General Information
 

Accreditation
Yakima Valley Community College Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of  “approval without reporting requirements”.   The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and by the United States Department of Education.

Curriculum
The dental hygiene curriculum is academically, physically and psychologically demanding as well as rewarding.  Presently, dental hygiene students are enrolled full time only, and are often in classes and clinics up to and occasionally exceeding eight hours a day, five days a week.  In addition, students need to study and contact patients in the evening hours.

Presently, the curriculum in the Dental Hygiene Program is six quarters in length and must be taken successively. Because of the rigorous program schedule, employment outside of the program curriculum is strongly discouraged.  Click on the link below to view or print the curriculum sequence.

Curriculum Sequence

Degree Earned
Upon graduation from the Dental Hygiene program, students earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene.  Additional course work is required to obtain an Associate of Arts or Associate of Sciences Degree, or Bachelor of Science Degree. Baccalaureate Degree Completion programs, for Associate Degree Dental Hygiene graduates, are available.

Board Examinations
Winter and spring quarters of the second year, National Board Examinations and the Western Regional Anesthetic and Restorative examinations are administered.  With successful completion of the National Board examination and graduation from the Dental Hygiene Program, the graduate is eligible to take the Western Regional Dental Hygiene Board Examination, as well as other state and regional dental hygiene examinations.  Upon successfully completing these examinations and fulfilling various requirements placed by individual states, the graduate may apply for licensure in the specific state(s) included in the region.  States included in the Western Region are: Alaska, Arizona, California (Spring 2006-legislation did not address the dental hygiene exam), Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Teaching Methods and Learning Environment
The Dental Hygiene faculty at Yakima Valley Community College employs an active and participatory teaching methodology. Teaching facilitates learning by incorporating a variety of methods and strategies to accommodate and enhance diverse learning styles. Learning strategies include group exercises and projects, discussion, writing, lecture, demonstration, clinical observation, role playing, problem-solving, self-evaluation and self-learning with instructor guidance. Group learning projects and exercises are frequently used to teach critical thinking skills, effective communication, collaboration and teamwork, skills most valuable in the job market. The student is ultimately responsible for his/her own learning. Preparation for classes, group exercises and projects is crucial. Learning activities in the classroom are designed with the assumption that the student has come to class well prepared and that he/she has sufficient background knowledge to gain maximum benefit from class time. Students are expected to spend a minimum of two to three hours of preparation/study time for every hour in class.

Learning complex psychomotor skills is an important component of the curriculum. Practice on models and lab experience, with students achieving minimal competence, is utilized prior to attempting procedures on “real” dental patients. Students will qualify as “safe beginners” before being expected to perform skills on patients. Instructors assist students by providing constructive feedback designed to facilitate learning. Both the process of performing procedures and the final result of those processes are assessed by clinical faculty. Individual students learn psychomotor skills in different ways and at different rates. It is important that students recognize individual differences and work progressively toward the accomplishment of individual goals. Sufficient time is allowed for practice and many learning experiences are evaluated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Minimal competency levels and process evaluation will be part of all preclinical and clinical courses. The goal of clinical evaluation is to provide instruction and feedback to assist the student in utilizing problem solving and decision-making and in working independently with skill and confidence. As the curriculum progresses, students are expected to perform with increased proficiency and efficiency and to acquire more complex clinical skills.

Students will experience diverse teaching styles in clinic and lab. Instructional diversity provides a rich environment for learning. In order to obtain maximum learning in the clinical environment, it is important to learn to appreciate the knowledge, background, and experience of each clinical and laboratory instructor. Initially psychomotor skills are taught with one basic approach describing specific task components. This encourages consistency of teaching and evaluation, minimizing student confusion and frustration. As the student skill level improves, appropriate advanced techniques will be introduced. The program expects that all students will achieve career entry-level skills by the time of graduation.

Ethics are fundamental and essential in the health professions. Ethical concepts involve the ideas of right and wrong behavior. Individuals must behave in an ethical manner by demonstrating responsibility for learning and for appropriate professional and personal actions. Students must demonstrate forthrightness, honesty and integrity in interactions with fellow student colleagues, patients, faculty and staff.

Ethical dimensions in the health professions includes:

• Taking responsibility for learning
• Being accountable for one’s own actions
• Maintaining veracity (truth)
• Abstaining from wrongdoing
• Righting wrongdoing that has be committed
• Addressing others’ wrongdoing constructively
• Maintaining personal integrity
• Respecting others’ rights, views, and confidentiality