Health Sciences

Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate

The Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate curriculum is Phase I of the two-phase Dental Hygiene program and consists of the 36 hours of general education courses required for the Dental Hygiene curriculum. In addition to the college’s placement test and the admissions requirements for the Health Sciences Department, specific eligibility and admissions criteria to the Pre-Dental Hygiene program include:

Acceptable interview eligibility criteria:

• HOBET 50 composite percent (minimum reading 50 percent; mathematics 50 percent) and MTC writing sample score of 30; or

• SAT 910 (minimum critical reading 430) and MTC writing sample score of 30; or

• ACT 19 (minimum verbal 18) and MTC writing sample score of 30; or

• Successful completion of the Pre-Health Care certificate with a 2.5 GPA and “C” or higher in each course; or

• Associate degree or higher.

Admissions Criteria:

• High school diploma or equivalent

• Successful program interview

• Acceptable criminal background check and drug screening results

Upon earning satisfactory interview qualifying test scores, students seeking entry into the Midlands Technical College Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate program are granted a pre-entry interview. A satisfactory result from the interview for the Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate will place the student in Phase I of the Dental Hygiene Associate Degree program.

A student’s acceptance of a position in the Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate program implies that the student will work consistently to complete the 36 hour program within the next two or three semesters. All courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher. Students may not retake any course in the Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate program more than once. The student may not repeat more than two different courses in the Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate. The repeat policy applies to both internal and external transcripts.

Certificate: Pre-Dental Hygiene (36 credit hours)

Midlands Technical College students who complete the Pre-Dental Hygiene curriculum with a 2.5 GPA and “C” or above on all courses may apply for the Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate. (Science and mathematic courses must be completed according to the timeframe established and published for all Health Sciences Programs.) Upon receiving the certificate, the student is eligible for Phase II of the Dental Hygiene program. The student’s date of entry into Phase II is based upon the date of acceptance and completion of Phase I.

Students may apply for merit admission after completing the Pre-Dental Hygiene Certificate Program. Merit admission is an opportunity for a special consideration for priority admission into Phase II of the Dental Hygiene Program. There are preset published criteria for merit admissions. The criteria and applications are available on-line at midlandstech.edu/dental, through the Allied Dental Education Program, or through the merit admission coordinator in the Admissions Department.

Pre-Dental Hygiene coursework evaluated for merit admission must match the course prefix and number exactly as displayed in the list above.

Pre-clinical practice is performed on classmate patients. Students accepted into Phase II of the Dental Hygiene program will be expected to act as patients for classmates to practice all new skills, including infiltration anesthesia injections. Students who require antibiotics prior to dental procedures will be expected to comply with such self-medication so as to allow equitable classmate learning experiences during pre-clinical sessions. Students anticipating orthodontic procedures should complete their banding phase prior to entry into Phase II or they should delay initiation of the orthodontic procedures until the second year of Phase II.

Students entering into Phase II of the Dental Hygiene Program will be required to have a background check and a drug screening prior to beginning pre-clinical activities. Arrangements will be made by the Allied Dental Education Program.