2 - Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Programs of Study 2
Dental Hygiene
www.lwtech.edu/dental
DENTAL HYGIENE
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE
120 CREDITS (PLUS 57 CREDITS OF PREREQUISITES)
Admission Dates: Fall, by special admissions
Program Mission: The mission of the Lake Washington
Institute of Technology Dental Hygiene program is to
prepare students to enter the healthcare workforce as
entry-level dental hygienists who are competent in the
provision of safe, ethical and effective dental hygiene
care. The program aims to provide students with high
quality didactic and clinical education in the cognitive,
psychomotor, and affective skills of dental hygiene as
well as the promotion of life-long learning.
Program Philosophy: The Lake Washington Institute
of Technology Dental Hygiene program believes the
function of the dental hygienist is to provide safe and
effective dental hygiene care to help people retain and
improve their oral health for greater quality of life. It is
the philosophy of the Dental Hygiene program at LWIT
to foster the acquisition of dental hygiene skills in a safe
learning environment that supports communication,
collaboration, and critical thinking, and to promote
culturally sensitive, ethical, and compassionate care
in the dental workplace.
This program has received accreditation status from
the Commission on Dental Accreditation which allows
students, upon graduation, to take the National Board
Examination and the clinical licensing examination
in the state where she or he plans to practice. Clinical
experience is provided at the Lake Washington Institute
of Technology dental clinic under the supervision
of licensed dentists and licensed dental hygienists.
Additional clinical experience occurs in a variety of
off-campus settings located in the greater Seattle area.
There is a formal admissions process for entry into this
program. The curriculum in the Dental Hygiene program
consists of seven quarters, including a six-week summer
quarter of full-time professional and clinical education
preceded by 57 credits of prerequisite courses. The
prerequisite science courses must be at least seven
years current upon program entry; be measured by a
proficiency examination; or be waived by special petition
to the Dental Hygiene Director. The dental hygiene
courses must be taken successively. Any developmental
coursework a student may be required to complete may
increase the program length.
Dental Hygiene AAS degree graduates will:
provide quality, evidence-based patient care
demonstrating their ability to perform safe, effective, and
ethical entry-level dental hygiene services
apply the basic principles of evidence-based research and
decision making in the delivery of dental hygiene care
be prepared to successfully complete all licensing exams
required to practice in Washington State and obtain an
entry-level position as a dental hygienist
be prepared to engage in life-long learning and career
development as a dental hygienist
demonstrate critical thinking, teamwork, communication,
intercultural appreciation and technical and information
literacy skills
meet Social Science, Humanities, Written Communication,
and Quantitative Reasoning distribution area outcomes
Lake Washington Institute of Technology does not
offer every course each quarter. It is the student’s
responsibility to consult the Class Schedule and work out
an individual schedule with an adviser or counselor. Any
developmental coursework a student may be required to
complete may increase the program length.
PREREQUISITES
BIOL& 241 Human A & P 1. ................................6
BIOL& 242 Human A & P 2. ................................6
BIOL& 260 Microbiology ..................................5
CHEM& 121 Intro to Chemistry. .............................5
CHEM& 131 Introduction to Organic/Biochemistry. ..........5
CMST& Oral Communication – College Level ............5
ENGL& 101 English Composition I ..........................5
MATH Quantitative Reasoning. ........................5
NUTR& 101 Nutrition ......................................5
PSYC& 100 General Psychology ............................5
SOC& 101 Introduction to Sociology. ......................5
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Programs of Study
2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4 • L A K E W A S H I N G T O N I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L O G Y • C A T A L O G 65