Coursework

Program Prerequisites

The following courses must be completed prior to applying for admission to the program. “In Progress” work for the prerequisites will not be considered during the selection process.The required prerequisites are requirements of the Dental Hygiene Board of California consistent with requirements for admission of all DH Students effective April 2022. 

Prerequisites (GPA in Pre-requisite courses needs to be 3.0 or higher)
  • Anatomy 25 & Physiology 1 - Human Anatomy (4 units) & Human Physiology (4 units)
  • Chemistry 2A(4 units) & 2B (4units) - General, Organic & Biochemistry 
  • Microbiology 2 - Microbiology (4 units)
  • Nutrition 11 - Human Nutrition (3 units)
  • English 1A - Reading & Composition (4 units)
  • Psychology 1 - Introductory Psychology (3 units)
  • Sociology 1 - Introductory Sociology (3 units)
  • Speech 1 - Fundamentals of Speech (3 units) OR  Speech 10 Interpersonal Communication (3 units)
  • Intermediate Algebra or Higher (4 units)
  • AP scores can be used for only English and Math prerequisites

  • https://pasadena.edu/academics/degrees-and-certificates/aa-degrees/degree-requirements.php
    Local General Education Pattern
    California State University (CSU) General Education Pattern
    Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) General Education Pattern

  • Examples of additional coursework not caluclated in GPA are listed below:
  • College Algebra/ Elementary Statistics - Math 3 equivalent or higher / Stats 050
  • Physical Education ( 2 units) - See AS Degree requirements for list of options (two courses)
  • US History (3 units) AND Political Science (3 units)

Required Coursework

First (Junior) Year:

Fall Semester

First Year | 14 Units

  • ANAT 115 - Head Neck Anatomy Histology and Embryology  (3.0 units)
  • DH 101A - Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene (5.0 units)
  • DH 109 - Dental Health Education, Communication and Diversity  (2.0 units)
  • DH 117 -  Dental Morphology and Occlusion (2.0 units)
  • DH 122* -   Medical Evaluation of Dental Hygiene Patients(2 units)
Winter Semester

First Year | 4 Units

DH200A* - Directed Studies in Clinical Dental Hygiene (1 Unit) 
DH141*-  Oral Radiology (3 Units)

Spring Semester

 First Year - | 12.5 Units

  • DH 101B - Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice (5.0 units)
  • DH 105 - Advanced Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice (3.0 units)
  • DH 116 - Dental Materials (2.5 units)
  • DH 108 - DH 108 - Pharmacology (2.0 units)
Summer Intercession

First Year Students | 3 units                              

  • DH 104A - Clinical Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice: Pain Control  (2.0 Units)
  • DH 200B- Advanced Techniques in Clinical Dental Hygiene (1 unit)

Second (Senior) Year

Fall Semester

 Second Year Students- 14.0 Units

  • DH 104B - Clinical Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice  (7.0 units)
  • DH 107 - Introduction to Oral Health Research (2.0 units)
  • DH 113A - Periodontics  (2.0 units)
  • DH 119A - Community Dental Health (2.0 units)
  • DH 121 - Clinical Practice in Alternative Settings (1.0 units)
Winter Semester

 Second Year Students- 1 Unit

DH201* - Dental Hygiene Skills Enhancement Lab (1 Unit)

Spring Semester

 Second Year Students- 11.0 Units

  • DH 104C -  Advanced Clinical Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice (7 units)
  • DH 111 - Current Issues in Dental Hygiene (2 units)
  • DH 113B - Advanced Periodontics ( 1 unit)
  • DH 121 - Clinical Practice in Alternative Settings (1 unit)
Summer Intercession

Summer -1.0 unit

  • DH 200C - Clinical Board Preparation** 1unit

       ***Elective for Graduates

Recommended electives:

  • DH 200C Clinical Board Preparation (1 unit, elective for graduates)*** 
  • DH 119B Community Dental Health Lab (0.5 unit)
  • DH 120 Independent Study (1 unit)

Course Resources

Use the resources below to see full course descriptions and check on the availability of courses in a given semester.

This program is designed to be completed in months.

This program will cost if completed within normal time. There may be additional costs for living expenses. These costs were accurate at the time of posting, but may have changed.

Of the students who completed this program within normal time, the typical graduate leaves with of debt.

License requirements:

For more information about graduation rates, loan repayment rates, and post-enrollment earnings about this institution and other postsecondary institutions please click here: www.collegescorecard.ed.gov.

This program has not passed standards established by the U.S. Department of Education. The Department based these standards on the amounts students borrow for enrollment in this program and their reported earnings. If in the future the program does not pass the standards, students who are then enrolled may not be able to use federal student grants or loans to pay for the program, and may have to find other ways, such as private loans, to pay for the program.