Department of Health Professions - Associate in Applied Science

The two-year program in dental hygiene leads to the Associate in Applied Science degree. This program requires five semesters of study including one summer semester. The program is designed to prepare dental hygienists for work in private practice, in school systems, dental health programs, health agencies, hospitals, research programs, or public health settings.

At the end of the second year in the program, students are eligible to take state and national board examinations. Upon successful completion of these comprehensive written and clinical examinations, the student may apply for a license to practice dental hygiene in the state as a registered dental hygienist.

The registered dental hygienist is a licensed professional who provides dental hygiene treatment and related preventive services. Clinical skills of the hygienist include recording medical and dental histories, exposing radiographs, making study models, performing extra-oral and intra-oral examinations which include cancer screening; dietary management; dental charting; preliminary periodontal evaluations; scaling and root planing; polishing; patient education; placing sealants and administering fluoride therapy. Many states permit the hygienists to perform additional duties such as administering anesthesia and placing restorative materials.

The dental hygienist also functions as a dental health educator and is responsible for the preventive dental health program in private dental practices as well as in other settings. The hygienist teaches patients proper dental health care in order to reduce dental diseases and disorders. The hygienist's role in service to the community may include increasing public awareness of dental health by coordinating National Dental Health Month in the community, serving as a resource person to school systems, providing screenings to various children or local groups, and making visits to nursing homes, hospitals and or schools for the mentally retarded or handicapped.

Students are admitted to the dental hygiene program only once a year. The admission policy is available in the Department of Health Professions.

Current students applying to the dental hygiene program must submit a completed application form to the College of Health and Human Services dean's office by December 31 to be considered for direct entry to the program for the following fall.

High school, transfer, and former students must apply for admission to YSU by December 31. The University must receive all admission credentials (Official transcripts, etc.) Directly from the issuing institution by January 31.

In addition to history, U.S. government and social sciences, freshman applicants must have high school credits in the following subjects with grades of "C" or higher and a GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 system): algebra I, algebra II or geometry, chemistry, and biology.

Freshman applicants who have not graduated from high school but have passed the General Education Development (GED) test must also have completed algebra I, algebra II or geometry, biology, and chemistry with a grade of "C" or higher and a GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 system) in these subjects.

Students accepted to the program must have completed Human Anatomy and Physiology for Allied Health majors prior to fall semester of their first year. Current, former, and transfer students must meet all the requirements for freshman admission, and have a minimum program grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 system). Meeting minimum requirements does not assure acceptance into the dental hygiene program.