Dental Hygiene
The Dental Hygiene program prepares graduates to use their skill and knowledge as dental hygienists to fulfill the role of a licensed oral health professional who is responsible for preventing and treating oral diseases in a variety of settings. The curriculum includes courses in general education and in dental hygiene as required by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and Kentucky state dental practice act. An AAS is awarded after completion of the total curriculum and a certificate is awarded after completion of each: DHP 120 Dental Hygiene I (4 credit hours), DHP 135 Dental Radiology (3 credit hours), and DHP 229 Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Sedation (2 credit hours). The Dental Hygiene curriculum is organized around a clearly defined, comprehensive educational experience that combines general education and dental hygiene courses through didactic, laboratory and clinical courses in order that students may apply scientific evidence-based knowledge in the performance of dental hygiene procedures. Students are also required to attend rotations through outside agencies for enrichment and must provide their own transportation.
Graduates are eligible to take state, regional and national board exams such as National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) and American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) clinical boards. Acceptance into the Dental Hygiene program is based on a selective admissions process. In order to be considered for admission, applicants must comply with college and program admission requirements prior to the online-posted deadline.
Progression in the Dental Hygiene Program is contingent upon the achievement of a minimum grade of “C” or better in each Dental Hygiene and approved biological science course.
Documentation of digital literacy as defined by KCTCS and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are required prior to admission to DHP courses.
Note: The Kentucky Board of Dentistry may deny a license to practice dental hygiene to graduates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony that involves acts that bear directly on the qualifications of the graduate to practice dental hygiene.
Coronal Polishing Certificate
The Coronal Polishing Certificate offers students the opportunity to earn a credential demonstrating basic competency in the area of coronal polishing, a procedure that is the final stage of a dental prophylaxis on the clinical crown of a tooth. The certificate will be given after completion of DHP 120 Dental Hygiene I (4 credit hours), which teaches all the requirements for Coronal Polishing training mandated in 201 KAR 8:571 by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry for registered dental assistants. It gives those who are unable to complete a degree a way of demonstrating their level of proficiency. It gives current dental hygiene students a way to practice as a dental assistant until they receive a dental hygiene license.
Dental Radiography Certificate
The Dental Radiography Certificate offers students the opportunity to earn a credential demonstrating basic dental radiography safety and technique in order to take x-rays under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist. The certificate will be given after completion of DHP 135 Dental Radiology (3 credit hours), which teaches all the requirements for Dental Radiography training mandated in 201 KAR 8:571 by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry for registered dental assistants. It gives those who are unable to complete a degree a way of demonstrating their level of proficiency. It gives current dental hygiene students a way to practice as a dental assistant until they receive a dental hygiene license.
Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Sedation Certificate
The Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Sedation Certificate offers students the opportunity to earn a credential demonstrating basic competency in the administration of block and infiltration anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist. This certificate will be given after completion of DHP 229 Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Sedation (2 credit hours) and the total curriculum when all the requirements for Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Sedation administration, as well as delivery and mastery of each method as mandated in 201 KAR 8:571 and described in KRS 313:060 Section 10 by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry for registered dental hygienists will be met. It gives those who complete the AAS in Dental Hygiene a formal certificate of completion to be used for purposes of licensure across the country.
Note: Hours Exception (68-72 for the A.A.S.) approved by the KCTCS Board of Regents in June 2020.
Certificates
The Coronal Polishing, Dental Radiology and Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Sedation certificates are only available to students who have been admitted to the Dental Hygiene selective admission program at Bluegrass Community & Technical College.