Dental hygiene

You must meet specific eligibility criteria and requirements described in the program informational materials, including:

• Be a high school graduate or have a GED certificate.
• Complete Stark State’s ACCUPLACER test and take any courses recommended as a result of the test.
• Complete four pre-application courses: ENG124, PSY121, CHM123, BIO123 and their prerequisites according to the eligibility rules regarding minimum grade, age of course and number of repeats/drops.
• Achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 for the four eligibility courses.
• Maintain an overall college GPA of at least 2.0.
• Complete the dental office observation experience requirement.
• Complete specified supplemental requirements.

Specific physical requirements are necessary to perform dental hygiene functions. Those details are provided in program information materials.

Stark State College Allied Dental Health Professions Endowment Scholarship

All students currently enrolled in dental hygiene technical courses having a 3.0 GPA or higher are automatically placed in the pool of students eligible to receive this annual scholarship.

American Dental Hygienists’ Association Scholarships

There are scholarships offered through the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. Access the online applications for the scholarships below at https://www.adha.org/ioh/scholarships/associate-degree-level-scholarships/.

• Scholarship for Academic Excellence
• Colgate “Bright Smiles, Bright Futures” Minority Scholarships
• HuFriedyGroup/Esther Wilkins Instrument Scholarships
• Karla Girts Memorial Community Outreach Scholarship

Ohio Dental Hygienists’ Association Scholarships

There are also scholarships offered through the Ohio Dental Hygienists’ Association. Apply online at https://odha.net/students/.

• Louise M. Barrett Scholarship
• Christopher L. Simmons Memorial Scholarship Award

Stark County Dental Society Scholarship

Students currently enrolled in dental hygiene courses are eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship and will be provided scholarship applications each spring semester.

Scholarships offered through the Akron Community Foundation

Apply online at  https://www.akroncf.org/students/.

The Stark State College dental hygiene program has the following written articulation agreement for a Bachelor of Science degree completion program with:

• The Ohio State University, dental hygiene program, section of primary care, College of Dentistry

Graduates are eligible to take the Dental Hygiene National Board and Northeast Regional Board examinations, both of which are required for licensure in Ohio. Licensure is mandatory for employment in Ohio as a dental hygienist. Other states may have different licensing requirements.

According to Section 4715.21 of the Ohio Revised Code, applicants for licensure must submit to an FBI background check.

Dental hygiene applicants/students are responsible for informing the program director of any misdemeanor related to alcohol or drugs, or felony convictions so that they may be informed of the steps the Ohio State Dental Board will take before considering their application for licensure.

According to various sections of the Ohio Law and Regulations for Certification and Licensure Boards, persons convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor may not be able to take the licensure or certification examinations; may be refused acceptance of placement by the clinical/practicum sites; or may have restrictions placed on their ability to practice. For more information, contact the dean of student services and the applicable licensure/certification board.

An RDH is a licensed professional who provides preventive and therapeutic services such as patient education, health assessments, scaling/polishing, administering local anesthesia, taking X-rays, placing sealants and supporting the dentist in patient care.

Yes. Graduates must pass the National Board Exam, CDCA clinical and computer-simulated exams, and the Ohio jurisprudence exam to apply for licensure.

Yes. It is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency.

The program requires two years to complete after eligibility is met. It includes 65 credit hours, including eligibility (pre-application) courses taken before admission.

No. Dental hygiene requires full-time enrollment due to lab and clinical courses. Classes and clinics run five to eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, with some evening clinics.

Students should expect expenses for instrument kits, textbooks, supplies, uniforms, immunizations, background checks, liability insurance, clinical travel, and licensure exams/fees.

You should be comfortable working closely with others, have strong time-management skills, succeed in science courses and meet technical standards including hand dexterity, visual acuity, color discrimination, physical stamina and hand-eye coordination.

Limited work is possible, but it’s recommended to keep employment to eight to 10 hours per week due to the intensive academic and clinical schedule.

Students are admitted once per year for the fall semester. A full class typically includes 24 students.

You must complete all eligibility (pre-application) courses, meet placement requirements, complete criminal background checks and then submit a dental hygiene program application. Admission is based on meeting all requirements and space availability.

View the program checklist and application.