Dental Hygiene

Dental Hygiene encompasses the relationship between oral health care and total body health. Providing individualized oral hygiene care requires knowledge in the application of principles of biomedical, clinical and social sciences. The profession demonstrates ethical principles of healthcare, appropriate communication skills and critical thinking skills while delivering consistent, safe clinical treatment to patients, families, groups and communities in a variety of healthcare settings.

Accredited by the American Dental Association, the Perimeter College Dental Hygiene guided pathway is a two-year, five-semester course of study that begins each fall. Graduates who earn an associate degree are eligible to join a preventive oral health profession that promotes quality health and education in a variety of practice settings.

Admission to the Dental Hygiene Program

This program requires special admission. The Dental Hygiene sequence of professional courses (DHYG) starts only in the fall semester, and enrollment is limited. Official notification of acceptance to the program is confirmed by the Department of Dental Hygiene. Admission requirements include the following:

Acceptance to Perimeter College of Georgia State University
Satisfaction of all Learning Support requirements
Additional requirements as defined by the Department of Dental Hygiene

Applicants should contact the Dental Hygiene office at 770-274-5130 for additional information.

Special Note: The grading scale for all Dental Hygiene courses is:
A: 92 - 100
B: 82 - 91
C: 75 - 81
D: 60 - 74 failure in DH courses

All Dental Hygiene courses must be completed with a grade of 75 or above to continue in the Dental Hygiene curriculum.

Readmission for Dental Hygiene

Students who leave the Dental Hygiene program for non-academic reasons may be considered for readmission/re-entry into the program. The student must initiate a request for re-entry by submitting a letter to the Program Director for Dental Hygiene within one year of his or her exit from the program. Contact the Dental Hygiene Program Director for additional information.