Dental Hygiene

Dental hygienists use their knowledge and clinical skills to provide dental hygiene care for patients. They also use interpersonal skills to motivate, counsel and educate patients on preventing oral disease and maintaining oral health through good oral hygiene and nutrition. The Diablo Valley College dental hygiene program prepares students to work in a dental office as a licensed member of the dental health team.

Students learn:

How to assess and evaluate periodontal conditions
How to plan and implement appropriate treatment
Patient screening procedures
How to take and develop dental radiographs (x-rays)
How to remove calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth
How to apply preventive materials to the teeth (e.g. sealants and fluorides)
How to teach patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health
How to counsel patients regarding good nutrition and its impact on oral health
How to make impressions of patients' teeth for study casts (models of teeth used by dentists to evaluate patient treatment needs)
How to perform documentation and office management activities
Pharmacology for the dental hygienist
Local anesthesia and nitrous oxide sedation
Coronal polishing

The rigorous two-year program of classroom instruction and clinical experience in DVC's own dental facility prepares students to perform the educational, clinical and laboratory responsibilities of a dental hygienist. The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and by the United States Department of Education. This program is approved by the Dental Board of California.