Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College Dental Hygiene

Last Updated on July 28, 2023

Program Code: A45260

Dental Hygiene A.A.S.

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The Dental Hygiene curriculum provides individuals with the knowledge and skills to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate dental hygiene care for the individual and the community.

Students will learn to prepare the operatory, take patient histories, note abnormalities, plan care, teach oral hygiene, clean teeth, take x-rays, apply preventive agents, complete necessary chart entries, and perform other procedures related to dental hygiene care.

Graduates of this program may be eligible to take national and state/regional examinations for licensure which are required to practice dental hygiene. Information on licensure requirements can be obtained at the American Association of Dental Boards – State Board Contact. Employment opportunities include dental offices, clinics, schools, public health agencies, industry, and professional education.

This program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, 1 (800) 621-8099, Ext. 2705.

Specific Requirements

  1. General college admission requirements.
  2. This program has a selective selection process. See Selective Allied Health Program Criteria on the Selective and Limited Programs page of the A-B Tech website.
  3. High school chemistry or equivalent from A-B Tech or other regionally-accredited colleges.
  4. Acceptable report of medical examination by the first day of class.
  5. Completion of required immunizations by the first day of class, including the first two doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine.
  6. Students applying to the Dental Hygiene program are encouraged to have successfully completed all General Education requirements prior to program admission due to the rigorous nature of the Dental Hygiene curriculum.
  7. The North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners may deny a license to individuals convicted of a felony or any other crime involving moral turpitude.

The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is designed for direct entry into the respective field. Individuals wishing to pursue educational opportunities beyond the A.A.S. should refer to the Program Advising Center.

Dental Hygiene Program Goals

Patient Care

To prepare students through didactic, laboratory, and clinical experiences to provide dental hygiene services in a variety of dental settings while upholding professional standards.

Teaching

To provide foundational knowledge through a strong curriculum that prepares students to assume responsibility for ethical dental hygiene care and helps develop the skills necessary to adapt to a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Service

To promote commitment to the profession through licensure, membership with professional organizations, continuing education, and community service.

Research

To provide a curriculum that reflects relevant and current evidence-based dental hygiene care.

Employment Statistics

Specific Requirements

Courses requiring a grade of “C” or better: ACA, BIO, CHM, DEN

Courses in this program

  • Preadmission Requirements
  • First Semester
  • Second Semester
  • Third Semester
  • Fourth Semester
  • Fifth Semester
Course CodeCourseCredit HoursLink to course details
BIO-163Basic Anatomy and Physiology5‌‌
CHM-130General, Organic, and Biochemistry3‌‌
CHM-130AGeneral, Organic, and Biochemistry Lab1‌‌

Total Credit Hours Required:72

Curriculum is based on the 2021-22 catalog.

Course CodeCourseCredit HoursLink to course details
BIO-175General Microbiology3‌‌
DEN-124Periodontology2‌‌
DEN-125Dental Office Emergencies1‌‌
DEN-130Dental Hygiene Theory I2‌‌
DEN-131Dental Hygiene Clinic I3‌‌
DEN-223Dental Pharmacology2‌‌
ENG-111Writing and Inquiry3‌‌

Total Credit Hours Required:72

Curriculum is based on the 2021-22 catalog.

Course CodeCourseCredit HoursLink to course details
COM-120Intro Interpersonal Communication3‌‌
DEN-123Nutrition/Dental Health2‌‌
DEN-140Dental Hygiene Theory II1‌‌
DEN-141Dental Hygiene Clinic II2‌‌
DEN-222General and Oral Pathology2‌‌

Total Credit Hours Required:72

Curriculum is based on the 2021-22 catalog.

Course CodeCourseCredit HoursLink to course details
DEN-220Dental Hygiene Theory III2‌‌
DEN-221Dental Hygiene Clinic III4‌‌
DEN-224Materials and Procedures2‌‌
DEN-232ABCommunity Dental Health2‌‌
SOC-240Social Psychology3‌‌

Total Credit Hours Required:72

Curriculum is based on the 2021-22 catalog.

Course CodeCourseCredit HoursLink to course details
DEN-230Dental Hygiene Theory IV1‌‌
DEN-231Dental Hygiene Clinic IV4‌‌
DEN-232BBCommunity Dental Health1‌‌
DEN-233Professional Development2‌‌
HUM-115Critical Thinking3‌‌

Total Credit Hours Required:72

Curriculum is based on the 2021-22 catalog.

Dental Hygiene/Hygienist at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

What traits are you looking for in a dental hygiene school? To help you decide if Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is right for you, we’ve gathered the following information about the school’s dental hygiene program.

A-B Tech is located in Asheville, North Carolina and has a total student population of 7,003.

Want to know more about the career opportunities in this field? Check out the Careers in Dental Hygiene/Hygienist section at the bottom of this page.

A-B Tech Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Degrees Available

  • Associate’s Degree in Dental Hygiene

A-B Tech Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Rankings

Note: While rankings may be a good starting point when you’re researching a school, they don’t necessarily highlight all of a school’s strengths. Don’t forget to check out the other details that are available for a school to see if it has what you’re looking for in a program.

Dental Hygiene Student Demographics at A-B Tech

Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the dental hygiene majors at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

A-B Tech Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Associate’s Program

100%WOMEN5%RACIAL-ETHNIC MINORITIES*For the most recent academic year available, 0% of dental hygiene associate’s degrees went to men and 100% went to women.

A-B Tech Gender Breakdown of Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Associate's Degree Grads

The majority of those who receive an associate’s degree in dental hygiene at A-B Tech are white. Around 89% fell into this category, which is below average for this degree.

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity for students who recently graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College with a associate’s in dental hygiene.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity of Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Majors at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Race/EthnicityNumber of Students
Asian0
Black or African American0
Hispanic or Latino1
White17
International Students0
Other Races/Ethnicities1
  • Dental Assisting/Assistant

Careers That Dental Hygiene Grads May Go Into

A degree in dental hygiene can lead to the following careers. Since job numbers and average salaries can vary by geographic location, we have only included the numbers for NC, the home state for Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

OccupationJobs in NCAverage Salary in NC
Health Specialties Professors10,090$134,300
Dental Hygienists6,670$69,500

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