The Associate of Applied Sciences in Dental Assisting was designed to meet the demands of a continuously evolving healthcare market. The purpose of the program is to provide students with sufficient theoretical knowledge and practical skills to perform efficiently in an entry-level position as a chairside assistant in a dental office.

West Liberty University’s Associate Degree Dental Hygiene Program is committed to creating an educational environment that fosters competence in oral health professionals who are capable of thinking critically and solving problems while being responsible decision-makers when delivering dental hygiene care.

Applicants to schools of dentistry may major in any discipline at the undergraduate level. Since the required courses for admission tend to be heavy in the sciences, most students at Siena Heights aspire to study for these professions majoring in biology.

During the 16-month Specialized Associate of Applied Science degree program, students can learn four-handed dentistry, dental procedures, and office procedures. Students learn in a simulated on-site dental clinic and complete two externships to gain valuable real-world experience with patients.

The Associate of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene Program is a two-year, six-term, 82 credit course of study that provides a broad range of education and experience. This program provides comprehensive intra- and inter-professional education in the basic sciences, health sciences, and clinical dental hygiene for men and women of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds.

Registered dental hygienists are credentialed and licensed health professionals who serve integral roles in the delivery of oral health care. Georgia Workforce 2014 ranked dental hygiene a field that is “fast growing, high-paying, and expected to offer plentiful job openings over the projected period.”

This program prepares individuals to clean teeth, apply preventive materials, provide oral health education and treatment counselling to patients, identify oral pathologies and injuries, and manage dental hygiene practices.

Students with an interest in the program of dental hygiene may contact the dental hygiene program coordinator. When planning a program of study in this program, each student should be aware of the University's academic requirements and regulations contained in this catalog in the chapter. Academic Information. Specific attention should be given to the subsections in the chapter entitled (a) Academic Programs, (b) Colonnade Program Requirements and (c) Academic Requirements and Regulations. Students should be aware that this academic program might require additional scholastic regulations and standards not specified in the catalog. To obtain a copy of these regulations, students should contact the program office.

The Dental Assisting program provides comprehensive training in chairside assisting, dental radiology, preventive therapy, patient management, receptionist duties, expanded functions, and office management. Students develop essential skills such as manual dexterity and gain proficiency in performing Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) functions.

Northampton's Dental Hygiene program is among the most respected in Pennsylvania. During the two-year program, all pre-clinical and clinical practice occurs in the dental clinic located at the Fowler Family Southside Center campus. Professional hygienists working in the field enhance the hands-on aspects of the clinical portion of the program. The dental hygiene program is competency-based and assesses all clinical and laboratory courses using pass/fail criteria. Students must earn grades of C (75%) or better in all DENH courses to qualify for semester promotion. If you are interested in a higher level of education, Northampton has developed articulation agreements with dental hygiene baccalaureate degree programs to facilitate admissions and the transfer of credits.