Dental Hygienist

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Dental Hygienist Overview

A person’s smile is an important feature. Those who help protect it are equally important. Earn your dental hygienist degree at CVTC. This program allows you to gain hands-on experience in the CVTC Dental Clinic as well as classroom instruction. As a dental hygienist, you will work as a member of a dental health team, focusing on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, implementation, evaluation, and documentation of dental disease as well as prevention of dental disease.

You will learn how to:

Maintain patient records in a professional and confidential manner.
Assess patients for signs, symptoms, and risk factors for oral disease.
Diagnose dental hygiene problems.
Provide direct dental hygiene patient care.
Educate the patients on their oral health.
Expose x-rays for diagnoses of oral disease and collaborate with other dental professionals.
Utilize dental office management software.

This program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, and prepares you to take the national, regional, and state practical exams required for your dental hygienist license.

Dental Program Accreditation

The Dental Hygienist program at Chippewa Valley Technical College is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council of Post-Secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.

Notice to File Complaint View all accreditation information

NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO FILE COMPLAINTS:

In accordance with the U.S. Department of Education's Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, the Commission requires accredited programs to notify students of an opportunity to file complaints with the Commission.

A complaint is defined by the Commission on Dental Accreditation as one alleging that the Commission – accredited educational program, a program which has an application for initial accreditation pending, or the Commission may not be in substantial compliance with the Commission Standards or required accreditation procedures. Standards can be found here.

Read how to file a complaint here.

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Earn credit for prior learning! Do you have previous educational or work experience in the field? You could be eligible to receive credit for prior learning.

Explore This Program

Just the Facts

	Dental Hygienist 70 Credit Associate Degree
	Program Length Two Years
	Delivery Method Face-to-Face
	Program Location Eau Claire
	Start Months August

Financial Aid Eligible

Professional Licensure & Certification Disclosure

Non-Traditional Occupation

Bloodborne Pathogens

Students in this program should be aware of the risks associated with bloodborne pathogens. Learn more.

Bloodborne Pathogens

Students entering health programs at CVTC should understand the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDs, through saliva and blood with direct patient care as part of their education.

This exposure can be minimized or eliminated using a combination of engineering and work practice controls, personal protective clothing and equipment, training, medical surveillance, Hepatitis B vaccination, signs and labels, and other provisions.

All programs at CVTC comply with local, state, and federal infection control policies, including the use of standard precautions as stipulated by current CDC guidelines. Written policies and instructions on infection control protocol to minimize the risk of disease transmission is provided throughout the courses in the curriculum. Compliance of safety practices is evaluated throughout the students' clinical experiences to ensure a safe educational environment.

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Estimated Program Cost

Learn more about the cost of attendance.

Term 1	$	667
Term 2	$	4,700
Term 3	$	2,820
Term 4	$	2,607
Term 5	$	3,101
Materials	$	3,186
Books	$	1,480
License, Certificate, or Credential	$	1,725

What are estimated program costs? Estimated Total: $20,286

Program Courses Admission Information I'm Ready to Apply

Career Opportunities

Dental Hygienist

Graduate Employers

Associated Dentists & Orthodontics

Gentle Dental Care

Menomonie Street Dental

Midwest Dental

Northwoods Dentistry

Oakwood Hills Family Dental

Program Outcomes

CVTC graduates are ready for the workforce. Each year, we send our graduates the Graduate Follow-Up Survey asking several questions related to employment. Here are the program outcomes and job data.

// Program Scorecard

$65K Yearly Salary

Our recent Dental Hygienist graduates reported an average starting salary of $65,218.

89% Employed

89% of our recent Dental Hygienist graduates got a job in the industry.

26 Regional Jobs

There are 26 job openings in the CVTC district for the Dental Hygienist industry.

Transfer

Credits to Other Institutions

Should you choose to continue your education after you leave CVTC, we have agreements in place with several institutions to ensure an easy transfer.

View Transfer Options

Program Courses

These are a few of the courses you will take in this program. Courses and the recommended sequence change from year to year; once you are enrolled in a program at CVTC you will be given a recommended course sequence that outlines what courses you should take and the order in which to take them.

You may search for available courses. If you are ever unsure of what courses to take, talk to your academic advisor. If you are looking for course information for previous years, check out our past catalogs.

Here are a few of the courses you can take in the Dental Hygienist program.

Sample Courses

Dental Radiography
Prepares dental auxiliary students to operate x-ray units and expose bitewing, periapical, extral oral, and occlusal radiographs.

Dental Pharmacology
Prepares student dental hygienists to select safe and effective patient premedication, local anesthetic, chemo therapeutic, and antimicrobial agents within the scope of dental hygiene practice.

Periodontology
Students learn the current diagnoses and classification of periodontal diseases and the epidemiology and risk factors as well as the oral systemic link between oral health and the body. Students will learn how to plan treatment and provide non-surgical therapy to clinical patients.

View Full Course List

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Please provide your contact information and an Admissions Advisor will get back to you ASAP with more information about this program.

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Best dental hygiene program and instructors in the state!

Dental Hygienist Graduate

Related Programs & Certificates

Whether you're looking to continue your learning to another program or to gain continuing education credit, CVTC offers a variety of learning opportunities for students.

Degrees & Diplomas

Dental Assistant, Technical Diploma

Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary, Advanced Technical Certificate

Continue Your Learning

CVTC can help you achieve your learning goals whether you are looking to advance your career or enrich your personal life.

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Unsure of which program you'd like to go into? Learn more about our Career Assessment to help narrow down your options.

A Program You Can Trust

Program Accreditation

The Dental Hygiene Program at CVTC is Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) which is part of the American Dental Association. View accreditation information.

Additional Admissions Resources

Admission Requirements

Each program requires specific requirements a student must meet to be considered for admissions to this program.

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Advising Tips

We have compiled helpful tips and general information for students in this program.

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