Dental Hygiene Admissions
The Dental Hygiene program of study prepares the student to become a licensed primary health provider and a member of the dental team responsible for the preventative aspects of oral health. Emphasis in this area of study will prepare students to participate in roles that include clinician, educator, researcher, administrator and public health advocate.
The Dental Hygiene program is a full-time, summer entry Associate of Applied Science degree.
Steps to Apply
- Sign up to attend one of our information sessions.
- If not a current HCC student, submit an HCC Application for Admission. Select the Dental Hygiene area of study, as well as program code-280.
- New to College Take placement tests, if applicable: Students may be exempt from the placement test if they have transcripts showing completion of college-level English and/or math at another academic institution, qualifying High School GPA or SAT/ACT test scores. Please speak to an advisor to review your options.
- Complete the required prerequisite coursework with appropriate overall GPA. The College reserves the right to change, without notification, any requirement, fee or program, if it is deemed necessary.
- Have Prior Credit: Submit official college transcripts from all colleges attended. Also, submit an Official Transcript Evaluation Form
- Complete 16 hours shadowing a dental hygienist and turn in a signed Dental Hygiene Clinical Observation Form by the application due date of January 15.
- The application cycle for Dental Hygiene runs between September 15 - January 15. Click here for directions.
Learn more about the Dental Hygiene Program
Clinical Requirement
- If admitted, a drug screening and criminal background check will be required prior to enrollment in any nursing and allied health clinical course in order to ensure the safety of patients in the clinical setting. Students who do not comply with the drug screening and criminal background check are ineligible for placement in clinical agencies and are not able to progress in the clinical program. It is the student’s responsibility to know whether they are eligible for licensure. If a student has a criminal background, it is the students’ responsibility to explore whether the background will prohibit them from being licensed and employed in the health care industry. HCC faculty and staff are not able to provide legal advice. If you have any questions about your background, you may wish to discuss this matter with legal counsel.
- Students are not required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to accept a clinical seat. However, students who decline the COVID-19 vaccine should be aware that clinical site availability may be limited due to partner facility requirements. Clinical placements are not guaranteed for students who choose not to be vaccinated, which may impact progression and completion of their program.
- As of Fall 2022, ALL students are required to show proof of health insurance. HCC does not provide or sponsor health insurance for students.
Dental Hygiene Program Documents
To view the Portable Document Format files (PDFs) from this site, download a free Acrobat Reader.
Additional Information
- Information for Admitted Students - what you need to know to prepare for your program, once admitted to the clinical portion of the program
- Bureau of Labor and Statistics job outlook
- Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners