About This Program

A degree in the Dental Hygiene program give you the following skills:

  • Collect data, organize information, and develop patient care plan for dental hygiene services.
  • Counsel patients in areas of prevention and treatment of dental diseases.
  • Provide direct patient services such as removal of stains and deposits from teeth, x-rays, fluoride, and sealants under the general supervision of a dentist.
  • Keep accurate patient records.
  • Design and implement dental health education programs in community settings.

Wait List

Position of the Wait List will be determined by the number of support courses completed (CHM132 Introduction to Organic/Biochemistry, PSY111 General Psychology, SOC110 Introduction to Sociology, ENG105 Composition I, SPC101 Fundamentals of Oral Communication OR SPC122​ Interpersonal & Small Group Communication). When there is no completion of any remaining support courses for three years from the date the student's name went on the Wait List, the applicant will be deleted from the list.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommended Infection Control Practices for Dentistry, 1993. MMWR. 1993; 42 (No.RR8) is applied in all aspects of delivery of care and is available upon request.

Program Notes

  • Be aware that program costs are higher in the first and last terms.
  • Students should not work more than 16 hours week as homework and required activities are demanding.
  • Plan ahead to avoid conflicts between personal responsibilities and program demands. A support system is essential.
  • Baccalaureate degree completion in dental hygiene is available at four year colleges which offer dental hygiene completion and accept DMACC transfer credit.
  • Applicants for licensure are asked if they have ever been charged, convicted, found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor crime. A prior criminal history, activity or record can be grounds for license or registration denial. Also, habitual use of drugs or intoxicants, or habitual intoxication or addiction to drugs can also be grounds for license or registration denial.

Median wage for full-time dental hygienist is $77,000 annually, (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021​)

Location: Ankeny