Dental Hygiene
Mission:
Graduates of the Dental Hygiene department will participate in planned and supervised experiences directed toward teaching students to perform dental hygiene techniques with precision, safety and efficiency. They will demonstrate dental hygiene skills and integrate these skills into the total curriculum. Students will be active in team cooperation and develop skills to protect and care for patients during clinical application.
Important Information:
Accepting New Patients/Clients
The FHTC Dental Hygiene Clinic is currently accepting new patients/clients. Click
here for more info!
Employment Information:
Specific information regarding occupations students will be prepared to enter upon program completion, on-time graduation rates, cost, placement rates and median debt incurred can be found at: (
Dental Hygiene Gainful Employment) . This information is provided in compliance with 34 CFR 668.6(b).
Description:
Dental hygienists remove soft and hard deposits from teeth, teach patients how to practice good oral hygiene, and provide other preventive dental care. They examine patients’ teeth and gums, recording the presence of diseases or abnormalities.
Dental hygienists use an assortment of tools to complete their tasks. Hand and rotary instruments and ultrasonic devices are used to clean and polish teeth, which includes removing tartar, stains, and plaque. Hygienists use x-ray machines to take dental pictures, and develop the film. They may use models of teeth to explain oral hygiene, perform root planning as a periodontal therapy, or apply cavity-preventative agents such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants.
Career Paths:
Employment opportunies for men and women in the Dental Hygiene field include:
- Private Practice Dental Hygienist/Dental Assistant
- Product Sales Representative
- Research in Dental Health
- Public Health Office
- Office Administration
- Insurance Claims Analyst
- Dental Office Consultant
- Overseas Dental Opportunites
- Hospitals
- Armed Services
- Education
The Industry:
The dental industry is one of the most attractive segments of the health care industry with an estimated size of about US $18.8 billion in 2008. In the recent years, increasing aging population coupled with rising awareness for oral health, high esthetics and improved dental treatments have boosted the growth of the dental industry. Demand for dental products and services will remain healthy due to growing incidence of cosmetic treatments, growing number of dental implants, new products that reduce patient discomfort and increased health consciousness.
Experienced Dental Hygienists are rewarded well, and become highly regarded in the profession, entry-level dental hygienists may start around $25-$30 per hour, while more experienced hygienists can earn from $35 - $40 per hour.
Dental Hygienists' practice in a dental office and may perform in long-term care facilities and schools with an ECP (Extended Care Permit). Those who complete the Dental Hygiene Program can sit for regional exams in the dental hygiene field.
The Program:
Prerequisites
- Graduate of an Accredited Dental Assisting Program
- DANB Certified Assistant within two years of application date
- General Education Courses as listed in the Dental Hygiene Admissions Criteria.
In order to be considered as a candidate for the FHTC Dental Hygiene Program, students must meet basic admissions requirements and then pass a minimum point value of 65 in the program admissions process. Once the points have been assigned, a program admissions committee will make the final determinations for acceptance.
Click here for the Dental Hygiene Admissions Criteria.
Instruction
Successful completion of the FHTC Dental Assisting Program including several general education requirements is pre-requisite for all Hygiene Program candidates. The Dental Hygiene program uses a combination of traditional class lecture and clinical practicum. The 2-year, 5-semester program leads to the AAS degree. The program requires full-time student status. The two-year associate program provides 1110 hours of instruction in the first-year Dental Assisting program. The second-year associate degree Dental Hygiene program provides an additional 2322 hours of instruction.
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the commission on recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and by the United States Department of Education.
Admissions Criteria
Cost Sheet
Book Information and CostsCourses
Graduates of the Dental Hygiene program will have mastered the skills and knowledge necessary to gain employment in dental offices for hygiene functions and management. Students in the Dental Hygiene program will participate in planned and supervised experiences directed toward performing dental hygiene diagnosis and assessment with precision, safety and efficiency. They will demonstrate hygiene skills and integrate these skills into the total curriculum. Students will be active in team cooperation and develop personal growth toward life-long learning.
Associate of Applied Science Degree Program Outcomes
- Apply professional code of ethics in all endeavors.
- Provide dental hygiene care to promote patient/client health and wellness using critical thinking in provision of evidence-based practices.
- Assume responsibility for dental hygiene actions and care based on accepted standards of practice.
- Continuously perform self-assessment for lifelong learning and professional growth.
- Advance the profession through service activities and affiliations with professional organizations.
- Communicate effectively with individuals and groups from diverse populations.
- Provide documentation for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of dental hygiene services.
Click here for more information.
Advisory Members
Chris Polk, DDS
Elite Dental
1409 Stanton Street
Emporia, KS 66801
|
Eric Wisdom, DDS
x
1609 Poyntz
Manhattan, KS 66502
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Dr. L. S. Latimer
x
202 N. Main
El Dorado, KS 67042
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Jacqueline Rosales, RDH
x
1507 W 12th Ave
Emporia, KS 66801
|
Patsy Allen, RDH Faculty
Flint Hills Technical College
3301 W 18th Ave
Emporia, KS 66801
|
Brittany Dorothy, CDA
x
710 Commercial
Emporia, KS 66801
|
Robert Harmon, DDS Faculty
x
840 Lakin
Osage City, KS 66523
| | |
Instructor(s):
Cheryl Bosiljevac, Brad Karr, Ph.D.; Bonnie Winski, RDH; Patsy Allen RDH; Kathy Hamman, R.N., B.S.N.
Student Organization:
AMERICAN DENTAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATION (ADHA)
SkillsUSA prepares America's high performance workers. It provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work, high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education and pride in the dignity of work. SkillsUSA also promotes understanding of the free enterprise system and involvement in community service activities.
(*Taken form the SkillsUSA web site.)