Certificate in Dental Assisting
Dental Assisting Program Information Packet
The dental assistant takes on significant responsibility as a member of the dental health care team. Assistants greatly increase the efficiency of the dentist in the delivery of quality oral health care and are valuable members of the dental team. Dental assistants must possess strong communication skills and enjoy working with their hands.
A career as a dental assistant offers many challenges. In addition to assisting the dentist during a variety of procedures, other specific tasks dental assistants may perform include providing instructions for oral care following treatment, performing office management tasks, exposing dental radiographs (x-rays), sterilizing instruments, decontaminating equipment, and taking impressions of patients’ teeth.
Dental Assisting Certification or Licensure
IU Northwest’s Certificate in Dental Assisting curriculum prepares graduates for certification or licensure in:
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
It does not meet all state education requirements for certification or licensure in:
Maine, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.
It has not made a determination that its curriculum meets all the state educational requirements for certification or licensure in:
American Samoa, California, District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
There are no certification or licensure requirements in:
Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene Program Information Packet
The Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene requires a total of 120 credit hours, including 56 hours of prerequisite liberal arts courses with a grade point average of at least a 2.5 and 64 credit hours of professional courses. The prerequisites may not be taken on a pass/fail option and each must show a letter grade of C or better. Remedial courses cannot be used to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Once accepted into the dental hygiene program, the student will enroll in courses designed to provide educational and clinical training necessary for the practice of dental hygiene. Candidates for admission to the program must be high school graduates with a concentration in the sciences or GED equivalent. High school courses in biology and chemistry are necessary for success in the program.
To get started, the student should:
1) Apply to the IU Northwest Admissions Office
2) Complete the Math/English Placement Exam
3) Following the completion of the Exam, meet with a Dental Education Advisor
Once the student completes their 56 credit hour prerequisite coursework:
1) Apply to the IU Northwest Dental Hygiene Program
2) Application deadline is February 1st of the year the student wishes to begin the program
3) Attend the mandatory Dental Hygiene Applicant Open House (end of February)
Students are notified of acceptance into the program by May 31st. Admission to the program is competitive and class size is limited.
Prospective Transfer Students:
1) Apply to IU Northwest Admissions Office
2) Submit official transcript(s)
3) Complete Math/English Placement tests (if necessary)
4) Meet with a Dental Education Advisor
5) If all necessary prerequisite coursework have been completed, then apply to the IU Northwest Dental Hygiene Program
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene - Degree Completion
1) Apply to IU Northwest Admissions Office (if not former IU student)
2) Submit official transcript(s) (if not former IU student)
3) Complete Math/English Placement tests (if necessary)
4) Meet with a Dental Education Advisor
5) If all necessary prerequisite coursework have been completed, then apply to the IU Northwest Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Program
6) All transfer students must complete a minimum of 30 IU credit hours as a residency requirement
7) Verify state licensure, CPR certification, national criminal background check, recent bloodborne pathogen training, and updated vaccinations (including annual TB test)
Dental Hygiene Licensure
IU Northwest’s Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene curriculum prepares graduates for licensure in:
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
It does not meet all state education requirements for licensure in:
Arizona, California, Florida, and Washington.
It has not made a determination that its curriculum meets all the state educational requirements for licensure in:
American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Board Examination Pass Rates, Graduation, and Employment Rates
