HILLYARD TECHNICAL CENTER
NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI COLLEGE
DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM
Dental Service are now available to the public. For a complete list of services and cost please click here.
Welcome to the NCMC/HTC Dental Hygiene Program. The Program is a cooperative effort by North Central Missouri College located in Trenton, MO. and Hillyard Technical Center in St Joseph, MO.
“Initial Accreditation” status was grated by The Comission on Dental Accreditation July 2009. This accreditation status allows graduates to sit for the National Board Examination and the regional board examination of their choosing for Dental Hygiene Licensure.
The first class of 10 students was admitted and began courses in August of 2009. Those students will graudate in May of 2011.
A new class of ten students will be admitted each fall. The deadline for admission for the fall 2010 semester is Februray 1, 2010. Applications are available on this website or at North Central Missouri College or Hillyard Technical Center.
For application information and an application guilde for 2010 click here.
For an application to the Dental Hygiene Program click here.
If you have questions after reviewing this information please contact me.
Sincerely,
Kathy Stockett, RDH, BS, MSNS
kathy.stockett@sjsd.k12.mo.us
816-671-4170
“The Preventive Profession”
A key member of the professional dental team, the licensed dental hygienist is on the ”front line” of patient care, responsible for providing educational, clinical and therapeutic services that promote total health through good oral health. Service to their community is an integral part of a dental hygiene career.
The growing public awareness of the benefits of oral health, combined with the growth of corporate dental plans, has significantly increased the demand for dental care and has made dental hygiene one of the country’s fastest growing careers. Competitive salaries and flexible work schedules are added benefits.
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics expects the demand for dental hygiene professionals to increase by 30% between 2006 and 2016. Please see: www.bls.gov- search dental hygiene jobs.
Nature of the work [from www.bls.gov]
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 different tools to complete their tasks. Hand and rotary instruments and ultrasonic devices are used to clean and polish teeth, including removing calculus, stains, and plaque. Hygienists use x-ray machines to take dental pictures, and sometimes 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. In some States, hygienists are allowed to administer anesthetics, while in others they administer local anesthetics using syringes. Some States also allow hygienists to place and carve filling materials, temporary fillings, and periodontal dressings; remove sutures; and smooth and polish metal restorations.
Dental hygienists also help patients develop and maintain good oral health. For example, they may explain the relationship between diet and oral health or inform patients how to select toothbrushes and show them how to brush and floss their teeth.Hygienists sometimes make a diagnosis and other times may prepare clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests for the dentist to interpret. Hygienists sometimes work chair side with the dentist during treatment.
Work environment. Dental hygienists work in clean, well-lighted offices. Important health safeguards include strict adherence to proper radiological procedures and the use of appropriate protective devices when administering anesthetic gas. Dental hygienistsalso wear safety glasses, surgical masks, and gloves to protect themselves and patients from infectious diseases.
Flexible scheduling is a distinctive feature of this job. Full-time, part-time, evening, and weekend schedules are widely available. Dentists frequently hire hygienists to work only 2 or 3 days a week, so hygienists may hold jobs in more than one dental office. More than half of all dental hygienists worked part time—less than 35 hours a week.
Dental Hygiene Course Description
One class of ten students is accepted every fall. The application deadline for the fall class is February 1st. The course is two years in length, four days a week. Students will have three weeks off during the summer semester.
There are certain college level courses that you will have to complete before you may enroll [pre-requisites] to the dental hygiene program. Labs are required with these science classes. They are:
- Human Anatomy and Physiology [8 credit hours]
- Chemistry [preferably a biochemistry based course] - General or Introduction to Chemistry is allowed
- Microbiology
- Nutrition
General education courses required before graduation are:
- English I [composition]
- Oral Communications/Speech
- Intro or General Psychology
- Intro or General Sociology
- American History [to 1876] or National Government
- College Algebra
- Employment Strategies
Students are required to take a minimum of 15 credit hours from North Central Missouri College to be eligible receive their degree.
Students may take these required non-dental hygiene, general education courses while they are enrolled in the dental hygiene program. However, dental hygiene education is a very rigorous course of study. We highly recommend that you complete as many classes as possible before beginning the program to increase your potential for success. **
North Central Missouri College [NCMC] in Trenton, MO and Hillyard Technical Center in St. Joseph, MO have established an affiliation to offer an Associate of Applied Science Degree upon completion. For NCMC admission information click here.
Most of the courses are offered on line or on campus via NCMC. A "C" grade or above is required in all courses as well as an overall GPA of 2.0 or above to be admitted into the dental hygiene program.
The dental hygiene program is a distance learning program designed to better meet the oral health and educational needs of the Northwest and North Central portions of Missouri. Classes, labs, and clinical experiences will be offered at the Hillyard campus. Those students who live near Trenton, may receive their dental hygiene class work via ITV at the NCMC campus and will travel to St. Joseph two days a week for labs and clinical experiences.
Applications are available on the HTC website or may be picked up at either NCMC or HTC campuses.
Criteria by which applicants will be evaluated include but are not limited to:
- Cumulative college GPA
- Course grades in all complete pre-requisite and general education courses [science course grades are weighted] **
- Entrance test score [ACT, Compass, or Asset]
- Personal interview
- Valid personal references by business associates [no family or friends please]
**The more courses completed the more points you have with which to compete for a class position
If you have any questions, would like additional information, or wish to meet with us for a suggested program of study to prepare you for the dental hygiene program, please contact us:
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