Total Degree Hours: 68
Selective Admission Criteria:
A selection committee reviews applications and selects those applicants who best meet the following criteria (listed in random order):
The applicant must:
- Complete the application to the College (TCC) and meet the admission requirements for the institution.
- Submit to the secretary of the selection committee for Health Sciences:
- Completed application for admission to the Dental Hygiene Program;
- Provide official high school or college transcripts (High school, if completed fewer than 12 semester hours of college, or College, if completed, or will complete by the deadline date, 12 or more semester hours of college. Official transcripts are required from each college you have attended including TCC);
- Schedule a time to take the Health Education System, Inc. (HESI) Admissions Exam; and
- Complete the TOEFL iBT® test if English is not your first language.
Additional Application Information:
- Applicants will only be able to apply three times to the dental hygiene program.
- Grade point average (GPA) of all high school or undergraduate college classes or GED scores if high school/college are not applicable.
- Bonus points are awarded for college-level general education and science courses required for the program for which a grade of “C” or higher was made.
NOTE: Science courses must have been completed within five years of the semester containing the program deadline date. Only the highest grade from the first two (2) attempts on any science course will be considered for admission. The exception to this rule will be a science course that is required to be taken more than twice because it is older than five (5) years. Any course withdrawals will be considered one of the two attempts.
- All prerequisite science courses must be completed within five (5) years of the submission of the application to the Dental Hygiene Program. Any sciences older than five (5) years will need to be re-taken.
- Bonus points proportionate to the number of semester hours from a regionally accredited college or university for which a grade of “C” or higher was made up to a maximum of 120 semester hours.
- Bonus point for bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Bonus points for observation experience in a dental care setting or for employment experience as a dental assistant.
Students who are selected for admission must undergo screening for substances of abuse and a criminal background check. All offers for admission to the Dental Hygiene Program are provisional until satisfactory results are received for these two evaluations.
International students must contact International Student Admissions and Compliance at 817-515-1570 and also the EMS & Dental Hygiene Office at 817-515-6435.
Only the criteria listed are evaluated and considered for the purpose of selection and admission to this program. No specific minimum grade point average or test score, or a set minimum number of courses must be completed for admission. Selection is based on how each applicant compares with others in the applicant pool. In general, the higher the grades, the more competitive the applicant will be for the positions available. Once admitted to the program, students must complete and earn a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each specialized course.
Most/all of the specialized courses are taught only during the daytime.
After successful completion of the above curriculum, the student is eligible to take the necessary examinations to become a registered dental hygienist through the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, Central Regional Dental Testing Services, or Western Regional Examining Board, and the National Exam for Dental Hygienists through the American Dental Association.
The program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), 211 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2678.
Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Requirement for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs
All students enrolled in an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program must meet the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Additional TSI information can be found on Texas Success Initiative (TSI) and the Texas Success Initiative - Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board website.
Licensing Notice: Texas House Bill 1508
This program prepares a student for an occupational license. However, the student may not be eligible for licensing if they have a prior criminal history. For more details, see House Bill 1508 Licensing Requirements .
