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The Dental Hygiene program prepares students to assess, plan, implement and evaluate dental hygiene care for individual patients and the community, promoting wellness by advancing oral health in North Carolina.
Faculty provide a comprehensive approach to student development that promotes professionalism and critical, independent thinking and encourages students to accept responsibility for their own learning.
The majority of the clinical education occurs in the Dental Hygiene Clinic on the Perry Health Sciences Campus, with limited external rotations. Current rotations require students to travel within 5 miles of campus. Students are responsible for securing transportation to off-campus rotations.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic consists of the following:
The Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene programs at Wake Tech are committed to maintaining the highest standards of infection prevention and environmental safety in all instructional and clinical settings. The programs strictly adhere to current guidelines and regulations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners.
Students enrolled in these programs may encounter bloodborne and/or airborne pathogens through contact with blood, body fluids and aerosols generated during patient care procedures. As part of their professional responsibilities, students must understand the potential for transmission of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although the overall risk of disease transmission in dental settings is considered low, it remains a significant consideration in clinical practice.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, discrimination against patients with infectious diseases, including HIV, is prohibited. Students are therefore required to provide care to all assigned patients regardless of health status.
Students shall not engage in patient care activities until they have successfully completed comprehensive training in infection control, universal/standard precautions and emergency preparedness, consistent with current OSHA and CDC standards. Students must demonstrate competency in these areas within laboratory or preclinical environments prior to progression to clinical care. This requirement ensures readiness to manage both routine infection control procedures and potential medical emergencies in the dental setting.
Faculty oversight is maintained throughout laboratory, preclinical and clinical instruction to ensure compliance with established infection control protocols and to promote a safe learning and clinical environment. The programs remain committed to ongoing evaluation and updating of infection control practices to align with evolving evidence-based guidelines and public health recommendations.
Upon successful completion of the program, Dental Hygiene graduates may be eligible to take national, regional and state board examinations leading to licensure. In most states, licensure results in the Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) credential.
The American Dental Association administers the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, a multiple-choice exam in an electronic format, each year. The state of North Carolina uses a regional clinical exam, sponsored by CDCA/WREB/CITA.
Information on applying for licensure in North Carolina can be found on the State Board of Dental Examiners website. Applicants must also successfully pass written, open-book, online exams on jurisprudence and on sterilization and infection control.
Federal law does not allow undocumented individuals to obtain a professional license, including a dental hygiene license in North Carolina. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or possess resident alien status to be eligible for licensure.
Wake Tech academic programs that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications. If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section on the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.
Potential employers may post a job opening ad free on Handshake. Postings may be for dental hygienists, dental assistants, front desk, etc.
The Dental Hygiene program also has a closed alumni Facebook page where the administrator posts job openings for all alumni who have access to Facebook. If you wish to place an opening on this page, email the job posting to Program Director Samantha Moore at [email protected].
In addition, as part of a Professional Development course each spring, the program hosts an Employer Engagement Fair where potential employers meet with graduating students. Employers are invited to set up a table where students rotate through and learn about employment opportunities.
Most states also post online information on state board of dentistry websites or on professional licensing websites.
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and has been granted the accreditation status of approval (without reporting requirements). The commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60611-4250. The commission's web address is https://coda.ada.org/
Individuals can also file a complaint with CODA.