Dental Hygiene

Dental Hygiene (printer-friendly)

1. Dental Assistant
   • Graduate of an accredited Dental Assistant program – provide official transcripts from the school where you received the award. (Submitting Transcripts)
   • Current Minnesota Licensed/Registered Dental Assistant, (L/RDA) Please upload a copy (front and back) of your Minnesota Dental Assistant License showing both the original issue date and expiration date. Upload this as an attachment to the online Dental Hygiene application.
   • If admitted to the program, students must maintain their credentials as a Registered Dental Assistant with the State of Minnesota (i.e., pay annual fees, maintain CPR certification and continuing education documentation) while they are enrolled in the program. NOTE: the MN Board of Dentistry accepts all DENH program courses for RDA continuing education credit.
2. LDA Work Hours
   • Applicants will have at least 1040 hours (approximately equal to six months of full-time work) as a Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) in the past three years by the application deadline.
   • Applicants with fewer than 1040 hours of work experience will be considered if there are not enough applicants with a minimum of 1040 hours.
   • Complete this Work Experience Verification form prior to submitting your Dental Hygiene application. You will need to upload this Work Experience Verification form into the online Dental Hygiene application before you complete and submit it.
3. Science Lab Courses
   • Completion of the following science lab courses with a grade of C or higher and a cumulative GPA of 2.75 in these courses:
   • Introductory Chemistry – Century CHEM 1020* (MATH 0030 or MATH 60 is a prerequisite to CHEM 1020 or college-level math placement)
     • *CHEM 1041 can substitute for CHEM 1020
   • Human Anatomy & Physiology I – Century BIOL 2031* (BIOL 1020 & CHEM 1020 are prerequisites to BIOL 2031)
     • *BIOL 2040 can substitute for BIOL 2031
   • Human Anatomy & Physiology II – Century BIOL 2032* (BIOL 2031 is a prerequisite to BIOL 2032)
     • *BIOL 2045 can substitute for BIOL 2032
   • Microbiology – Century BIOL 2035 (BIOL 2032 is a prerequisite to BIOL 2035 but may be taken concurrently with faculty permission)
4. Credit & GPA
   • Completion of a minimum of 12 college-level, Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) semester credits with an MnTC GPA of 2.5. Grade point average will be calculated on all college-level MnTC credits completed at the time of application to the Dental Hygiene program.
   • Completion of the following science lab courses with a grade of C or higher and a cumulative GPA of 2.75 in these courses:
   • Introductory Chemistry - Century CHEM 1020* (MATH 0030 or MATH 60 is a prerequisite to CHEM 1020 or college-level math placement)
     • *CHEM 1041 can substitute for CHEM 1020
   • Human Anatomy & Physiology I - Century BIOL 2031* (BIOL 1020 & CHEM 1020 are prerequisites to BIOL 2031)
     • *BIOL 2040 can substitute for BIOL 2031
   • Human Anatomy & Physiology II - Century BIOL 2032* (BIOL 2031 is a prerequisite to BIOL 2032)
     • *BIOL 2045 can substitute for BIOL 2032
   • Microbiology - Century BIOL 2035 (BIOL 2032 is a prerequisite to BIOL 2035 but may be taken concurrently with faculty permission)
   • Students whose MnTC grade point average is less than 2.5 may petition to use only “recent” college-level credits to meet the required 2.5 GPA. Students must complete the “recent” credits and submit the petition to the Advising Office prior to the Dental Hygiene Program application deadline. See a counselor or advisor for assistance.
   • If a student has earned a baccalaureate degree or higher, the minimum 2.5 may be calculated on the final (30) semester credits. The science requirement must also be met.
5. Course Placement
   • All Dental Hygiene applicants are required to comply with the Century College policy regarding course placement in reading comprehension, writing, and mathematics prior to the application deadline. All required remedial/developmental coursework must be completed by the end of the summer session that precedes the beginning of the Dental Hygiene program, or the student will lose their space in the program. It is strongly recommended students complete these courses prior to the application deadline.
6. High School/GED Transcripts Submit an official high school transcript or an official GED transcript. All applicants must provide official proof of graduation from an accredited high school or GED center prior to the application deadline. The transcript can be emailed directly from the high school to admissions@century.edu or through Parchment to admissions@century.edu We do not recommend having it sent by US Mail.
   • High school graduates from another country must use a translation/evaluation service such as WES or ECE to provide Century College with an international evaluation of their high school transcript completed and submitted to Century College by the application deadline. This can take 6 weeks or more so plan ahead.
   • Please do not assume Century already has a high school transcript for you if you are a current student. You can check at admissions@century.edu to see if you have an official on file. All transcripts are due by the application deadline.
7. College Transcripts - Submit official transcripts by the application deadline from ALL schools previously attended such as vocational, college, and university institutions. To be considered Official, the transcript must come directly to Century College. For more information on how to send transcripts review here.
   • The exception is other Minnesota State System transcripts (such as Minnesota state vocational or Community colleges or the seven state universities NOT U of M). We will have access to those once you apply to the college.
   • If you attended a college/university outside the United States you must use a translation/evaluation service such as WES or ECE to have an international evaluation of your transcript completed and submitted to Century College by the application deadline. This can take 6 weeks or more so plan ahead.

Dental Hygiene (printer-friendly)

1. Minnesota Law requires any individual having contact with patients to complete an MN Human Services background study prior to starting the clinical experience. An individual may be disqualified from having patient contact and would not be permitted to participate in the clinical experience. Contact the Minnesota Board of Dentistry and the Minnesota Department of Human Services with any questions.
2. Current certification in CPR is required by the end of the first semester of Dental Hygiene program courses. Certification must cover adults, children, and infants. The American Heart Association Health Care Provider, Level C, CPR certification meets this requirement as does EMS 1010 at Century. The Red Cross also offers an equivalent certification.

Policy information

A copy of the program’s policy on hazardous materials, bloodborne pathogens, and infectious diseases is available upon request or by visiting http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html