Program Overview
The Dental Hygiene program is a two-year associate degree program of full-time classroom and clinical instruction. The program enrolls 18 students per year. The educational objective of the program is to prepare the student who, upon graduation and successful completion of the National Written Examination Board and Western Regional Clinical Examination, will be able to serve the community within the state of Washington. For more information, call 542-4571.

The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation 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 on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.

Dental Hygiene Application

Program Costs
Including standard student fees, the program requires an expenditure of approximately $20,000 to $25,000 during the two-year program. These figures are estimates and subject to change. Approximately $6,000 will be needed at the beginning of the first quarter. During the last year of the program, students will be required to take both the state clinical and national written board examinations, which have additional costs, prior to being licensed to practice as a dental hygienist.

Prerequisite Courses
Must complete all of the 46 credits of prerequisite college courses with a minimum GPA of 2.6 or higher:

• MATH& 146 Introduction to Statistics
• SOC& 101 Sociology
• PSYC& 100 General Psychology
• NUTR& 101 Nutrition
• CMST 101 Speech Essentials  OR
• CMST 110 Communication Behavior
• ENGL& 101 English Composition
• BIOL& 241 + BIOL& 241L Human Anatomy & Physiology I
• BIOL& 242 & BIOL& 242L Human Anatomy & Physiology II
• BIOL& 260 + BIOL& 260L Microbiology

Preadmission Requirement

• CHEM& 121 + CHEM 121L  Introduction to Chemistry

Fall 2007 and later: Students applying for admission into the Dental Hygiene program for Fall 2007 or later will have the preadmission requirement of Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM& 121 and 121L.) Chemistry 100 and 1001 will no longer be accepted as an alternative preadmission course.

Satisfactory physical exam, required immunization records, current CPR card, and a satisfactory Washington State Patrol criminal history background check must be on file before the beginning of dental hygiene classes.

Students must complete an application each year to be considered for entry into this program. The Dental Hygiene application will be reposted approximately December 2008.

Priority admissions systems for the qualified applicants to the program:

• College cumulative GPA
• College science GPA
• Dental experience
• Special considerations (previous degree, volunteer experience, additional chemistry classes).
  

Dental Hygiene Courses

Dental Hygiene Clinic Information

Program Outcomes

Program Coordinator

• Lynn Stedman
  Dental Hygiene Assistant Professor, Dental Hygiene Program Director
  Location: T Building
  Phone: 509-544-4991
  Email: lstedman@columbiabasin.edu
  Education: B.S., University of Washington; M.Ed, University of Washington; M.A., Antioch University

Courses taught at CBC:
Dental Hygiene Courses

Faculty/Staff

• Valerie Burnett
  Dental Hygiene Clinic Program Coordinator
  Location: T Building
  Phone: 509-542-4571
  Email: vburnett@columbiabasin.edu
  
• Kathy Conrad
  Dental Hygiene Instructor
  Location: T Building
  Phone: 509-542-4571
  Email: kconrad@columbiabasin.edu
  
• Janet Ogden
  Dental Hygiene Assistant Professor
  Location: T Building
  Phone: 509-542-4895
  Email: jogden@columbiabasin.edu
  Education: B.A., Antioch University; A.A., Clark College

Courses taught at CBC:
Dental Hygiene Courses

Dental Assisting Courses (For High School Students currently enrolled in TriTech)