1416 Dental Hygiene Clinic I | 6 |
| DHT 1513 Periodontics | 3 |
| DHT 2612 Dental Materials | 2 |
| DHT 1941 Theories in Patient Care DHT | 1 |
| TOTAL | 12 hours credit |
| Sophomore Year – 1st Semester | |
| DHT 2425 Clinical Dental Hygiene II | 5 |
| DHT 2233 General and Oral Pathology | 3 |
| DHT 2713 Dental Pharmacology | 3 |
| DHT 2822 Community Dental Health I | 2 |
| TOTAL | 13 hours credit |
| 2nd Semester | |
| DHT 2436 Dental Hygiene Clinic III | 6 |
| DHT 2813 Community Dental Health II | 2 |
| DHT 2922 Dental Ethics and Law | 2 |
| DHT 2951 Fundamentals of Licensure | 1 |
| TOTAL | 13 hours credit |
How to Apply
Dear Prospective Student:
We are pleased that you have shown an interest in the Dental Hygiene program at Pearl River Community College. The enclosed application packet contains all the information you will need to successfully apply to the program. Applicants that have completed all academic prerequisites are encouraged to apply by February 1st. The deadline to apply for the August 2021 class is February 28, 2021. Please follow the steps below to insure that your application is complete.
The following items must be completed prior to February 28, 2021.
- PRCC Application – completed online
- Once you receive your RiverGuide credentials, use them to complete the Dental Hygiene Program Application
- ACT Score – sent to PRCC
- Official College transcripts from all colleges attended – mailed to the Dental Hygiene Department
Note: If college work was completed at PRCC in either Poplarville or Hattiesburg, please indicate this on your application and we will be able to retrieve your transcript. You do not have to send an official PRCC transcript. - Handwritten Autobiographical Essay – Mailed to Dental Hygiene Department
- Verification of Observation Hours Form – Observe a Registered Dental Hygienist a minimum of four (4) hours and have the verification form completed and returned to the Dental Hygiene Department.
Address for PRCC Dental Hygiene Program:
Pearl River Community College
Attn: Dental Hygiene Department
5448 US Hwy 49 South
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Credentials
All states require licensure to practice this profession. A license is issued by the State Board of Dental Examiners after successful completion of both clinical and written examination. The National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination must also be passed to qualify for licensure.
Special Admission Requirements
In addition to all of PRCC’s general admission requirements for a technical student, the Dental Hygiene program has specific additional program admission requirements as listed below:
Applicants must have the following documents on file in the Admission’s office to be considered for admission to the program
- PRCC Application
- college transcripts from all previous colleges attended
- ACT score — Applicants must have an ACT score of 18 or higher to be considered for the program.
- Proof of residency
- English Composition I
- Microbiology and Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab
- Chemistry and Lab
- Psychology
- Oral Communications
- Sociology
- Humanities
- Nutrition is highly recommended
- Academic standing of “probation”, “suspension”, “dismissal” or the like at other institutions is considered in the evaluation of applicants.
- Completion of the Dental Hygiene academic core curriculum prior to application does not guarantee admission to the program.
- Students not selected for admission must reapply before February 28th of the next year to be considered for the fall of 2022 class.
- Meeting the minimum requirements listed above does not guarantee any applicant admission to the Dental Hygiene program or an interview.
- Upon acceptance, the applicant must submit a college approved health/vaccination form and complete CPR training for health care providers with an AED component. Students accepted into the program will also complete a background check and drug screen prior to starting classes.
- Complete the PRCC Admissions Application. Within 3-5 days, you will receive RiverGuide Credentials.
- Once you receive your Riverguide credentials, use them to complete the Dental Hygiene Program Application
- You must escript (preferred) or mail an official transcript(s) from all previously attended colleges to:
Pearl River Community College
Dental Hygiene Department
5448 US Hwy 49 South
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Estimated Fees
Fees that Apply for Each Semester
| Tuition –In State 15 hours or more | 1625.00 |
| Tuition –Less than 15 hours | 140.00 per hour |
| Tuition –Out of state Plus $1,625.00 –15 hours or more | 1199.00 |
| Tuition -Out of state Plus $140 per hour –less than 15 hours | 100.00 per hour |
| Program Fee | 500.00 |
| Registration Fee | 40.00 |
| Technology Fee | 40.00 |
Additional Fees
| First Year – First Semester | |
| Year Disk | 5.00 |
| Parking Permit | 20.00 |
| Uniforms | |
| Scrubs (2 sets) | 90.00 |
| Lab Coats (2) | 50.00 |
| Leather Clinic Shoes (1 pr.) | 60.00 |
| Instruments (2 sets) | 700.00 |
| XCP film holder | 200.00 |
| Snap-A-Ray DS | 40.00 |
| Snap-A-Ray (film) | 20.00 |
| Hepatitis vaccination and post screening, TB Mantou Test | 200.00 |
| BLS, CPR, and AED training | 50.00 |
| Books | 900.00 |
| ADHA (2 year student membership) | 150.00 |
| Liability Insurance (yearly) | 15.00 |
| BP kit, Stethoscope, Misc. Fees | 200.00 |
| Second Semester | |
| Books | 200.00 |
| Oraqix Dispenser, Whitening Kit, Misc. Fees | 200.00 |
| Second Year | |
| Parking Permit | 20.00 |
| Year Disk | 5.00 |
| Books | 500.00 |
| Graduation | 40.00 |
| National Board DH Exam Fee | 380.00 |
| Board Review | 450.00 |
| ADHEX Exam MS | 1200.00 |
| Jurisprudence Exam MS | 65.00 |
| Liability Insurance (yearly) | 15.00 |
| Replacement Instruments, Misc. Fees | 300.00 |
Any depleted, lost, or broken equipment, instruments, supplies or uniforms will have to be replaced by the student. It is the responsibility of the student to keep track of their instruments. Additional tuition, etc… may be incurred by the student if the student attends summer school to complete core curriculum classes. Each student has the opportunity to participate in fundraising events sponsored by ADHA Student Component.
ABOVE FEES ARE AN ESTIMATE. ALL FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
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