Dental Hygiene (Diploma)

Total Credits:	78
Credential:	Diploma in Dental Hygiene
Program Code:	DHYG.DIP
CIP:	51.0602

Overview

The Dental Hygiene Diploma program is designed to prepare individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values to provide safe and competent primary oral health care. The program prepares students to aspire to the highest levels of professionalism.

The program emphasizes the importance of a wellness model of care and evidence-informed practice as students learn to provide comprehensive and culturally sensitive dental hygiene care to individuals, families, and communities. Throughout the program, students develop the skills to communicate and collaborate effectively with clients and interdisciplinary teams.

Professional responsibility to society in the areas of health promotion, education, healthy public policy, and advocacy is emphasized throughout the program.

Students enjoy many opportunities to apply theory and knowledge including hands-on practice in class and the community, provision of dental hygiene care to the public in the Camosun College Dental Clinic, and participation in international field schools.

The Camosun College Dental Hygiene Diploma program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. Graduates of the program must successfully complete the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Examination to be eligible for registration and licensure with the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia as a Registered Dental Hygienist.

Graduates are employed in a variety of settings including clinical practice, community health care, and independent practice, and are eligible to apply for degree completion at a variety of post-secondary institutions.

Opportunities for Academic Advancement

Graduates of the program are eligible to apply to the University of British Columbia to complete the 4th (final) year of the Bachelor of Dental Science (Dental Hygiene) Program, or to Thompson Rivers University to complete a Bachelor of Health Science.

Admissions

Entry to the Dental Hygiene program is in second year.

Requirements for first-year courses include:

Submission of proof of completion of the following with a minimum grade of C+ or higher in each Camosun course or an equivalent course from another post-secondary institution:

Human Anatomy and Physiology
One pair of:

C+ in BIOL 143 and BIOL 144
C+ in BIOL 150 and BIOL 151
C+ in BIOL 152 and BIOL 153

Chemistry
Two of:

C+ in CHEM 110
C+ in CHEM 112
C+ in CHEM 120
C+ in CHEM 121

English
Two of:

C+ in ENGL 151 *
C+ in ENGL 161
C+ in ENGL 163
C+ in ENGL 164
C+ in ENGL 251 *

Psychology
Two of:

C+ in PSYC 110 *
C+ in PSYC 120
C+ in PSYC 130
C+ in PSYC 154 *
C+ in PSYC 160
C+ in PSYC 164
C+ in PSYC 171

Elementary Statistics for Social Sciences
One of:

C+ in STAT 116
C+ in STAT 216
C+ in STAT 218
C+ in BUS 230

UT Elective:

C+ in a university transferable 100 level or higher elective

*Denotes highly recommended

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the program students will be able to:

Practice professionally as a dental hygienist.
Practice ethically, safely, and competently as a dental hygienist.
Demonstrate critical thinking and use evidence-informed decision-making to provide comprehensive dental hygiene care to individuals, families, and communities.
Communicate and collaborate competently with individuals, families, communities, and interdisciplinary teams.
Coordinate and contribute to the effective management of the practice environment to ensure quality care.
Educate individuals, families, and communities about oral health, including its relationship to overall health.
Apply the principles of health promotion and disease prevention to enhance the health of individuals, families, and communities.
Provide the dental hygiene process of care for individuals, families, and communities.
Advocate for the improvement of and access to oral and other health services for individuals, families, and communities.

Curriculum

Year Two

Academic Term One

All of:

BIOL 161 - Principles of Microbiology for Dental Hygiene Credits: 3
DHYG 219 - Head & Neck Anatomy Credits: 3
DHYG 220 - Dental Anatomy Credits: 1.5
DHYG 225 - Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Credits: 3
DHYG 245 - Professional Practice 1 Credits: 3
DHYG 270 - Clinical Theory 1 Credits: 3
DHYG 271 - Clinical Practice 1 Credits: 6

Academic Term Two

All of:

BIOL 260 - General Pathophysiology Credits: 3
DHYG 221 - Oral Sciences 1 Credits: 1.5
DHYG 222 - Introduction to Periodontology Credits: 1.5
DHYG 231 - Radiology in Dental Practice Credits: 3
DHYG 246 - Professional Practice 2 Credits: 3
DHYG 280 - Clinical Theory 2 Credits: 3
DHYG 281 - Clinical Practice 2 Credits: 6

Year Three

Academic Term Three

All of:

DHYG 310 - Pharmacology Credits: 3
DHYG 321 - Oral Sciences 2 Credits: 1.5
DHYG 370 - Clinical Theory 3 Credits: 3
DHYG 371 - Clinical Practice 3 Credits: 6
DHYG 390 - Community Oral Health 1 Credits: 1.5

Academic Term Four

All of:

DHYG 322 - Oral Sciences 3 Credits: 3
DHYG 328 - Nutrition Credits: 1.5
DHYG 345 - Professional Practice 3 Credits: 3
DHYG 380 - Clinical Theory 4 Credits: 3
DHYG 381 - Clinical Practice 4 Credits: 6
DHYG 391 - Community Oral Health 2 Credits: 3

Program Participation Requirements

On the first day of class students are required to submit a completed BLS (Basic Life Support) certificate. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the BLS does not expire before the completion of the program.
During the program students will be assigned to practice sessions where they will receive a variety of dental hygiene treatments and procedures, including local anaesthesia.
On the first day of classes students must provide evidence they do not have active TB. Acceptable evidence is a negative TB skin test or a negative chest x-ray. Evidence must be dated no more than six months before program start date. Students are responsible for the cost of the testing. An additional TB test is required after each possible exposure to TB and/or travel within an area where there is a known prevalence of TB.
Students must provide evidence of their immunization status. Students are highly recommended to maintain current immunizations as per the Practice Education Guidelines of B.C. Recommended immunizations are found on the Health Sciences Placement Network of Canada website by searching for immunization guidelines.
- Failure to comply with immunization guidelines could result in the health care organization or the College barring the individual from the clinical/practicum setting until proof of immunity is provided and/or until a communicable disease outbreak is declared over. This could impact a student’s ability to successfully complete the clinical/practicum placement and/or a clinical/community rotation.
Criminal Record Check is required.
The Provincial Practice Education Guidelines may require students to complete the BC Provincial Violence Prevention Training prior to clinical/practicum placements. This training will occur during the program. Students will be notified in sufficient time for the training to occur and this training will be provided by a third party. Students will be responsible for any associated costs. Failure to comply with this training could result in the health care organization, community partner or the college barring the individual from the clinical/practicum setting until required training is completed. This could impact a student’s ability to successfully complete the clinical/practicum placement. Violence prevention training from other provinces does not transfer in and meet the requirements.

Program Completion Requirements

Students must achieve at least 70% (“B-“) in each course and a COM or DST in the clinical practice courses within the program to obtain a Diploma in Dental Hygiene.