Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Dental Hygiene program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology aims to prepare students to enter the healthcare workforce as entry-level Dental Hygienists. The program provides high-quality didactic and clinical education in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills of Dental Hygiene, promoting life-long learning and culturally sensitive, ethical, and compassionate care.

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.

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. The program fosters the acquisition of Dental Hygiene skills in a safe learning environment that supports communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Accreditation

The program has received accreditation status from the Commission on Dental Accreditation, allowing students to take the National Board Examination and the clinical licensing examination in the state where they plan to practice.

Clinical Experience

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.

Admissions Process

There is a formal admissions process for entry into this program.

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of eight quarters, including two eight-week summer quarters, of full-time professional and clinical education preceded by 67 credits of prerequisite courses.

Prerequisites

The prerequisite courses required for admission to the program include:

• CHEM& 121 Introduction to Chemistry (5 credits)
• CHEM& 131 Introduction to Organic/Biochemistry (5 credits)
• NUTR& 101 Nutrition (5 credits)
• BIOL& 241 Anatomy and Physiology 1 (6 credits)
• BIOL& 242 Anatomy and Physiology 2 (6 credits)
• BIOL& 260 Microbiology (5 credits)
• ENGL& 101 English Composition I (5 credits)
• ENGL& 102 English Composition II (5 credits)
• MATH& 146 Introduction to Statistics (5 credits)
• PSYC& 100 General Psychology (5 credits)
• SOC& 101 Introduction to Sociology (5 credits)
• CMST& 240 Intercultural Communication (5 credits)
• HUM 215 Diversity and Social Justice in America (5 credits)
• CMST& 210 Interpersonal Communication (5 credits)
• CMST& 220 Introduction to Public Speaking (5 credits)

General Education Requirements

The prerequisite courses required for admission to the BAS in Dental Hygiene program satisfy the General Education requirements.

Core Courses

The core courses include:

• DHYG 242 Healthcare Foundations (3 credits)
• DHYG 243 Introduction to the Profession of Dental Hygiene (2 credits)
• DHYG 246 Periodontology I (2 credits)
• DHYG 247 Tooth Morphology (2 credits)
• DHYG 248 Dental Hygiene Research I (2 credits)
• DHYG 252 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory I (3 credits)
• DHYG 253 Restorative Dentistry I (3 credits)
• DHYG 254 Head and Neck Anatomy (2 credits)
• DHYG 255 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice I (4 credits)
• DHYG 256 Dental Imaging (3 credits)
• DHYG 258 Oral Disease Prevention (2 credits)
• DHYG 321 Electronic Health Records (1 credit)
• DHYG 322 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory II (3 credits)
• DHYG 323 Restorative Dentistry II (1 credit)
• DHYG 325 Histology and Embryology (2 credits)
• DHYG 326 Radiographic Interpretation (2 credits)
• DHYG 328 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice II (4 credits)
• DHYG 329 General Pathology (2 credits)
• DHYG 331 Dental Hygiene Research II (2 credits)
• DHYG 332 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory III (3 credits)
• DHYG 333 Restorative Dentistry III (1 credit)
• DHYG 336 Dental Pharmacology (2 credits)
• DHYG 338 Pain Control (3 credits)
• DHYG 340 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice III (5 credits)
• DHYG 342 Dental Hygiene Theory & Nutrition IV (3 credits)
• DHYG 343 Restorative Dentistry IV (1 credit)
• DHYG 344 Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice IV (6 credits)
• DHYG 346 Periodontology II (2 credits)
• DHYG 349 Special Populations (2 credits)
• DHYG 412 Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory V (3 credits)
• DHYG 413 Restorative Dentistry V (3 credits)
• DHYG 414 Advanced Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice V (8 credits)
• DHYG 415 Community Dental Health I (3 credits)
• DHYG 416 Oral Pathology (3 credits)
• DHYG 422 Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory VI (3 credits)
• DHYG 423 Restorative Dentistry VI (3 credits)
• DHYG 424 Advanced Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice VI (8 credits)
• DHYG 425 Community Dental Health II (3 credits)
• DHYG 432 Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice Management VII (3 credits)
• DHYG 433 Restorative Dentistry VII (2 credits)
• DHYG 436 Advanced Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice VII (10 credits)

Required Course Sequence

The required course sequence is as follows:

Quarter One

• DHYG 242 Healthcare Foundations (3 credits)
• DHYG 243 Introduction to the Profession of Dental Hygiene (2 credits)
• DHYG 246 Periodontology I (2 credits)
• DHYG 247 Tooth Morphology (2 credits)
• DHYG 256 Dental Imaging (3 credits)

Quarter Two

• DHYG 248 Dental Hygiene Research I (2 credits)
• DHYG 252 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory I (3 credits)
• DHYG 255 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice I (4 credits)
• DHYG 253 Restorative Dentistry I (3 credits)
• DHYG 254 Head and Neck Anatomy (2 credits)
• DHYG 326 Radiographic Interpretation (2 credits)
• DHYG 329 General Pathology (2 credits)

Quarter Three

• DHYG 258 Oral Disease Prevention (2 credits)
• DHYG 321 Electronic Health Records (1 credit)
• DHYG 322 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory II (3 credits)
• DHYG 328 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice II (4 credits)
• DHYG 323 Restorative Dentistry II (1 credit)
• DHYG 325 Histology and Embryology (2 credits)
• DHYG 331 Dental Hygiene Research II (2 credits)

Quarter Four

• DHYG 332 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory III (3 credits)
• DHYG 340 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice III (5 credits)
• DHYG 333 Restorative Dentistry III (1 credit)
• DHYG 336 Dental Pharmacology (2 credits)
• DHYG 338 Pain Control (3 credits)
• DHYG 349 Special Populations (2 credits)

Quarter Five

• DHYG 342 Dental Hygiene Theory & Nutrition IV (3 credits)
• DHYG 344 Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice IV (6 credits)
• DHYG 343 Restorative Dentistry IV (1 credit)
• DHYG 346 Periodontology II (2 credits)
• DHYG 416 Oral Pathology (3 credits)

Quarter Six

• DHYG 412 Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory V (3 credits)
• DHYG 414 Advanced Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice V (8 credits)
• DHYG 413 Restorative Dentistry V (3 credits)
• DHYG 415 Community Dental Health I (3 credits)

Quarter Seven

• DHYG 422 Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory VI (3 credits)
• DHYG 424 Advanced Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice VI (8 credits)
• DHYG 423 Restorative Dentistry VI (3 credits)
• DHYG 425 Community Dental Health II (3 credits)

Quarter Eight

• DHYG 432 Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice Management VII (3 credits)
• DHYG 436 Advanced Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice VII (10 credits)
• DHYG 433 Restorative Dentistry VII (2 credits)

Diversity and Social Justice Requirement

Within the degree requirements, students must complete a 3-5 credit course that meets the college’s Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) requirement.

Total Program Credits

The total program credits are 123 (plus 67 credits of prerequisites).