Curriculum & Outcomes

Dental Hygiene

Associate of Applied Science Degree

120 credits (plus 57 credits of prerequisites)

Program Mission: The mission of the Lake Washington Institute of Technology Dental Hygiene program is to prepare students to enter the healthcare workforce as entry-level dental hygienists who are competent in the provision of safe, ethical and effective dental hygiene care. The program aims to provide students with high quality didactic and clinical education in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills of dental hygiene as well as the promotion of life-long learning.

Program Philosophy: The Lake Washington Institute of Technology Dental Hygiene Program believes the function of the dental hygienist is to provide safe and effective dental hygiene care to help people retain and improve their oral health for greater quality of life.  It is the philosophy of the Dental Hygiene program at LWIT to foster the acquisition of dental hygiene skills in a safe learning environment that supports communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, and to promote culturally sensitive, ethical, and compassionate care in the dental workplace.

This program has received accreditation status from the Commission on Dental Accreditation which allows students, upon graduation, to take the National Board Examination and the clinical licensing examination in the state where she or he plans to practice. Clinical experience is provided at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology dental clinic under the supervision of licensed dentists and licensed dental hygienists. Additional clinical experience occurs in a variety of off-campus settings located in the greater Seattle area.

There is a formal admissions process for entry into this program. The curriculum in the Dental Hygiene program consists of seven quarters, including a six-week summer quarter of full-time professional and clinical education preceded by 57 credits of prerequisite courses. The prerequisite science courses must be at least seven years current upon program entry; be measured by a proficiency examination; or be waived by special petition to the dental hygiene director. The dental hygiene courses must be taken successively. Any developmental coursework a student may be required to complete may increase the program length.

Dental Hygiene AAS degree graduates will:

• Provide quality, evidence-based patient care demonstrating their ability to perform safe, effective, and ethical entry-level dental hygiene services
• Apply the basic principles of evidence-based research and decision making in the delivery of dental hygiene care
• Be prepared to successfully complete all licensing exams required to practice in Washington state and obtain an entry-level position as a dental hygienist
• Be prepared to engage in life-long learning and career development as a dental hygienist
• Demonstrate critical thinking, teamwork, communication, intercultural appreciation, and technical and information literacy skills
• Meet Social Science, Humanities, Written Communication, and Quantitative Reasoning distribution area outcomes

It is the student's responsibility to discuss sequencing and work out their individual schedule with a counselor or advisor.

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Admission Dates: Fall, by special admissions

Prerequisites

Program Requirements

Academic Core Requirements - 57 credits

(All prerequisites previously listed)