Information for Pre-Dental Hygiene Students

Bellevue Community College does not have a dental hygiene program but students may complete prerequisites for such programs at BCC. Eastern Washington University offers a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene in Spokane as well as bachelor degree completion opportunities in Vancouver, Tacoma and Seattle. There are associate degree programs at several community colleges. All programs require extensive prerequisites and are scientifically oriented, rigorous, intensive and highly competitive. Science prerequisites should be taken within five years of program application.

Prerequisite science courses required by most dental hygiene programs:

General chemistry with lab:	BCC CHEM& 121 (Previously CHEM 101)
Organic chemistry with lab:	BCC CHEM& 131 (Previously CHEM 102)
Introductory biology with lab:	BCC BIOL& 160 or 211 (Previously BIOL 101 or 201)
Anatomy & physiology with lab:	BCC BIOL& 241,242 (Previously BIOL 260,261)
Microbiology with lab:	BCC BIOL& 260 (Previously BIOL 250)
Nutrition:	BCC NUTR 130
First Aid/CPR:	BCC HLTH 292

English/Humanities/Social Sciences/Math: Beyond the required science courses, English composition, speech, psychology and sociology are required by most programs. Some programs require that students speak a second language. Most programs require a minimum of MATH& 107 for admission. Math and English assessment is required and your placement score will determine at what level you may begin math and English classes. Placement into lower level math and English courses will increase the time needed to complete the prerequisites.

Students are responsible for checking with the individual schools to which they plan to apply to verify the specific classes that are required.

Sample schedule for Bellevue Community College with AAS

The above sample schedule provides 95 credits and does not include any lower math or English classes which may needed to bring skills up to college level. Placement by assessment or MATH 099 is required for MATH&107 or 138. BIOL& 160 is a prerequisite for advanced biology courses. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are typical dental hygiene program prerequisites. Courses without the asterisk are additional courses required for the AAS transfer degree. An AAS is not required for admission but many programs assign admission points to the degree. Check with the schools to which you are planning to apply to be sure of prerequisites. It is important to maintain a high GPA and apply to more than one program. Students should have a back-up plan in the event they are not admitted to a dental hygiene program.

Experience
Work/volunteer experience/observation in a dental setting prior to applying for dental hygiene programs is required. Documentation of experience may be required.

GPA
While most programs indicate GPA requirements in the 2.5 to 3.0 range, the actual grade point averages of admitted students are much higher, 3.5 to 3.89 and above. Programs are competitive and have limited enrollments, admitting 18 to 30 students per year in each program, often selecting from a field of over 200 applicants. Limited repeats of courses are allowed and students must demonstrate the ability to manage full time study..

Cost
The approximate cost for a two-year intensive program at a community college can range from $19,000 to over $22,000. This covers resident tuition, books and supplies but does not include living expenses..

Application
Application materials can be obtained by contacting the individual schools. Deadlines are well in advance of the fall quarter start dates, generally in January and February and some programs require that all prerequisites and degrees be finished by the time of application.

Health Occupations Basic Interest Test (HOBET)
Many programs require that applicants take the HOBET. This computer based test consists of 240 questions and takes 2 hours to complete. Reading and Math are the main categories with a third portion covering study habits, stress coping skills, critical thinking and social skills. The cost of the test is $40 and it is administered at Shoreline Community College and Lake Washington Technical College.

Websites for more information

Clark College www.clark.edu
Columbia Basin College www.columbiabasin.edu/careers/dental/
Lake Washington Technical College www.lwtc.ctc.edu
Pierce College www.pierce.ctc.edu
Seattle Central Community College http://seattlecentral.edu/programs/dental.php
Shoreline Community College www.shore.ctc.edu
Yakima Valley Community College www.yvcc.cc.wa.us
Eastern Washington University www.ewu.edu
Washington State Dental Hygienists’ Association www.wsdha.org


For an advising appointment, call the BCC Science Division office in L 200, 425-564-2321.

Bellevue Community College
Bellevue Community College Advising Center
Bellevue Community College Science Division

This page most recently modified on 4/27/08.