Health Careers

Dental Hygiene

Associate of Applied Science

Program Information

The dental hygiene program prepares students to become qualified dental hygiene practitioners. A dental hygienist's primary responsibility is to promote optimal oral health through preventive and educational services. Graduates of this program are granted an Associate's of Applied Science (AAS) degree, and are eligible to take the National Board Exam in Dental Hygiene and the Regional or State Licensing Exams.

The fully-accredited dental hygiene program is an entry-level degree program that prepares graduates to take licensure exams to become a licensed dental hygienist. Dental hygienists perform risk assessments, collect data, plan, implement, and evaluate dental hygiene care to promote the oral health of both individuals as well as groups of people. One year of high school chemistry with a grade of "C" or higher in both semesters meets the requirement for CHM 100 for this program.

Accreditation

The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and has been granted the accreditation status of "approval without reporting requirements." The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission can be contacted at (312) 440-2500 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611.

Additional Program Information

Thank you for your interest in the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Dental Hygiene Program.
We are proud of our unique dental hygiene program, which includes one year of prerequisite coursework and two years of dental hygiene. Our clinic uses the EagleSoft software for both clinical and practice management. Our radiography department is digital. If you are comfortable with computer technology, sciences, and care about helping people, our program may be right for you. Important Information about the KVCC Dental Hygiene Program:

• Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
• An on-campus, state-of-the-art dental hygiene clinic in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• Fourteen dental chair clinic with four x-ray operatories.
• Low faculty/student clinical ratio to provide students with the opportunity for an interactive learning environment.
• Courses on local anesthesia and pain control are part of the students’ education.
• Computerized client file/scheduling programs.
• Computer experience needed includes: keyboarding, use of a mouse, and some software problem solving skills.
• Community based clinical experiences.
• Diversified client base

Mission Statement

To provide KVCC Dental Hygiene Program students with evidence-based education and clinical experiences to build their ethical standards and problem-solving skills thus preparing them to become professional hygienists in an evolving health care environment requiring adaption to changing technology, sensitivity to multi-cultural populations, and delivery of patient-centered treatment.

Program Goals

• To provide a broad-based education for dental hygiene students that will enable them to practice effectively in a variety of settings and /or extend their education.
• To provide theoretical course work and practical experience in the dental hygiene process of care.
• To provide dental hygiene students with the theory and practice of patient education, technologies, modalities, and strategies that will enable them to motivate clients to obtain, maintain, and enhance their oral health.
• To continually evaluate and procure updated modalities for the dental hygiene clinic to ensure the availability of state of the art equipment and technologies for practicum experiences.
• To provide professional development for the dental hygiene faculty to improve their quality of instruction and for oral health care professionals to improve job performance and career advancement.
• To provide dental hygiene students with theory and practical experiences with and for a diverse client population.