Dental Hygiene, Completion, Online

Dental Hygienists seeking entrance must have (1) obtained a passing score on the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination, (2) graduated from an accredited dental hygiene program, and (3) a current dental hygiene license in any one state. Penn College students currently enrolled in the associate-degree Dental Hygiene major may be eligible to declare a dual degree with this bachelor-degree major; please see the program director for information. Alternatively, students currently enrolled in the second year of a CODA-accredited associate degree dental hygiene program at another institution may be eligible for concurrent enrollment; eligibility will be based on additional requirements beyond College admission. Questions about the concurrent enrollment option may be directed to the Dental Hygiene program director. All students entering the major will be treated as transfer students, including students who have graduated with Penn College's associate-degree major.

No minimum GPA requirements beyond those established within the College’s Academic Probation Policy.
The following grading system applies to all dental (DEN) courses in this major. There is no rounding of grades:
A= 90-100
B= 80-89.99
C= 75-79.99
F= 74.99 and below

Students must acquire their own tools and laptop computer as noted below.

Required Laptop Computer

• Chromebooks and other devices running Chrome OS are prohibited.
• Unless otherwise specified by your major, MacBooks and other Apple products are not recommended for coursework.
• Windows 11 or higher (recommended).
• Intel Core i5 or i7 or AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 processor (recommended).
• ARM based processors are not recommended.
• 16+ GB RAM (recommended). 
• 250+ GB Solid State Disk (SSD) drive (recommended).
• The laptop must include a webcam and microphone (required).
• The laptop must include a wireless network card (required).
• Broadband Internet connection when working off campus (required).
• Extended support agreement, including accidental damage protection (recommended).
• Power bank suitable for your laptop (recommended). 

Students must have earned a grade of 'C' or better in courses to be transferred. A maximum of 47 credits in dental hygiene courses may be transferred from an associate degree level curriculum as a block of credits, rather than as individual course credits. In addition, all general education courses that meet College requirements will be eligible for transfer according to College policy. Complete a minimum of 36 credits at Penn College for coursework prescribed in the final four semesters (spring and fall) of the curriculum sequence, as set forth in the official College Catalog. 

Courses taken more than 10 years ago will be evaluated to determine if they meet current course requirements.

This major is subject to the transfer standards established by the College. The school dean must approve exceptions. Students desiring transfer into this bachelor-degree major must work closely with an advisor to choose appropriate, transferable courses to be eligible for selection.

International health credentials/licensure, sciences courses, and most math courses will not be accepted to satisfy requirements of this major. Please see additional information for international students applying to the School of Nursing & Health Sciences majors.

Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.

Visit the Alternative Credit Options page for requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.

Program Review Executive Summary: Dental Hygiene

Students must meet Essential Functions for the Dental Hygienist established by the Dental Hygiene Program, as well as health and safety requirements including, but not limited to, immunizations (MMR, hepatitis B, varicella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, annual influenza vaccination, PPD), medical examination, 10 panel drug screen, CPR certification, and background clearances as established by clinical affiliation agreements. Some clinical sites may have additional health and immunization requirements that are not part of the current program requirements, for example, COVID-19 vaccination.

Dental Hygiene Clinic Notice of Privacy Practices
Official notice of our privacy practices as it pertains to the use and disclosure of patient health information.

Blood Borne Pathogens Statement
Dental hygienists and dental hygiene students may be exposed to contagious diseases, therefore strict compliance with Center of Disease Control (CDC) and OSHA standards are maintained. Policies on blood borne and infectious diseases are available upon request from the Penn College Dental Hygiene Program.

International students who are studying in the United States on an F-1 visa must be enrolled in a full course of study in-person. Students are not permitted to enroll in an entirely online degree. Online degrees are available to international students pursuing the degree from their home country. Students must still meet all admissions criteria for admission to the college and any special admissions requirements that govern pursuit of their chosen major.

The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination 5-year pass rate chart compares the pass rate of Penn College first-time takers to the national average. See pass rates.

Contact the Program Director:

Shawn Kiser
dental@pct.edu 
570 320 2400 ext. 8007

Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee Members