Dental Hygiene Program Information
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Important Factors to Consider before Applying
Estimated Expenses
Expenses related to professional programs are often higher than programs not associated with health care disciplines. Therefore, program costs should be considered as part of the decision making process.
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Dental Office Observation/Experience
If an applicant has no prior experience working in the dental field, eight hours of observation in a dental office must be completed before application is submitted. (Documentation MUST be provided).
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Students as Patients
During the two-year dental hygiene curriculum, students are required to be “patients” for a student partner. Student partners practice dental hygiene procedures and pain control methods on each other.
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Latex Allergy or Sensitivity and Cumulative Trauma Disorders
Individuals who have a latex allergy/sensitivity or a cumulative trauma disorder (such as carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, tendonitis, lateral epicondylitis, etc.) should discuss the implications of these conditions with a physician and a dental hygiene faculty member. The severity of these conditions may adversely impact the individual’s performance in the program and upon graduation, the practice of dental hygiene. Careful consideration of these conditions is imperative to a career in dental hygiene.
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Patient Recruitment
Students have specific patient cases that are required throughout the curriculum. The department will recruit patients through advertisements, the clinical recall system, and other mechanisms; however, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to recruit patients to fulfill required cases.
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Learning Disabilities
It is important to contact a Center for Student Success professional prior to the start of the semester in order to receive accommodations in a timely manner. While we will make every effort to coordinate accommodations in a timely manner, failure to self-identify prior to the start of the semester may delay notification to instructors and timeliness of acquiring accommodations. Accommodations do not automatically carry over to the next semester.
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Discrimination Policy
Please use the following link to learn more about the Jackson College Policy on Non-Discrimination:
Non-discrimination policy -
Course Transferability
Courses taken by the student in the dental hygiene program are transferable to various college and university educational institutions. While in the program the student will be presented with completion of bachelor degree articulation at several institutions. Opportunities for completion of a bachelor’s degree at other colleges or universities, and in health related areas of study will be discussed with the students.
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Immunizations
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), all healthcare personnel (HCP) must show evidence of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella and varicella. In addition, due to the potential exposure to blood or bodily fluids and risks related to direct patient contact, the CDC recommends that HCP protect themselves with vaccinations against Hepatitis B and Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis and be screened for Tuberculosis. Jackson College students must provide documentation of compliance with the CDC Healthcare Personnel Recommendations.
Required Immunizations
As a condition of admission and progression within the program all dental hygiene students must have verification from a licensed health care provider of the following:
- Negative 2 step Tuberculin Skin Test or negative chest x-ray, or negative QuantiFERON Gold Blood test. A one step Tuberculin Skin Test must be updated yearly.
- Proof of immunizations or immunity for:
- Rubella (German Measles),
- Rubeola (Hard Measles),
- Mumps,
- Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox),
- Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (Tdap)
- Hepatitis B Vaccine Series
Recommended Immunizations
CDC strongly recommends:
- Annual Flu Shot
- COVID-19 vaccine
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Environmental Conditions/Standard Precautions/Infectious Disease Policy
Upon acceptance into the Dental Hygiene Program students will be notified regarding a mandatory online OSHA Blood-Borne Pathogen and Standard Precautions training session. This must be complete prior to the start of the program.
The charter of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Since OSHA was created in 1971, work-related deaths have decreased by approximately 62% and work- related injuries have decreased by 42%.
As a Dental Hygiene student you can expect exposure to blood, body tissues and fluids. There is the potential of exposure to electrical hazards, hazardous waste materials, radiation, poisonous substances, chemicals, loud or unpleasant noises and high stress emergency situations. Students enrolled in the Dental Hygiene Program are at a slight risk for exposure to blood and body fluids and the potential does exist for transmission of blood-borne and other infectious diseases during patient care activities. The risk of HIV disease transmission from dental patients to members of the dental team are extremely low. Nevertheless, there is some small potential for this to occur. The Americans with Disabilities Act forbids discrimination against patients with HIV; therefore, students are required to treat all patients assigned, regardless of the disease state of the patient.
Applicants/students who are HIV/AIDS or HBV (Hepatitis) positive will not be barred from attending classes or clinic or participating in college sponsored activities, unless the applicant/student is unable to follow *Standard Precautions. All decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. (*Standard Precautions are defined as: Consideration of all patients as being infected with pathogens and therefore applying infection control procedures to the care of all patients.)