About Foothill CollegeFoothill College is located on El Monte Road in Los AltosHills, just off Interstate 280, about 40 miles south of San Francisco and 20 miles north of San Jose.

Since opening in 1958, Foothill has been recognized asone of the preeminent community colleges in the country.Foothill College offers outstanding instruction and studentsupport services, including counseling, tutoring andfinancial aid.

The Dental Hygiene Program is offered by the Biological& Health Sciences Division. For more information, accesswww.foothill.edu/bio/programs/dentalh, or call (650) 949-7335 or (650) 949-7538.

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Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of TrusteesJoan Barram; Betsy Bechtel; Pearl Cheng; Laura Casas Frier; Bruce Swenson; Erica Anderson, Foothill Student Trustee; Isabelle Barrientos Vargas, De AnzaStudent Trustee

Non-Discrimination StatementFoothill College does not discriminate against any person in the provision of itseducational programs and services, and personnel practices on the basis of race,color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, maritalstatus, physical disability or mental disability. Coordination of Title IX of theEducation Amendments of 1972 prohibiting sex discrimination; Section 504 of theRehabilitation Act of 1973; and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990governing accessibility is the responsibility of Vice President of Instruction &Student Development Rose Myers, (650) 949-7228.

Limited English PolicyProspective students are advised that a lack of English language skills will not bea barrier to admission to, or participation in vocational education programs atFoothill College as long as other, if any, program admission standards are met.This notice is a requirement of the Guidelines for Elimination of Discrimination &Denial of Services on the Basis of Race, Color, National Origin, Sex & Handicap(Federal Register; Vol. 44, No. 56). Reglamento sobre Limitaciones en el IdiomaInglés—Se les aconseja a posibles estudiantes que la carencia del idioma Inglésno será una barrera para la admisión, o participación en programas de educaciónvocacional en Foothill College, siempre y cuando todos los otros, si existieran,criterios de admisión del programa sean completados. Esta nota es un requisitode la Guía para la Eliminación de la Decscriminación y Rechazo de Servicios enBase a la Raza, Color, Nacionalidad de Origen, Sexo e Impedimento (RegistroFederal; Vol. 44, No. 56).

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D E N T A L H Y G I E N E

The Program ProfileThe Foothill College Dental Hygiene Program has been inexistence since 1964 and is accredited by the American DentalAssociation. It is one of the top-ranked dental hygiene programsin the United States.

This intensive two-year program begins in the SummerSession. The curriculum includes comprehensive courses inbasic sciences, oral anatomy, public health, nutrition, clinicaldental hygiene, periodontics, pathology, radiology and many others.

The on-campus, state-of-the-art Dental Hygiene Clinicprovides students with hands-on training. The clinic wasrecently remodeled and now features leading-edge technologyand equipment to provide students with the opportunity tolearn and train in a thoroughly modern facility.

Students who successfully complete the program earn theAssociate in Science Degree in Dental Hygiene and arequalified to take the Dental Hygiene National BoardExamination and California State Licensing Examination.

Dental Hygiene as a CareerThe employment outlook for registered dental hygienists isexcellent. As a dental hygienist, you can work in a variety ofsettings, including private dental practice, nursing homes,hospitals and public health agencies.Your duties may include:

•• Educating patients regarding the prevention of periodontal disease and other conditions;

•• Conducting oral cancer exams;•• Scaling and polishing teeth;•• Taking, viewing and interpreting radiographs;•• Administering local anesthesia and nitrous oxide

oxygen analgesia;•• Performing soft tissue curettage;•• Administering topical fluoride treatments; and•• Applying dental sealants.

Technical StandardsThe prospective dental hygiene student must:

•• Possess sufficient strength and finger dexterity to perform finite motor coordination and hand/eye coordination;

•• Perform skills related to emergency procedures required in the field;

•• View and interpret radiographs;•• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing; and•• Be sensitive to patients of all backgrounds.

PrerequisitesPrerequisites must be completed prior to the application deadlineof the year for which you are applying. The following prerequisitesmust be successfully completed with a grade of C or better:

•• High school graduation or equivalent;•• High school or college biology course (BIOL 10) or other

equivalent biology course;•• Completion of the Foothill CHEM 30A and CHEM 30B courses;•• Completion of the Foothill AHS 200 course;•• Completion of the Foothill D H 200L course (a waiver for

this course can be obtained only by possessing a current and active California Registered Dental Assistant in Extended Functions [RDAEF] License);

•• Minimum college grade-point average of 2.5 or better;•• Minimum grade-point average of 2.75 for required science

courses; and•• Compliance with the program's technical standards.

Admissions Procedures1. Admission to the Foothill College Dental Hygiene Program

is based on the following guidelines:a. Criteria approved by Foothill College;b. Guidelines consistent with state and federal law; and c. Guidelines established by the American Dental

Association, which is the accrediting agency for dental hygiene programs.

Primary admission criteria include completion of prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better, possession of a minimum grade-point average of 2.5 for all college courses, and compliance with the technical standards stated in the program application.

Secondary admission criteria include completion of college courses required for the dental hygiene major, with a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 for required science courses, general education courses, related work experience and previous applications. There is no waiting list for the Dental Hygiene Program.

2. This is a rigorous program, and we strongly recommend that you complete all of the science classes, such as anatomy, physiology, nutrition, microbiology, pharmacology and many of the required general education courses—with a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 for these required science courses—in advance of admittance to the program. These courses are required for the Foothill College Associate in Science Degree in Dental Hygiene.

3. If you have questions related to prerequisites, graduation requirements, evaluation process or transferability of coursework, schedule a consultation with Foothill College counselor by visiting www.foothill.edu/transfer/ counseling. Counselors will not evaluate course transferability by phone or correspondence.

How to ApplyThe Dental Hygiene Program is a two-year program withselective admission. Program application forms are available online at www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/dentalh.Applications and supporting documents are due by theFebruary deadline. Students are admitted into the program only once a year. Selections are made by May 30,and applicants are notified by letter of acceptance or non-acceptance.

For more information, call (650) 949-7538, e-mailWestKerry@foothill.edu, or write

Dental Hygiene Program Foothill College12345 El Monte RoadLos Altos Hills, CA 94022-4599Attn: Kerry West

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