Dental Hygiene

The goal of the Cypress College Dental Hygiene Program is to provide the student with the educational opportunity to attain:

• dental hygiene process of care knowledge, skills and values
• a professional relationship with the community in which they serve
• a relationship amongst allied health care team
• professional knowledgeable of and compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, Law and Ethics, Dental Hygiene Board of California, and local regulatory guidelines
• professional sensitivity to the autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence principles of ethical practice

The goal of the Cypress College Dental Hygiene Program is to provide the student with the educational opportunity to attain:

• dental hygiene process of care knowledge, skills and values
• a professional relationship with the community in which they serve
• a relationship amongst allied health care team
• professional knowledgeable of and compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, Law and Ethics, Dental Hygiene Board of California, and local regulatory guidelines
• professional sensitivity to the autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence principles of ethical practice

• Perform the dental hygiene process
• Understand diagnostic digital imaging and skills to interpret dental radiographs using DEXIS
• Prevent blood-borne diseases in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Ohio State Dental Board (OSDB).
• Review patient health histories, noting contraindications and other health concerns as needed
• Perform intra/extraoral evaluation, periodontal assessment, treatment assessment, and CAMBRA
• Use gentle instrumentation for optimal removal of plaque, tartar, and bacteria above and below the gum line
• Treat gingivitis and periodontitis with advanced instrumentation skills using Air-Flow, cavitron, piezo, and hand scaling of periodontal patients
• Administer local anesthetic agents and nitrous oxide
• Perform whitening procedures and fabricate whitening trays
• Provide and adequately apply cavity prevention agents such as fluoride and sealants
• Instruct patients in personalized homecare techniques
• Utilize Dentrix software to set up appointments

• Apply to Cypress College to obtain a Cypress College student ID#. The email address used on the Cypress College application will be used within your Health Science Application and for all email interactions between the college faculty and staff, clinical sites, and any other program related email interactions. 
• High School graduation or passing of the General Education Development tests (GED) or passing of high school proficiency. 
• Minimum of 17 years of age to apply. Must be 18 years of age to start the program. 
• A minimum of a 2.5 GPA in ALL college work attempted and a 3.0 GPA in the science prerequisites. Unofficial transcripts and/or proof of registration from all colleges, with a record of enrollment, will be required to be uploaded within the online Health Science application. 
• Evidence of “good” physical and mental health as determined by medical examination upon admission to the program and prior to program enrollment. 
• All science courses must be completed prior to application.
• All Program Prerequisites and General Education must be completed prior to application.
• All applicants accepted to the program are required to attend a mandatory orientation. 
• Students must demonstrate by laboratory testing and medical examination no contagious disease, such as: active Tuberculosis, or Hepatitis carrier with e antigen. Attendance in the dental hygiene program’s laboratory and clinical courses would be denied based upon CDC regulations and invasive exposure-prone procedures. Please discuss health concerns with a Health Science counselor before application.
  

The following courses must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” and an over-all GPA of 2.5. Once a passing grade is achieved, courses may not be repeated for a higher grade. 

All accepted applicants are required to pass DH 100C Introduction to Dental Hygiene. Failure to pass DH 100C prohibits future applications. 

Science Prerequisites: Must be completed within five years at the time of application, and with an overall GPA of 3.0. All sciences must be taken in-person or hybrid (lab must be in-person).

• CHEM 101C – Chemistry for Health Science Majors I – 4.0 units 
• CHEM 201C – Chemistry for Health Science Majors II – 4.5 units 
• BIOL 220C – Medical Microbiology – 4.0 units 
• BIOL 231C – General Human Anatomy – 4.0 units 
• BIOL 241C – General Human Physiology – 4.0 units
  

General Education Prerequisites: Beginning January 1, 2026, all general education prerequisites must be completed at the time of application. (See exception in Minimum Standards to Apply.) The following courses must be completed at the time of application with a minimum grade of “C” or better.  

• PSY 101C – Introduction to Psychology – 3.0 units 
• COMM C1000 – Oral Communication – 3.0 units
• SOC 101C – Introduction to Sociology – 3.0 units 
• ENGL C1000/ENGL C1000E/ESL 110C – English Communication – 4.0 units 
• Math – College Level Math meeting GE requirement – 4.0 units 
• HRC 100C – Nutrition (meets PE requirement) – 3.0 units
  OR 
• BIO 107C – Nutrition and World Food Issues – 3.0 units 
• Ethnic Studies* – 3.0 units 

* Individuals with Cypress College catalog rights prior to fall 2025, see a Health Science Counselor.

General Education and Graduation Requirements 

The following additional courses are required for the Associate degree and must be completed by the time of application. All general education courses must be completed with a “C” or better. Please refer to the Cypress College Catalog for current Native General Education requirements. 

• Arts (minimum 3 units) 
• Humanities (minimum 3 units) 
• Physical Activity/Health (1-3 units)  

• Before the application opens online, review and follow the required instructions on the Checklist and Sample Application on the Dental Hygiene home page. 
• Apply to Cypress College to obtain a Cypress College student ID#.  
• Once a Cypress College Student ID# has been received, submit required official transcripts from other colleges to Cypress College Admissions and Records. Admission and Records will not accept transcripts opened prior to submission, PDF documents sent from a student, unofficial transcripts, or a Cypress College transcript. 

• Unofficial transcripts and/or proof of registration from all colleges, with a record of enrollment, will be required to be uploaded within the online Health Science application. Cypress College’s review process includes verification using the National Student Clearinghouse.
• If using AP, IB, and/or CLEP courses, after receiving a Cypress College ID#, submit official score report/transcript to Cypress College Admissions and Records mailing address: 9200 Valley View St., Cypress, CA 90630.
• Application must be completed online during the month of February. Application deadline.  
• Notification letters are emailed out no later than May 1.  
• Log into the online Health Science Application using myGateway credentials. Submit needed documents following the instructions within the online Health Science application. 
• Determination of acceptance is based upon the selection criteria.
  

Students for the DH program are selected using the system listed below. No other criteria are used. Workshop Handouts can be found on the Dental Hygiene webpage.

Ranking List – See Workshop Handout for details.

Approximately 80% of the cohort will be selected based on application points.

1. Ranking will first be based on the 55-point system.

2. GPA of program prerequisite courses (B) used within application will be used in the event there is a tie in application points.

3. Application submission date and time (determined by date and time of electronically submitted application) will be used in the event there is a tie in GPA of program prerequisite courses (B).

Lottery List – See Workshop Handout for details.

Approximately 20% of the cohort will be selected randomly. The Lottery List will contain the names of all currently eligible applicants and those that fulfill the Lottery List requirements.

• Students who are not accepted to the program will need to reapply the following year.
• Applicants normally exceed capacity. The class size of 20 students has been approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation along with preliminary approval for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree.
• F-1 visa students will not be accepted for admission into any program when applications by qualified U.S. citizens exceed space available (AP 5012 1.4.).
• All required paperwork must be submitted by the application deadline to be considered eligible.
• Acceptance is based on a confirmation response by the deadline stated in the notification letter from the applicant selected and followed by mandatory attendance at an orientation and passing DH 100 C Introduction to Dental Hygiene.
  o DH 100 C – Passing this course is required for all accepted and alternate students to start the program in the fall. This course will be offered at Cypress College in the summer following the application period and will be noted in the notification letter. Failure to pass DH 100C prohibits future applications.
• Selection criteria is subject to change.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Students will be required to pass a formal background check before placement in affiliated hospitals/clinics. During the learning process, students are required to perform dental hygiene process of care on each other. 

Curriculum 

Semester I 

DH 101C – Dental Anatomy & Morphology – 2.0 units
DH 104C – Oral Health Assessment – 3.0 units
DH 105C – Oral Embryology and Histology – 2.0 units
DH 106C – Radiology Tech/Hygienists – 3.0 units
DH 109C – Pre-Clinical Dental Hygiene – 5.0 units
DH 148C – Medical/Dental Emergencies – 2.0 units 

Semester I Units – 17.0

Semester II 

DH 110C – Clinical Dental Hygiene – 7 units
DH 112C – Head and Neck Anatomy – 2.0 units
DH 113C – General and Oral Pathology – 2.0 units
DH 116C – Dental Materials/Hygienists – 2.5 units
DH 125C – Perio Pathology & Therapy – 2.0 units 

Semester II Units – 15.0 

Semester III 

DH 220C – Clinical Dental Hygiene – 6.5 units
DH 240C – Community Oral Health I – 2.0 units
DH 250C – Pharmacology – 2.0 units
DH 255C – Dental Anesthesiology – 3.0 units
DH 260C – Dental Care for Special Needs – 2.0 units 

Semester III Units – 15.5

Semester IV 

DH 221C – Clinical Dental Hygiene – 6.5 units
DH 230C – Dental Specialties – 2.0 units
DH 241C – Community Oral Health II – 2.0 units
DH 245C – Dental Jurisprudence – 2.0 units 

Semester IV Units – 14.0

Elective: DH 275C or DH 276C Clinical Dental Hygiene 0.5 unit (Summer Session) 

A student must attain a minimum of a “C” in all required courses to continue in the program.

The Dental Hygiene Program offers four certificates upon completion of the program. 

• Radiology Safety Certificate 
• Dental Hygiene Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate 
• Ultrasonic Scaling and Coronal Polishing Certificate 
• Administration of Local Anesthesia, Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen Analgesia and Periodontal Soft Tissue Curettage Certificate  

(1) successfully pass written and clinical Board Examination and Law and Ethics Examination, and (2) have no criminal record, or the board must determine that a past criminal record poses no threat to the public health, safety, or welfare. Finger printing is required and checked through the Department of Justice and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The applicant must report on the Application for Licensure, any convictions, or pleas of nolo contendere, even if the conviction was dismissed. Making a false statement on an application, regarding a past conviction, is cause for denial of a license, regardless of the nature of the crime or how long ago it occurred.  

The North Orange County Community College District, in compliance with all applicable Federal and State Laws, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, religion, disability, sex, or sexual orientation in any of its policies, procedures, or practices. The district is also committed to maintaining campuses that are free of harassment, drugs, and alcohol. 

Health Science Counselors
Division of Health Science
Cypress College
9200 Valley View St.
Cypress, CA  90630-5897
(714) 484-7015 

Health Science Applications Office
Health Science Building/TE3-217 
Cypress College
9200 Valley View St. 
Cypress, CA 90630-5897
healthscience@cypresscollege.edu 

• Review the program webpage for program information and all prerequisite requirements and selection criteria. 
• Attend a Health Science Workshop (optional, but strongly recommended). 
• Speak with a Health Science Counselor for any questions or concerns regarding application (optional). 
• Apply to Cypress College as a general student and obtain a myGateway Student ID #. Example @01234567. It can take up to 5 business days. Applying to a Health Science program is a separate application. 
• Review the myGateway instructions on the Cypress College website.
  

• Obtain unofficial Cypress College and Fullerton College transcripts if any attempted/completed/in progress coursework exists. A current copy, in PDF format, will be required to be uploaded within the online Health Science application during each application period. Within myGateway, click on WebStar, open the Student Records folder, click on View Unofficial Web Transcript, on the unofficial transcript click on the wording “Click here to print this page” and print the file as a PDF document. Do not take screenshots, the entire unofficial transcript must be provided. 
• Unofficial transcripts and/or proof of registration from all colleges, with a record of enrollment, will be required to be uploaded within the online Health Science application. Cypress College’s review process includes verification using the National Student Clearinghouse.
• If using AP, IB, and/or CLEP courses, after receiving a Cypress College ID#, submit official score report/transcript to Cypress College Admissions and Records mailing address: 9200 Valley View St., Cypress, CA 90630.

• Log into the online Health Science Application using myGateway credentials (8-digit student I.D., also called a “banner I.D.”, and an accompanying password). 
• Fill in the Health Science online application for the program applying for.  Only one application is allowed per application period. It is the applicant’s responsibility to fill in the application fully and correctly. 
• Be prepared to upload PDF documents if needed. Current unofficial transcript(s) for Cypress and/or Fullerton College will be required to be uploaded within the online health Science if have attempted/completed/in-progress each application period.
• Unofficial transcripts and/or proof of registration from all colleges, with a record of enrollment, will be required to be uploaded within the online Health Science application.
• Once completed, click the submit button.  A confirmation email will be sent containing other information. 
• Failure to provide a complete application packet will result in an ineligible application. 
• An applicant’s account will be locked once an application is submitted online.  Updates or changes can be completed during the program’s next application period.
  

• The Health Science Applications Office will contact all applicants with a notification letter email no later than May 1.  Please do not contact the college for a status update before to the notification letter date unless instructed to do so by the Health Science staff or faculty. 
• It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the Health Science Applications Office by May 2 if a notification letter email was not received.  Deadline to respond is about 3 business days.  Failure to respond to an Accepted and Alternate status notification letter email will result in the application being marked as declined and will be removed from the roster. NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Ineligible applications – It is the applicant’s responsibility to inquire about the reason their application was ineligible and correct any errors during the next application period. 
• If an applicant would like to discuss the application once applicants have received the notification letter, please contact a Health Science Counselor during business hours: Health Science Express Counseling-Cranium Café Lobby, or call (714) 484-7015 for appointment (if available) or Counselor hours of availability for virtual “walk-ins.”
  

Eligibility to apply (all must be Yes) 

• Overall GPA of 2.5 in all college classes taken? 
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in Science Prerequisites? 
• All program prerequisites and general education requirements must be completed at the time of application with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
  

List ALL Colleges and Universities with coursework attempted, completed, or in progress, regardless if they apply to the program. Includes dual-enrollment/special admit (courses completed during elementary school, middle school, or high school), or distance learning. List full college name on application. DO NOT list districts or abbreviations. Accepted abbreviations are UC for University of California and CSU for California State University. Accepted examples: UC Irvine, CSU Long Beach. 

Program Science Prerequisites 

Be prepared to list the following for each course: Subject & Course # (as seen on the transcript – not the CRN #), School, Units, Grade, Term, and Year. 

• CHEM 101C – Chemistry for Health Science Majors I   
• CHEM 201C – Chemistry for Health Science Majors II  
• BIOL 220C – Medical Microbiology   
• BIOL 231C – General Human Anatomy  
• BIOL 241C – General Human Physiology
  

Program General Education Prerequisites 

Be prepared to list the following for each course: Subject & Course # (as seen on the transcript – not the CRN #), School, Units, Grade, Term, and Year. 

See CC Local GE requirements for options. 

• PSY 101C – Introduction to Psychology  
• COMM C1000 – Oral Communication  
• SOC 101C – Introduction to Sociology  
• ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000E, or ESL 110C – English Composition  
• MATH 40C – Intermediate Algebra (or any math meeting GE) 
• HRC 100C – Nutrition OR BIO 107C – Nutrition and World Food Issues   
• Ethnic Studies*   

* Individuals with Cypress College catalog rights prior to Fall 2025, see a Health Science Counselor.

General Education Courses 

See CC Local GE requirements for options. 

Be prepared to list the following for each course: Subject & Course # (as seen on the transcript – not the CRN #), School, Units, Grade, Term, and Year. 

• Arts * (Category 3A, 3.0 units)
• Humanities * (Category 3B, 3.0 units)
• Physical Activity and Health * (1.0 units)