Admission is selective and requires that potential students fulfill all admission requirements of the College. The requirements for admission to the Dental Hygiene program are:

• High school diploma or general education diploma (GED).
• A minimum of one year of high school biology, chemistry and college preparatory math, all with "C" or better grades, within the past 10 years. In the absence of these requirements, placement in MATH 118 and a grade of "C" or better In BIOL 106 and CHEM 110 satisfies these requirements.
• Applicants must demonstrate readiness for ENGL 101 and MATH 118 as determined by the College's placement tests or by successfully completing identified developmental course work.
• Applicants with previous college experience must have a minimum of a 2.50 grade point average.
• Applicants are required to participate in the pre-entrance Allied Health testing program.

Students are admitted to the program on a competitive basis as space allows.

Applicants must be 18 years of age on or before the first day of the semester in which they begin the Dental Hygiene designated courses.

Conditions for Acceptance

In order to secure acceptance into the Dental Hygiene program, students must: 

• Attend a fall and spring Study Skills Workshop.
• Attend a scheduled program orientation prior to entry.
• Obtain a criminal record check, FBI (federal) clearance and a child abuse clearance prior to entrance into the program. This Dental Hygiene requirement is mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania per 24 P.S. 1-111 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code and 23 Pennsylvania C.S.A. 6355 of the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.
• Purchase uniforms and a Dental Hygiene supply kit prior to the start of the program (August of starting year).
• Submit the results of complete physical and dental examinations, including laboratory test results of a complete blood count, serology, urinalysis, tuberculin PPD test and immunizations must be on file in the program office before the start of any dental course (September of starting year).
• Verify medical insurance.

The College, in its admission process, will consider information regarding criminal conviction and/or crimes of moral turpitude. Admission is conditional pending receipt and evaluation of a criminal background check, FBI (federal) clearance and child abuse clearance to determine whether there is any conviction which may bar the student from the Dental Hygiene program and/or state licensure. The following guidelines are used in making decisions about an applicant's criminal and child abuse background:

Child Abuse Clearance

Any record results in denial of admission into the DH program.

Criminal Background Check

Any felony conviction within the past 10 years results in denial of admission to the DH program. A felony conviction more than 10 years old or any misdemeanor will be evaluated based on the nature of the offense, length of time since the offense and any explanatory letters/materials submitted by the applicant or student.

Reconsideration

An applicant who believes that an error of fact has been made in terms of the information provided to the decision-making committee can request reconsideration by the committee. This request must be made in writing within 10 days from the date of the letter notifying the applicant of the decision. The reconsideration should address what the applicant considers to be errors of fact.

Following reconsideration by the decision-making committee, the applicant can appeal the committee's decision to the vice president for Academic Affairs whose decision is final.

Any official change or the initiation of any governmental proceeding affecting the information revealed by the required criminal or child abuse background check must be reported immediately to the DH curriculum supervisor.

Involvement in any incident which resulted in a disciplinary action against a student at Community College of Philadelphia or any post-secondary institution is considered in the admissions process. The DH program reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant who has a history of violating College rules and regulations or who has been previously suspended or expelled from the College or any other post-secondary educational institution.

Readmission

• One-time readmission into the Dental Hygiene program is permitted.
• Students requesting a readmission must meet program entry requirements, conditions for acceptance, and are selected on a competitive basis as space permits.
• Students may be required to retake dental and/or general education courses as determined by the program director.
• A student seeking readmission to the Dental Hygiene program must demonstrate clinical and didactic proficiency at the acceptable course level stated in the appropriate clinical courses. This conditional acceptance for returning students will be determined by the Program Director.
• Students who were dropped for unprofessional conduct or safety issues will not be considered for readmission.
• The program must be completed within five years of initial enrollment.

Subsection: Program of Study and Graduation Requirements

To qualify for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Dental Hygiene, students must complete 83-credit hours as prescribed and must maintain an overall 2.50 GPA and no grade below a "C" in any course.

Competency Based Program

The Dental Hygiene program is a Competency Based program that follows the recommendations set forth by the ADA. In all DH program courses a student must reach an established competency level. If this level is not met, the student will receive an “F” grade for the course.

DH students must reach a 75% competency level on all major examinations. A retake will be necessary if a 75% competency level is not achieved. For final grade calculations the initial grade will be used. Only two retakes are permitted per midterm examination and 1 for the final examination (please refer to the individual course syllabus for time lines to retake the examinations) If the student has not met the established competency level an “F” grade will be granted for the course.

Students must attend scheduled exams. No separate final exam times will be scheduled. Please review the college catalog for the examination schedule. In the event of an unforeseen emergency, such as a death in the immediate family, the student must call the course instructor prior to the test. The faculty voicemail records the date and time of calls.

All test materials remain confidential. Test materials must never leave the testing room and students may not leave the room, unless they have completed the test and handed it in for grading.