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Dental Hygiene Program

Applications for Fall 2023 entrance through Fall 2025 entrance (DHYG)
Application Timeline Campus Location
 Fall Enrollment - Apply in February  Lincoln - Day
Admissions Guidelines

Minimum requirements to apply to the Dental Hygiene program:

  1. CCRI Application for Enrollment into General Studies with a pre-dental hygiene (DHYG) concentration.
  2. Official copy of a high school transcript, GED® transcript or baccalaureate transcript from an accredited institution, including date of graduation or completion.
  3. ACCUPLACER test issued by CCRI's Department of Advising and Counseling. Students may retake the ACCUPLACER test once before completing any remedial course(s).
    • Reading Comprehension Requirement:
      • Waived for students with a Bachelor's degree or higher
        Score of 80 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
        or score of 253 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
        or ENGL1002 Critical Reading with a grade of "B-" or better
        or 0950: Integrated Critical Reading and Writing
    • Mathematics Requirement:
      • Score of 75 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required for Math (Algebra)
        or score of 256 in Next Generation Accuplacer is required for Math (Quantitative, Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics)
        or MATH 0101: Foundations of College Algebra with a grade of "C" or better
      • The following courses will substitute for MATH 0101: 1025, 1139, 1175, 1240, 1241, 2077, 2110, 2111, 2138, 2141, 2142, or 2243.
    • English Requirement:
      • English (writing) Accuplacer test must show readiness to take ENGL 1010: Composition I
        or applicant must have completed ENGL 1005: College Writing with a grade of "C" or better.
        ENGL 1300 will not substitute for ENGL 1010. 
  4. Complete the following required prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better:
    • CHEM 1010: Survey of Biomedical Chemistry (Chemistry placement testing is required prior to enrolling in CHEM 1010)
    • DENT 1000: Introduction to Dental Health
    • Biology Requirement: See below for description of Biology Department changes and how these changes affect admission requirements.
  5. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for all college courses taken is required to apply to the program.  All science courses must have earned a final grade of "C" or better.  If not, the science course(s) must be repeated.

    All the above requirements must be met satisfactorily BEFORE submission of the Performance-Based Health Science (PBHS) application and does not guarantee acceptance.  Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements.  Once accepted into the program, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Dental Health Department.

  6. Complete and submit an online PBHS application here.
    Deadlines are listed on the form.

Conditionally accepted students are required to complete the following:

    • When directed by notification from the Office of Enrollment Services, students must submit a background check
      Results of BCI may prevent admission due to clinical agencies' requirements.

Final acceptance is based upon the completion of the above criteria.

Policies following acceptance into the Dental Hygiene program: 

  • COVID vaccine series plus booster OR bivalent vaccine required.
  • Individuals who disclose the presence of bloodborne infectious disease will be shown the same consideration as noninfected individuals and will be offered reasonable accommodation. Information regarding health status of an individual is considered confidential and protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
    Participation in the dental hygiene program potentially exposes students to bloodborne pathogens, hazardous materials and ionizing radiation.
  • Students must have a physical examination and required immunizations completed.
  • Students must have a current CPR card (American Heart Association, Health Care Provider Level) obtained through an AHA-recognized community training center.
    This course is available at CCRI - HEAL 0200.
  • Please note: Requirements are subject to change. 
  • For more clarifying information regarding any of the above please contact the Office of Enrollment Services at:
  • Adam Moreau, Flanagan (Lincoln) Campus: (401) 333-7471, [email protected]
  • If more specific information is needed, contact Janice Schmitz, Dental Hygiene Program Director, at 401-333-7225 or via email at [email protected] 

Dental Hygiene Program Admission Criteria Point System

The performance‐based acceptance process is based on the performance indicators identified for the Dental Hygiene program. A point system based on the admissions guidelines has been assigned to the performance criteria.

The criteria for the incoming class will include:

  • Grades in BIOL 1010 / Anatomy & Physiology 1, BIOL 1020 / Anatomy & Physiology 2, and CHEM 1010 (prerequisite science admission courses)
  • DENT 1000 grade
  • ACCUPLACER reading score
  • Number of general education courses completed
  • Number of CCRI Dental Assisting courses completed
Grade in BIOL 1010 or A&P1, BIOL 1020 or A&P2, and CHEM 1010, using the following scale
Each course's letter grade is converted to points and added 
A     (4.0)
40 points
A-    (3.7)
37 points
B+   (3.3)
33 points
B     (3.0)
30 points
B-    (2.7)
27 points
C+   (2.3)
23 points
C     (2.0)
20 points
Maximum points
120 points
 
 
Grade in DENT 1000
 
A     (4.0)
40 points
A-    (3.7)
37 points
B+   (3.3)
33 points
B     (3.0)
30 points
B-    (2.7)
27 points
C+   (2.3)
23 points
C     (2.0)
20 points
 
 
ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension Test* Score
 
ACCUPLACER score of 90 or better
 
or Next Generation ACCUPLACER score of 259 or better
 
or a bachelor's degree 
 
or  a grade of "A" in ENGL 0890
10 points (can only receive points once, even if multiple criteria are met)
   
General Education Courses
 
Number of general education courses completed - Grade of "C" or better
General education courses: COMM 1010, PSYC 2010, ENGL 1010, BIOL 2210, SOCS 1010 (can only receive points for courses completed before application is submitted)
A    (4.0)
4.0 points 
A-   (3.7)
3.7 points
B+  (3.3) 
3.3 points 
B    (3.0) 
3.0 points 
B-   (2.7)
2.7 points 
C+  (2.3)
2.3 points 
C    (2.0)
2.0 points 
 Maximum points
20 points
   
Dental Assisting Courses  
Number of CCRI Dental Assisting courses completed - Grade of "C+" or better Dental Assisting courses: DENT 2010, DENT 2225 (can only receive points for courses completed before application is submitted)
A    (4.0) 4.0 points
A-   (3.7)  3.7 points 
B+  (3.3)  3.3 points 
B    (3.0) 3.0 points 
B-   (2.7) 2.7 points
C+  (2.3)  2.3 points 
Maximum points 8 points 
   
 Maximum total points 198 points 

*ACCUPLACER may be taken no more than three times.

In the event of a tie, the students' prerequisite GPA will be used as the tie-breaker.

Credits granted through AP, CLEP, challenge exams or assessment of prior learning will be recognized as satisfying course requirements and will be assigned points equivalent to a grade of "B."

Please review the Department of Health website to learn about licensing requirements for the health sciences professions.

Please note: A Social Security number is required to begin the licensing process for the health sciences professions.


Biology Requirements - Changes to Anatomy and Physiology Courses

BIOL 1010 - Human Anatomy will be offered for the final time in Summer 2019.  

BIOL 1020 – Human Physiology will be offered for the final time in Fall 2019. 

Anatomy and Physiology 1 (A&P1) will be first offered in Fall 2019. 

Anatomy and Physiology 2 (A&P2) will be first offered in Spring 2020.  

What does this mean?

For students interested in the February 2023 application period (for Fall 2023 entrance):

Before submitting your application, you will need to have completed either of the two options below:

  • BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1020 at CCRI or equivalent courses at another college or university*.  Remember that BIOL 1010 is last offered in Summer 2019 and  BIOL 1020 is last offered in Fall 2019.

OR

  • A&P 1, which will first be offered in Fall 2019. Note: A&P2 is a pre-requisite course.  

*The Biology Department at CCRI will determine which college/university courses are equivalent

For all potential applicants to the Dental Hygiene Program

For any questions regarding BIOL 1010/BIOL 1020 or Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 requirements, please contact Enrollment Services: