Welcome to the Dental Hygiene Department
Middlesex County College offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Dental Hygiene. The curriculum is rigorous and includes general education, science courses and dental hygiene courses. Students complete two years of academic study including clinical practice under the supervision of Middlesex County College faculty in the college’s Dental Hygiene clinic and external clinical practice sites. General education and science courses may be completed prior to admission to the program or concurrently with the dental hygiene program courses.
A Dental Hygienist is a licensed professional who provides oral health care to patients in dental offices, public health facilities, long-term care facilities, and other settings. The services provided by Dental Hygienists include performing oral examinations, oral cancer screenings, scaling, root planning, polishing, exposure of oral radiographs of the teeth and related oral structures, application of topical fluoride and pit and fissure sealants, and providing patient education in the prevention of oral disease.
Dental Hygienists incorporate education and prevention with provision of clinical services to ensure delivery of optimal oral care. Individuals interested in the profession should enjoy helping others, display manual dexterity and demonstrate above average communication, interpersonal and decision-making skills.
During the final semester of the program, students are eligible to take the Dental Hygiene National Board and the North East Regional Board Examinations. Upon graduation and successful completion of these board examinations, the graduate may apply for and take a state licensure examination.
Career Opportunities
Career Coach is our free, online tool that you can use to view career information that is up-to-date and local to our region.
The Associate’s degree Dental Hygiene Program at Middlesex County College meets the state education requirements for a dental hygienist license in the state of New Jersey. Middlesex County College has not determined if the Dental Hygiene A.A.S. program meets the state education requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Contact the state regulatory agency for Dental Hygiene in any other state for which this information is needed.
Transfer Information
Our students transfer to 4-year colleges and universities around the globe. We’ve had students transfer to every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.
The Statewide Transfer Agreement for New Jersey ensures that students who earn an A.A. or A.S. degree at a community college will have those credits fully transferable to a New Jersey public four-year institution, will have completed half of the credits required for a basic four-year degree and will have completed all lower division general education requirements. In addition, articulation agreements are being worked out with institutions granting baccalaureate degrees in Public Health to facilitate the transfer process. Students should discuss the transfer process with an advisor.
Are you interested in transferring to a school in New Jersey? You can use the tools at NJTransfer.org to see which of your MCC courses will transfer to a specific college.