Apply to the Dental Hygiene Program

Each fall semester, 20 candidates meeting all qualification requirements will be selected for admission into the Dental Hygiene Program.

Application Filing Period

The application filing period for the 2025 fall semester is December 1, 2024 to March 15, 2025, by 4 pm.

Hand deliver to the Dental Education Center or mail to:

Moreno Valley College
Attn: Dental Hygiene Program
16130 Lasselle Street
Moreno Valley, CA 92551-2045

Licensure Opportunities

Students in good standing in the program are eligible to take the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination in April of their second year. Upon graduation and successful completion of the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination, graduates are eligible to take state and/or regional licensing examinations.

Eligibility and Prerequisites

1. RCCD application on file and eligibility to attend MVC.
2. High School Verification: Proof of high school or equivalent (GED, high school proficiency examination) per the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation.
3. Cumulative GPA of not less than 2.0 in all work attempted at MVC and a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.0, which includes all accredited college units attempted.
4. Cumulative GPA of not less than 3.0 for science prerequisite courses that must include a lab (see * below).
5. All the following prerequisite courses must be completed prior to starting the program. Applicants may apply with up to 3 prerequisites in-progress; however, if accepted, you must have successfully completed all prerequisites with the required cumulative GPA by the end of the Spring semester of the year of application.
   
   • BIO-50A Anatomy and Physiology I*
   • BIO-50B Anatomy and Physiology II*
   • CHE-2A Chemistry 2A*
   • CHE-2B Chemistry 2B*
   • COM-1 or 1H Public Speaking
   • ENG-1A or 1AH English Composition
   • MAT-52 Elementary Algebra (or higher)
   • BIO-55 Microbiology*
   • KIN-4 Nutrition
   • PSY-1 or 1H General Psychology
   • SOC-1 or 1H Introduction to Sociology

Dental hygiene applicants requesting transfer credit evaluation must provide official transcripts with their application. Only general education and prerequisite coursework will be considered and evaluated for transfer credit, and all general education and prerequisite course(s) for the dental hygiene program must have been taken at an appropriately accredited institution. Authority for all final transfer credit decisions is provided by the institutions evaluation department.

Foreign transcripts must have a "Detailed Evaluation." Information can be obtained from the Counseling office.

For advisement of prior college course work as it pertains to the program requirements, please schedule an appointment to meet with an academic counselor. Appointments can be made by contacting Student Services at (951) 571-6104.

Students selected for the program will be admitted pending submission of a valid CPR certification card (BLS Healthcare Provider Course), medical clearance by a physician or physician assistant for activities associated with the profession, verification of receiving the Hepatitis B vaccination, tetanus, MMR, and TB testing. The CPR card must be kept current throughout the program.

If the CPR card expires prior to completing the program, re-certification is required. This must be a "hands-on course"; online courses do not qualify.

Bloodborne Pathogens Statement

Dental health professionals may be exposed to contagious diseases therefore strict compliance with Center of Disease Control (CDC) and OSHA standards are maintained. Written policies and instruction on infection control protocols to minimize the risk of disease transmission is provided in courses throughout the curriculum and through documents such as the Dental Hygiene Clinic Manual. Compliance of safety practices is evaluated throughout the students' clinical experience to ensure a safe educational and work environment. Policies on blood borne and infectious disease are available upon request from the Dental Hygiene Program.