Dental Hygiene Program

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Delivery Options:
Onsite

Degree Type:
Associate of Applied Science Degree

Program Length Once Accepted To Program:
5 Semesters

Why Pursue Dental Hygiene?

Becoming a dental hygienist offers you the chance to make a real impact on people’s health by providing essential oral care and education. Enjoy a rewarding and stable career with flexible hours and competitive salaries. Plus, work in a variety of settings, from private practices to public health clinics, ensuring every day is both fulfilling and diverse.

Graduates are prepared to:

Apply a professional code of ethics, assume responsibility for actions and decide care on scientific theories and research.
Adhere to state and federal laws, recommendations and regulations in oral health care.
Use critical thinking to identify oral health care strategies, determine dental hygiene diagnoses and consider risk factors and systemic influences.
Use evidence-based decision-making to evaluate technology and treatment, providing quality, cost-effective care and services.
Perform continuous self-assessment for lifelong learning and professional growth, accessing networks for career advancement.

Communicate effectively with diverse individuals, acknowledging and appreciating diversity without discrimination.
Promote dental hygiene profession values and overall health through service-based activities and community involvement.
Apply quality assurance mechanisms to ensure health and safety standards in patient care.
Collaborate with patients and other health care providers to create individualized, patient-centered care plans, considering unique needs and cultural sensitivity.
Collect, analyze and document diagnostic data on patient health, ensuring complete and accurate records of oral health services.

How To Apply To The Dental Hygiene Program

Step 3. Be admitted to Great Falls College and have a complete admissions file before applying to the program.
1. 1. New to Great Falls College? Apply here
  2. Continuing student at Great Falls College? Your admissions file is already complete.
Step 4. Submit the program application

Application open date: March 3 (delayed from Feb. 14)

Application deadline: June 13

Application packets are accepted on an ongoing basis but must be postmarked on or before June 13 to meet the priority deadline to get into the Dental Hygiene program for the upcoming semester. Only complete application packets will be processed, so do not send items separately.

Types of courses

DENT 101	Introduction to Dental Hygiene/Preclinic
DENT 105	Professional Issues/Ethics in Dental I
DENT 223	Clinical Dental Hygiene Theory II
DENT 240	Local Anesthesia/Nitrous Oxide Theory and Lab

Career Opportunities

Prior to enrollment, students should review the Great Falls College MSU State Authorization (NC-SARA) webpage Accreditation – Great Falls College to determine whether this program meets the licensing requirements in a specific state. All states accept the national written board exam dental hygiene students take at the end of this Program. It is important to note that all states determine their own requirements regarding clinical board tests accepted for licensure

Graduates of the dental hygiene program are qualified to work in various dental practice settings, including general dentistry, periodontal, pediatric, public health and orthodontics. With the required hours of experience and continued education, some graduates choose to apply for a Montana Limited Access Permit that allows dental hygienists to work in rural settings and meet the needs of underserved populations throughout our beautiful state.

It’s been hard. Definitely hard. But I know it’ll be worth it … The teachers are nice. They’re great … and they just all bring something different that they can kind of teach us, which is nice to get all those different backgrounds. (My classmates,) we’re like family. We all help each other out and … we always say none of us would pass if it wasn’t for the others.

Mya Elkin

Dental Hygiene Student

Additional Program Information

Patient Care:

Provide challenging clinical experiences that encompass dental hygiene care for the child, adolescent, adult, geriatric and patients with special needs so students can demonstrate clinical care that is safe, effective and ethical.

Instruction:

Provide a comprehensive curriculum in dental hygiene that reflects current practice and incorporates a variety of health-care settings.

Research:

Incorporate evidence-based research into presentations for dental hygienists that require students to analyze and assess emerging technology and treatment modalities hygienists can integrate into their clinical practices.

Service:

Promote participation in professional organization and community service projects.
American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) Complaint Statement

The Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association will review complaints that relate to a program’s compliance with the accreditation standards and competencies. The Commission is interested in the sustained quality and continued improvement of the dental and dental-related education programs. They do not, however, intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal of individuals in matters of admission, appointment, promotion, or dismissal of faculty, staff, or students.

The Great Falls College Dental Hygiene Program has been granted “Accreditation without reporting” and the next site visit is in the year 2026.

A copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or ADA Commission’s policy and procedure for submission of complaints may be obtained by contacting:

Commission on Dental Accreditation 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611

1-800-621-8099 ext.2719

If students or community members have a complaint with the program and carry out its standards, a complaint can be placed on the Great Falls College’s complaint log along with contacting the Commission. The log is at the Dental Clinic Reception desk with the Dental Clinic Manager.

Get to Know the Dental Hygiene Faculty

Billi Broadbent

Dental Hygiene Adjunct Instructor

Rachael Bruce

Dental Hygiene Program Director

Kim Dunlap

Dental Hygiene Clinical Coordinator

Diedri Durocher

Adjunct Faculty

Heidi Frazier

Dental Hygiene Clinical Coordinator

Sarah Ginger

Adjunct Faculty

Gwen Honeycutt

Dental Hygiene Faculty

Terri Jarvey

Administrative Assistant Dental

Meagan Marquis

Dental Hygiene Adjunct

KarLee McConville

Dental Hygiene Adjunct

Dental Hygiene Program In The News

Scholarships can make a big difference in students’ lives; just ask hygiene student Laney Simonson

Great Falls College dental hygiene student Laney Simonson has a simple plan: Take as much help as she can. And the second-year dental hygiene student is executing the plan. “I kind of based my school on getting as much help as I can,” she said….

Hannah Johnson selected as Student Volunteer of Year

Johnson is a second-year dental hygiene student…

Alluvion Health supports Great Falls College’s mission

Alluvion donated $15,000 to the college’s new dental student lab…

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Dental Hygiene Program

Why Pursue Dental Hygiene?

Graduates are prepared to:

How To Apply To The Dental Hygiene Program

Types of courses

Career Opportunities

Additional Program Information

Get to Know the Dental Hygiene Faculty

Dental Hygiene Program In The News

Scholarships can make a big difference in students’ lives; just ask hygiene student Laney Simonson

Hannah Johnson selected as Student Volunteer of Year

Alluvion Health supports Great Falls College’s mission

Find It Fast

More Information

Resources

Dental Hygiene Program

Why Pursue Dental Hygiene?

Graduates are prepared to:

How To Apply To The Dental Hygiene Program

Step 1: Pre-requisites

Step 2: Transcripts

Step 3: Apply to the college

Step 4: Apply to the program

Types of courses

Career Opportunities

Additional Program Information

Dental Clinic Site

Program Goals

Curriculum Map & Assessment Plan

Accreditation

Student Handbook

Get to Know the Dental Hygiene Faculty

Dental Hygiene Program In The News

Scholarships can make a big difference in students’ lives; just ask hygiene student Laney Simonson

Hannah Johnson selected as Student Volunteer of Year

Alluvion Health supports Great Falls College’s mission

Find It Fast

More Information

Resources

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