DENTAL HYGIENE

The Dental Hygiene curriculum provides individuals with the knowledge and skills to access, plan, implement, and evaluate dental hygiene care for the individual and the community.  Students will learn to prepare the operatory, take patient histories, note abnormalities, plan care, teach oral hygiene, clean teeth, take x-rays, apply preventive agents, complete necessary chart entries, and perform other procedures related to dental hygiene care. Graduates of this program may be eligible to take national and state/regional examinations for licensure which are required to practice dental hygiene. Employment opportunities include dental offices, clinics, schools, public health agencies, industry, and professional education.

For more information concerning the curriculum or the Dental Hygiene academic department, please visit Dental Hygiene web site.

All applicants must complete the following minimum requirements:

STEP 1:  Complete a Wake Technical Community College Application by applying either Online OR by Paper. Please submit within the Application Deadline time frames.

STEP 2:  Provide official transcripts (transcripts in a sealed envelope) of ALL previous education, including high school and/or GED scores and all college transcripts (if college has already been attended).  Applications will NOT be processed until ALL transcripts have been received by Wake Technical Community College.   Applicants can send a "Request for High School or Prior College Transcript" form to the schools they have attended to have their transcripts sent to Wake Tech.  Unofficial transcripts (transcripts which have been opened or FAXed) will not be accepted.  High school transcripts must be complete, showing the date of graduation.  You can call the Student Information Center at (919) 866-5500 to see if your transcripts have been received.

STEP 3:  Attend a MANDATORY Information Session for Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene. Applicants are NOT eligible to take any classes (pre-curriculum, general education or clinical) until they have attended an Information Session.  Spaces are limited for each admissions cycle.  Please reserve your seat as soon as possible.

You are welcome to complete the mandatory Information Session online through a Blackboard class.  We do encourage you, however, to attend an Information Session in person.  Information Sessions in person provide more one-on-one contact, allowing questions to be answered more efficiently.  If you complete the Information Session on-line and are still confused, please attend an Information Session.

STEP 4:  Meet appropriate requirements for Reading, English, and Math.  These requirements can be met by any one of the following or combination of the following:

• Completion of a college-level composition course and a college-level math course with a "C" or better, OR       

• Minimum SAT score of 520 on verbal and a minimum score of 520 on math OR

• Minimum ACT score of 21 on the reading, English, and math sections.  

NOTE:  The college-level math class and math test scores  must have been completed within the past  5 years from the date of your application. 

STEP 5:  If the Reading, English, and/or Math requirement can NOT be met by any of the options listed in Step 4, they can be met by completion of RED 090, ENG 090/A, and/or MAT 070 within the past 5 years.  To enroll in these classes, a placement test must be completed first.  Please visit the Testing Center website to schedule an appointment to take the placement test. If you do not have internet access you may call either 919-866-5461, 919-866-5462, or 919-866-5463 to schedule an appointment.  There is no fee for this test.  Applicants must obtain a "Permit for Testing" card from a Health Sciences Counselor in the Student Services Building, Room 128.  Applicants can only schedule a test time AFTER they have submitted an application.  The results of the Placement Test will be given to you upon completion of testing, and you will be directed to the appropriate counselor for evaluation of scores and registration information.

STEP 6:  Meet appropriate requirements for Chemistry.  Chemistry proficiency may be satisfied by completion of one unit of a high school level chemistry course OR completion of a college-level chemistry course OR completion of CHM 090 or an equivalent class with a "C" or better OR completion of the chemistry tutorial unit in the Individualized Learning Center.

STEP 7:  Meet appropriate requirements for Computer Skills.  Computer proficiency may be satisfied by completion of a high school computer course OR completion of a college level computer course OR completion of a non-credit continuing education computer course.

STEP 8: Complete ALL of the above listed admissions requirements and submit the "Minimum Admissions Checklist" by required deadline to be considered eligible for the DEN clinical classes.  The "Minimum Admissions Checklist" can only be obtained by attending an Information Session.  Admissions  into the DEN clinical classes is determined by a competitive process.  Acceptance into the DEN clinical classes occurs every Fall semester.

Please note that Wake Technical Community College is constantly evaluating the admissions procedures and reserves the right to make changes as the need arises.