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The dental hygiene program is a two-year full-time degree program. The curriculum includes content in the following four areas: general education, biomedical sciences, dental sciences and dental hygiene science. The basic clinical education aspect of the curriculum includes a formal course sequence in scientific principles of dental hygiene practice, which extends throughout the curriculum and is coordinated and integrated with clinical experience in providing dental hygiene services. The dental hygiene program design ensures that the student is able to not only synthesize didactic concepts, but also incorporate them into clinical application and judgment.
Career Options
Students with an Associate in Arts degree in dental hygiene, once licensed, can work under a licensed dentist in a private or public setting. Many hygienists choose to work in specialty areas such as Pedodontics (dentistry for children) and Periodontics (treatment of gum diseases). Other career options include public health agencies, hospitals, institutions for physically/mentally challenged, nursing homes, neighborhood health clinics, public schools, insurance companies, industrial or union dental facilities, federal programs such as Veteran’s Administration and Indian Health Programs, military institutions, prisons, and other health programs both here and abroad.
Learning Objectives
Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:
- Apply all the dental science courses to their clinical experience;
- Discern and manage the ethical issues of dental hygiene practice in a health care environment;
- Acquire and synthesize information in a critical, scientific and effective manner;
- Contribute to the knowledge, skills and values of the profession;
- Provide planned educational services using appropriate interpersonal communication skills and educational strategies to promote optimal health;
- Initiate and assume responsibility for the health promotion and disease prevention activities within diverse populations;
- Collect, analyze and accurately record baseline data on the general, oral and psychosocial health status of individuals using methods consistent with medicolegal principles;
- Determine the need for dental hygiene services for an individual or broader population;
- Discuss the condition of the oral cavity, identifying actual and potential problems, identify etiological and contributing factors, and develop an evidence-based dental hygiene treatment plan;
- Implement the dental hygiene treatment plan within the standard of care;
- Provide treatment that includes preventive and therapeutic procedures and that maintains and assists the patient in achieving his/her oral health goals;
- Provide pain management during treatment using accepted clinical and behavioral techniques;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of completed clinical work and educational services and modify as necessary.
Policies, Conditions, and/or Fees
Accreditation Information
The Dental Hygiene Program at Mount Ida College is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and has been granted the accreditation status of approval without reporting requirements.
Transfer Policy
Transfer credit may be awarded for general education courses in the Dental Hygiene Program and in any baccalaureate program to which the student may advance. Transfer credit for dental hygiene courses will be reviewed on an individual basis. Applicants are bound by the transfer policy published in the College Catalog and the Dental Hygiene Information Packet.
Enrollment Status in the Dental Hygiene Program
It is mandatory that students enrolled in the Dental Hygiene Program be full-time students. They must complete the four semesters of instruction in sequence, without interruption, in order to articulate classroom instruction with their clinical training. Many courses in the curriculum are built upon and dependent on a foundation that is established in prior courses. For this reason, no student shall assume the liberty of withdrawing or postponing any course in the curriculum without consultation and prior approval from the Director of the Dental Hygiene Program. Students must take an English placement test during orientation at the beginning of the entering year.
The practice of Dental Hygiene can be physically demanding. Students should be in good physical condition and be able to perform the following essential functional requirements:
- Perform CPR.
- Lift and carry up to ten pounds.
- Retrieve dental supplies from storage areas at different heights.
- Reach overhead equipment to a height of five feet.
- Rotate and reach laterally, standing or sitting.
- Perform for a prolonged period without breaks, e.g., typical shift of eight hours.
- Manipulate mechanical and patient care equipment, i.e., dials, switches, push buttons, keyboards, syringes, and blood pressure equipment.
- Maneuver in tight quarters, common to dental offices.
- Differentiate among subtle shades of gray used in radiographic image formation.
- Discern changes in color, texture, and shape of oral tissue.
- Respond to requests and direction.
- Respond to body sounds through stethoscope.
- Use dental instruments with precision anc ontrol in confined areas.
- Pick up items of very small and varying diameters.
- Discern surface textures by feel alone.
- Integrate, analyze, evaluate and synthesize a plan of action.
- Clearly and effectively communicate (verbally and in writing) instructions and information to patients and share information with other team members in English.
- Wear protective equipment such as surgical gloves (latex), face masks, face shields, and protective eyewear.
- Be aware of possible exposure to hazards such as dental materials, radiographic rays and materials, blood and body fluids.
Dismissal Policy
Students can be dismissed from the Dental Hygiene Program for failure to progress academically, violation of the student and professional code of ethics and conduct, and academic dishonesty.
Those applicants accepted into the program must make a minimum grade of “C” (73%) in each dental hygiene course and maintain an overall minimum GPA of 2.00 to continue in the program. All students must submit a petition in writing (see request for re-admission) to the Dental Hygiene Program Director to re-take any dental hygiene course. Students who fail to achieve the requisite grade upon retaking a course cannot retake the same course a second time.
In addition, a student who does not exhibit the knowledge, behavior, attitude, ethics or skills deemed necessary for the health, safety and welfare of patients will be dismissed. Any academic dishonesty will cause the student to be subject to automatic dismissal. The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, the School Director, and the Dental Hygiene Program Director will review the standing of any Dental Hygiene student whose record and/or performance may indicate non-continuance in or termination from the Dental Hygiene Program. The Review Board may drop a student from the program whenever the academic and/or clinical performance or egregious behavior of the student warrants such action. A student who has been academically dismissed from the College must follow College-wide reinstatement policies and petition procedures.
Requests for readmission to the Dental Hygiene Program will be considered only after the lapse of at least one semester and only when the student provides evidence that indicates probable success, should readmission be granted. Requests for readmission to the Dental Hygiene Program must be made in writing to the Dental Hygiene Program Director at least six (6) weeks before the opening of the semester and must include evidence supporting the student’s belief that she/he will succeed if readmitted. The curricular requirements for readmission to the Dental Hygiene Program will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Students who elect to leave the Dental Hygiene Program must, in accordance with the Withdrawal, Leave of Absence and Reactivation Policy published in the College Catalog, reapply to the College and to the Dental Hygiene Program and must adhere to the Dental Hygiene policies and requirements in effect at the time of readmission.
Clinic Participation
Students are expected to attend each assigned clinic session and externship rotation. If a student is ill or will be absent for any reason, it is the responsibility of the student to notify a business office and course director. It is also the student’s responsibility to cancel his/her patients. The ADA Council of Accreditation mandates a specific number of pre-clinical and clinical hours. Therefore, missed clinical sessions must be made up. Students are responsible for finding their own patients during make-up clinics. All clinical requirements must be completed by the end of the semester.
Some externship sites require all students to have one or more of the following clearances: CORI, SORI, and/or finger printing. They may also require a US passport or driver’s license and certified birth certificate or driver’s license and social security card. If the student does not have the above and/or does not pass the CORI/SORI, the student may not be able to continue in the dental hygiene program. Each student will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Students must follow the Clinical Attendance Policy in the Dental Hygiene Clinic Manual. Students are required to provide their own meals and transportation to and from their off-campus clinical rotations. All clinical rotations are accessible via the MBTA, commuter rail, subway, or bus lines.
Professionalism
All dental hygiene students are expected to demonstrate professionalism in behavior, manner and judgment in dental hygiene clinic, radiology and clinical rotation sites. All dental hygiene students must adhere to policies of the Dental Hygiene Program regarding conduct, attire and asepsis. These policies are found in the Dental Hygiene Student Manual.
Additional Costs
Students in the Dental Hygiene Program will incur additional expenses for:
- Annual program fee
- Instruments
- Supplies and uniforms including but not limited to: gloves, masks, safety glasses, stethoscope, lab coats, scrubs, name pin, napkin, chains, and magnification loops
- Professional dues
- Liability insurance
- Health insurance
- Transportation to rotations
- Board examinations
Immunization Policy
As a health professional, dental auxiliaries are exposed to contagious diseases and are therefore at risk of becoming infected. The National Health Institute, The Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services all strongly recommend that health professionals at high risk utilize vaccinations. Dentists and dental auxiliaries are near the top of the list of those persons most likely to contract certain diseases. The American College Health Association and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts require that no students shall attend college without a certificate of immunization.
Students must provide appropriate documentation, including a copy of a school immunization record, indicating receipt of the required immunizations; OR in the case of measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and varicella, present laboratory evidence of immunity.
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One dose of mumps, measles and rubella given at or after 12 months of age or one does for age group >50 years of age
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Results of tuberculosis test within 6 months or the first day of school and yearly thereafter
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Varicella 2 doses (0, 4-8 weeks) ages 19-49 or 2 doses
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Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Td/Tdap) 1 dose Td booster every 10 years
According to Massachusetts Department of Public Health College Immunization Requirements for the 2008-2009 School Year:
All newly enrolled full-time residential students must:
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Receive information about meningococcal disease and vaccine; and
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Provide documentation of receipt of 1 dose of MPSV4 vaccine within the last 5 years (or a dose of MCV4 vaccine at any time in the past) or sign the waiver.
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Waivers are available through health services
Recommended vaccinations include:
The College cannot be held responsible for health problems resulting from occupational hazards. Students are responsible for the cost of any follow-up care resulting from exposure to occupational hazards.
The guidelines for immunization are established in compliance with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).
The Mount Ida College Dental Hygiene Program tries to minimize the risk of exposure by following an Exposure Control Plan, and the Dental Hygiene Exposure Control Plan complies with OSHA Standards. These standards include universal precautions that are taught prior to beginning patient care.
Source:
CDC/ACIP Adult Immunization Recommendations
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/adult-schedule.htm
CDC/ACIP Recommendations for Immunization of Healthcare Personnel
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/hcw.htm
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2017.pdf
National Boards
The National Board is a mandatory all day written examination for licensure. This test is administered three times a year in March, July and December.
In order to take the National Board in March of the second year of hygiene school the student must have no less than a 3.0 CGPA at the end of fall semester of their second year. The student must also have successfully completed all clinical and didactic course requirements by the last day of classes of the fall semester and have no incompletes outstanding in any course.
If the student is ineligible for the March examination the student will be able to take the National Board in the July upon successful completion of the Dental Hygiene Program.
All clinical and didactic course requirements must be successfully completed by the last day of classes of the spring semester and have no incompletes outstanding in any course.
Northeast Regional Board Examination (NERB)
(Includes states: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia)
The NERB examination is a mandatory clinical examination for licensure in dental hygiene. The examination is offered three times per year; spring, summer and winter. In order for the dental hygiene student to be eligible for the NERB examination in the spring of their second year of dental hygiene school the student must have successfully completed DH 203. If the student is ineligible for the spring examination the student will be able to take NERB in the summer upon successful completion of the Dental Hygiene program.
All clinical and didactic course requirements must be successfully completed with the grade of C or better by the last day of classes of the spring semester and have no incompletes outstanding in any course.
Pre-Dental Hygiene
Students entering college directly from high school and others wishing to prepare for possible admission to the Dental Hygiene Program may be given the option to enroll as a full-time student in the Pre-Dental Hygiene Program. This will enable them to complete the prerequisites for consideration for admission to, and selected general education courses. Please refer to the section on Pre-Professional Options for information on the curriculum and eligibility requirements for consideration for one of the eight (8) seats that are reserved for Pre-Dental Hygiene students.
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