All requirements for admission into the Dental Hygiene Program must be met before applying to the program. Once all of the admission requirements have been met and a COMPLETE application is received, a letter of acceptance with projected starting date will be mailed to the applicant. Applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as admission requirements are complete to receive the next available class seat. A COMPLETE application includes the following:
1. Completion of a Cuyahoga Community College Application. Do this before you submit any transcripts.
2. Completion of the Health Career/Dental Hygiene Program Application*.
3. Submission of an official high school transcript and /or GED transcript. Request the high school or GED office to forward one (1) official transcript directly to the Office of Admissions and Records and one (1) to you so that you can submit with your completed application packet.
4. Submission of official copies of transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, including Tri-C. Request the institution to forward one (1) to Tri-C Office of the Registrar and one (1) to you so that you can submit with your completed application packet. Once received, Office of Registrar requires 3-6 weeks to evaluate transcripts. Request a Tri-C transcript AFTER transferred courses have been evaluated and are reflected in your Tri-C transcript.
5. Completion of the following CORE courses (or transfer of comparable courses from another college or university) with a 3.0 GPA.
All science courses must have been completed within the past 5 years.
English and Psychology courses may be repeated once to improve a grade.
Only one (1) science course may be repeated once to improve a grade.
CORE courses for Dental Hygiene Program must be completed with a “C” or better to reflect a CORE GPA of 3.0.
Overall GPA must be at least a 2.5.
6. Prerequisites:
ENG-1010 College Composition I
PSY-1010 General Psychology
BIO- 1100 Introduction to Biological Chemistry
BIO-2330 Anatomy and Physiology I
BIO-2340 Anatomy and Physiology II
7. Completion of 20 hours Work/Observation in a dental setting which employs a Registered Dental Hygienist (Observation form enclosed). Four (4) of the twenty (20) hours should be in the Dental Hygiene Clinic at Tri-C.
8. Successful completion of Tri-C authorized background check, fingerprinting and Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) records search. For more information, please visit:
http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/healthcareers/Pages/BackgroundCheckInformation.aspx
9. *Completed Application includes the following:
Health Careers Application
Copy of High School Transcript or High School Diploma or GED
Tri-C transcript indicating completion of transferred and CORE Courses
Official college transcripts from institutions other than Tri-C indicating completion of CORE courses and grades awarded.
Observation Form
Application Worksheet
Do NOT submit an application unless it is complete. Incomplete applications will be returned.
If you have attended an institution other than Cuyahoga Community College:
Apply to Tri-C, Admission and Records, 2900 Community College Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115.
Request all official transcripts be forwarded from previously attended institutions (NOT Cuyahoga Community College) to: Cuyahoga Community College, Office of the Registrar, PO Box 5966 Cleveland, OH 44101-0966.
Non-native English speaking applicants:The Commission on Dental Accreditation and Cuyahoga Community College Dental Hygiene Program Competencies mandate that students must be competent in interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interact with diverse population groups. The ability to communicate verbally and in written form is basic to the provision of oral health services in a safe and effective manner. Therefore, applicants whose native language is not English and test into the ESL series must take the TOEFL, IBT http://www.toefl.org and score minimally, 21 Reading and Listening, 23-Writing, and 25-Speaking. Arrangements and costs incurred for the TOEFL is the responsibility of the student.
Felony for Forgery Statement: Due to the increase rise in patient identity theft, students with a convicted felony for forgery will not be accepted into a health career program.