This full-time degree program prepares the student to become a dental hygienist who is a preventive oral health professional prepared to provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services to the public. This degree also prepares the student for more advanced educational opportunities in the health care field.
Students who are matriculated and place into developmental math and/or English are required to begin the course sequence in the first semester. Please see an advisor with questions.
Dental Hygiene applicants are accepted only for the Fall Semester.
More Program Information is available at: Dental Hygiene Program Overview
Special Admission Requirements for the Dental Hygiene Program.
For more information on special admissions requirements for the Dental Hygiene Program: Dental Hygiene Admissions
First Semester
Second Semester
Third Semester
Fourth Semester
Employment opportunities are available as an entry-level Dental Hygienist in private general and specialty dental practices, community dental health centers, and public health agencies/facilities. See also: What can I do with this major?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Employment of Dental Hygienists is projected to grow 9 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage for dental hygienists was $87,530 in May 2023.
About 16,400 openings for dental hygienists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Studies linking oral health and general health, and efforts to expand access to oral hygiene services, will continue to drive the demand for preventive dental services. As a result, the demand for all dental services, including those performed by hygienists, will increase. In addition, demand for dental hygienists is expected to grow as state laws increasingly allow dental hygienists to work at the top of their training, and they effectively become more productive.
The Dental Hygiene program at Cape Cod Community College provides students with the theory, knowledge, and experience necessary to obtain competency in the practice of dental hygiene in a variety of settings. Upon completion of the program, the dental hygiene graduates are able to meet the following learning outcomes:
- Integrate biomedical, psychosocial, dental, and dental hygiene sciences into evidence-based clinical judgment and the dental hygiene process of care for diverse patient populations.
- Demonstrate effective interpersonal, intercultural, and interprofessional communication skills to collaborate with patients, families, communities, and healthcare professionals across diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds reflecting cultural humility.
- Utilize critical thinking, research literacy, active learning, and evidence-based decision making to develop comprehensive oral health care strategies and patient-centered treatment protocols.
- Apply professional ethical principles, legal and regulatory standards, and sustainable practices to provide equitable, safe, and environmentally responsible oral health care consistent with emerging healthcare trends.
- Utilize risk assessment, health literacy principles, disease prevention strategies, and culturally responsive approaches to promote oral and systemic health for individuals and populations.
- Safely and inclusively perform all components of the dental hygiene process of care including assessment, dental hygiene diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation, and documentation in clinical and community-based settings.
- Demonstrate competency in the ethical and secure use of emerging technologies, digital health records, informatics, artificial intelligence and evidence-based innovations within the dental hygiene process of care.
- Continually perform self-assessment to maintain professional standards and encourage lifelong learning and a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Demonstrate leadership, civic engagement, and professional advocacy through active participation in professional organizations, community service, and oral health promotion initiatives.
- Demonstrate awareness of evolving career pathways and professional opportunities within dental hygiene, including clinical practice, education, public health, research, administration, and emerging healthcare technologies.
- Comply with current local, state, and federal regulations and evidence-based infection prevention protocols to ensure safe patient care and occupational health practices.
Program Goals
The Cape Cod Community College Dental Hygiene Program provides an educational pathway for students to join a rewarding health profession that offers a wide range of career opportunities. At Cape Cod Community College, the students' education is the first priority, and the Dental Hygiene Program is committed to helping the students in the development of clinical skills, critical thinking skills, and in the acquisition of a strong educational foundation in dental hygiene. Students are encouraged upon completion of the program to further their education and expertise, and to involve themselves in their professional association.
- Educate students to provide quality, patient-centered dental hygiene care for individuals from diverse populations by applying cultural humility, health literacy principles, interpersonal communication, and awareness of cultural and global health factors within the dental hygiene process of care.
- Prepare students to become competent, critically thinking dental hygiene professionals who use evidence-based decision-making, problem-solving, risk assessment, and prevention-focused strategies to promote oral and overall health.
- Prepare students to demonstrate high standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, accountability, confidentiality, regulatory responsibility, and sound judgment in academic, clinical, community, external, and technology-supported learning environments.
- Provide a humanistic learning environment that supports student self-assessment, reflection, feedback, professional growth, and the pursuit of lifelong learning in response to evolving evidence, health care needs, and professional standards.
- Provide a curriculum that integrates scientific advancement, evidence-based practice, innovation, digital technology, emerging artificial intelligence concepts, and current literature to prepare students for contemporary dental hygiene practice.
- Educate students about the value of professional identity, leadership, advocacy, service, interprofessional and intraprofessional collaboration, and active membership in local, state, national, and international professional organizations.
Completion Rates
Program Completion and Professional Examination Pass Rates
Program Completion and Professional Examination Pass Rates 2023 to 2025:
- Program completion rates were 89%
- ADEX pass rates for first time test takers averaged 95%
- NBDHE pass rates for first time test takers averaged 89%
Technical Standards
Essential Functions Required to Complete the Dental Hygiene Program
- Effectively communicate in verbal, nonverbal and written format in English with patients, families and all members of the dental/health care team.
- Possess computer skills for student success.
- Assess, draw conclusions, plan, implement, evaluate and document the dental hygiene process of care.
- Read and comprehend relevant information in patient records, textbooks and professional journals.
- Measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize.
- Exercise proper judgment.
- Complete tasks within required time limits.
- Retain information and apply knowledge to new / individual patient cases.
- Possess hearing and vision sufficient, with or without corrective devices, to perform effectively in a dental facility and provide safe and accurate patient care.
- Visually differentiate subtle changes of gray on radiographs and changes in color, size, shape and texture for tissues.
- Possess the physical stamina and ability to perform CPR, lift and carry up to 50 pounds, manipulate dental equipment, sit and stand for extended periods of time.
- Possess the ability to actively participate in all demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and clinical experiences in the dental hygiene program.
- Possess the ability to act as patient during a variety of clinical procedures.
- Possess the ability to reach the patient comfortable to perform clinical procedures safely and effectively.
- Demonstrate fine motor skills/dexterity in combination with eye/hand coordination.
- Possess the tactile sensitivity to feel for fine differences in soft and hard structures.
- Possess the ability to demonstrate the following academic and professional behaviors:
- Manage heavy academic schedules.
- Perform in fast-paced clinical situations.
- Display flexibility.
- Demonstrate integrity and empathy for others.
- Develop mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients, colleagues and other members of the dental / health care team.
- Accept responsibility and accountability for one’s own actions.
- Comply with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association Code of Ethics.
- Be able to wear protective equipment such as scrubs / scrub gowns, gloves, face mask, face shield and eyewear / loupes during all aspects of patient care.
Accreditation
The Dental Hygiene Program provides selected individuals from various experiential and educational backgrounds the opportunity for education in dental hygiene. Graduates are awarded the Associate in Science degree and are eligible for the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments/ADEX Examination and the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.
The program in Dental Hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approved 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 60611-2678. The Commission’s web address is www.ada.org/en/coda/accreditation
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