Dental Hygiene

The Dental Hygiene Program prepares students for the practice of dental hygiene. A Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) is a licensed professional who is part of the dental care team, performing such services as oral examination, oral prophylaxis (scaling, root planning, soft tissue curettage and polishing the teeth), exposing and processing dental x-rays, administering local anesthesia and nitrous oxide sedation for pain control, applying preventative substances such as topical fluorides and dental sealants, along with instructing patients in oral disease control and nutrition.