Dental Hygiene

Program Overview

Specializing in preventive oral health, dental hygienists work collaboratively with other health professionals to provide client-centred care. Equipped with knowledge of current standards of practice, ethical principles and a dedication to oral health, you will give your clients another reason to smile.

Please be aware that our Dental Hygiene program is currently operating our dental clinic at reduced capacity to comply with health and safety guidelines related to COVID-19. As such, some clinical hours may be scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays to ensure all students are able to complete their program requirements.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent average)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 mathematics (C, M or U)

Please note: This program may be highly competitive and have a specific selection process and application deadline. Please refer to Admission Process es for details regarding highly competitive programs.

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Tuition

Year one domestic: $8,968 (CAD)

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Semester 1 Courses

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Dentistry

Prevention

Dental Equipment

Technology recommendations

To help students succeed in programs with remote learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.

View All Recommendations

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
May 2022	Open
September 2022	Open	Closed
May 2023	Open

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Dental hygienist

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Program Details

The Dental Hygiene program prepares future dental hygienists to become leaders in the promotion of oral health. Integrating academic studies and clinical practice, the program prepares you to practice with the client and the community, providing collaborative oral health care in a variety of settings. The dental hygiene process of care is foundational to the clinical experience, emphasizing the acquisition of critical thinking skills while fostering a client-centred approach and upholding the most current standards of practice and ethical principles.

Your acquisition of skills will progress from the demonstration of learning on a mannequin to student partners, followed by clients in the college’s Dental Clinic.

Dental hygiene is a self-regulated profession and graduates must successfully complete the national board exam and registration requirements as determined by the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Ontario. This program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.

Please note: This six-semester, advanced diploma program has September and May intakes and is a 3-1-3 delivery model. This means students complete Semesters 1 through 3, then they have one semester off before completing semesters 4 through 6.

IN THE NEWS

Program Learning Outcomes

Practice in a professional and competent manner within the defined scope of practice and consistent with current regulations and standards of practice.
Evaluate the client’s oral health status using determinants of health and risk analysis to identify needs, justify treatment decisions and provide appropriate referrals to other health care professionals, as required.
Design, implement and evaluate a range of primary, interceptive, therapeutic, preventive, and on-going oral health care services to meet the unique needs of clients.
Analyze oral health issues in need of advocacy identify networks and promote actions that will support change and facilitate access to care.
Identify, select, implement and evaluate quality assurance standards and protocols which contribute to a safe and effective working environment.
Establish and maintain professional and inter-professional relationships which contribute to client-care safety and positive health-care outcomes.
Facilitate the development of specific oral health attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviours, in client’s, by selecting and utilizing principles of teaching and learning.
Develop and present a model for a dental hygiene practice that addresses relevant business principles, current legislation and standards of practice.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent average)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 mathematics (C, M or U)

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2022-23 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Dental hygienist

where you could work:

General dentistry practice
Independent dental hygiene practice
Institutional and hospital dental clinic
Public health unit
Specialty practice such as periodontics and orthodontics

Clinical Practice

Your learning experience will be complemented by a clinical practice component that provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be an effective care provider.

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.
Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) (Semester 4 and 6 students only). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements
Current Level C CPR from a recognized provider
Current standard first aid certification from a recognized provider
Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider

Links:

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Technology Recommendations

To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.

Processor: i3
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1
Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version)
Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter
Camera: Webcam/built-in camera
Internet connection

Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Tuition

Semester 1 Courses

Technology recommendations

Intakes and Availability

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Program Details

Program Learning Outcomes

Admission Requirements

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

where you could work:

Clinical Practice

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Technology Recommendations

Dental Hygiene in the news

Helpful Resources

Have a Question? Attend a Program Information Webinar

Financial Aid Information

Graduate Employment Report [PDF]

Have a Question?
Attend a Program Information Webinar