- Apply to the College
Complete the TMCC Application for Admission and view important dates and deadlines. If you have questions, please contact the Admissions and Records Office. - Submit Official Transcripts
Submit official transcripts from all of your previous college work to TMCC's Admissions and Records Office. Transcripts must be received by the application deadline for the Dental Hygiene Program. Important: After you've submitted your official transcripts, you must have them evaluated by TMCC's Admissions and Records Office using the Credit Evaluation for Transfer Students. - Take the Pre-Admission Assessment
The Pre-Admission Assessment Exam consists of: 1) the Dental Hygiene Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) exam; 2) Dental Hygiene Spatial Relation Test; and 3) Dental Hygiene Dexterity Test. Full information regarding categories, review texts, scoring and cost for the exam are available from TMCC's Testing Services. - Meet the Program Requirements
Prior to submitting your application, please review TMCC's Dental Hygiene Program minimum requirements and be sure you meet them. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. - Submit the Dental Hygiene Program Application
Complete and submit the online Dental Hygiene Program Application by the posted deadline. Note that the application is only open for a limited time.
Application Minimum Requirements
Listed below are the minimum requirements to apply to the Dental Hygiene Program:
- Program Core Science Requirement
- Completion of program prerequisite science courses (BIO 223, BIO 224, BIO 251, CHEM 220) with a minimum GPA of 2.75 and grade of C or higher.
- Can only be taken twice within a five-year period to improve grade.
- Withdrawals and audits count as attempts.
- Any course substitutions for program prerequisite science courses must be approved by Academic Advising or the Dental Hygiene program director prior to applying to the program.
- Additional Program Core Requirements
- Completion of additional program core requirements (COM 113 and SOC 101 and NUTR 223) with a minimum GPA of 2.75 and grade of C or higher.
- Any course substitutions for program prerequisite courses must be approved by Academic Advising or the Dental Hygiene program director prior to applying to the program.
- Unofficial Transcripts
- A copy of unofficial transcripts from all institutions other than TMCC
- HESI Pre-Admissions Testing Results
- Must be taken at the Dandini Campus through TMCC's Testing Services.
- Admission Points Worksheet
- Complete the Admission Points Worksheet (with a minimum of 100 points)
- Application Submission Checklist
- Complete the Application Submission Checklist which confirms all requested documents have been submitted.
- Dental Office Observation
- Complete the Dental Office Observation Form.
- Total hours of observation must equal a minimum of 8 hours. Observation hours do not have to be completed on the same day or at the same office.
- Work experience does not count for observation hours.
Optional Requirements
- Dental Work Experience Form
- Complete a Dental Work Experience Form if you have past or current work experience.
- CDA/RDA License
- Certificate or Degree from a CODA-accredited Dental Assisting Program or current CDA/RDA license.
How Are Prospective Dental Hygiene Program Students Selected?
Admission Points
16-18 applicants are selected for admission, and two applicants are selected as alternates. Applicants are ranked in order, based on the total Admission Points earned in the following areas:
- Cumulative GPA
- Science GPA
- Completion of general education, college and program core requirements
- Admission assessment exam scores
- Previous degrees earned
- Graduate of CODA-accredited Dental Assisting program or current CDA/RDA license
- Nevada resident
- Previous TMCC Dental Hygiene Program applicant
- Dental Work Experience
- Dental work experience is not required to apply to the Dental Hygiene Program.
- Admission points are given for full or part-time dental work experience.
- There is no time frame in which dental work experience occurred.
Download and complete the Admission Points Worksheet.
Please note that applicants who have completed all general education, college and program core requirements will have precedence over applicants who have any general education, college or program core requirements in progress.
Requirements for Accepted Students
Students accepted into the TMCC Dental Hygiene Program are notified in early May and are required to attend a mandatory orientation, generally held during the first or second week of June. Failure to attend orientation will forfeit the student's position in the program.
Dental Hygiene students are required to complete CPR for healthcare providers certification training, complete all immunizations, physical exam, and proof of TB-free state. During orientation, information will be provided on how to submit proof of requirements. Ample time will be allowed to complete the requirements prior to the start of the semester.
Immunizations
- MMR Immunization: Two dose series or Titer (Born prior to 1957 exempt)
- TDaP: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (DT within past 10 years)
- Hepatitis B: Three dose series (Must have begun series and complete as directed)
- Varicella (chickenpox) statement, proof of immunization: Two dose series, or Titer.
- Meningococcal: Two dose series (only needed if less than 23 years of age)
- Influenza: Annual vaccination
Previous Applicants
Applications are not carried over from one year to the next and admission points do not accumulate for each previous year of application.
If you wish to be considered as a candidate, you must submit a new application containing all materials, as directed. Previous applicants must identify the year(s) they applied to receive admission points. Previous applications are kept on file for five years for verification.