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Dental Hygiene Department Requirements

Program Attendance and Communication Policy

The following statements reflect the accepted standards for attendance and communication of absences in the Dental Hygiene Program:

Attendance

Full-time attendance is required for all clinics including the Oral Health on Wheels rotation, clinic conferences, class sessions, and labs. Defined objectives and clinic hours must be met in order to assure successful completion of courses.

Excessive Absences

  1. Excessive absences jeopardize the student's learning of material in a course or clinic and will be defined individually by each course instructor in the course syllabus. If a student has excessive absences, they will be notified by the course instructor. Excessive absences can lead to a failing grade and an "Instructor-Initiated Withdrawal" from the course.
  2. Absence in Lecture Courses: The number of absences in each didactic (lecture) course is outlined in each course syllabus and is determined by how many times the class meets per week.
  3. Absence in Clinic: A maximum of two absences are allowed in all clinic courses. In the event of a third (3rd) absence in clinic, the faculty will initiate a withdrawal for excessive course absence.
  4. If a student is absent due to illness and misses one class for the day, but chooses to come to another class, the student may receive a 1% deduction for the class missed. If it is a test day, the student will receive a zero (0) on the exam.
  5. Leaving early from class, lab, or clinic constitutes an absence. Tardiness in excess of 30 minutes constitutes an absence.

Communication of Absence(s)

In the event of illness or emergency, the student must notify the dental hygiene professor(s) by email_ or phone prior to the time the experience is to begin. The student is responsible for cancellation and reappointment of patients when unable to attend clinic. Any absence that is not communicated to the course instructor in advance either by email or phone may result in an automatic 1% grade deduction.

Tardiness

Each student can be late/tardy for class/clinic/lab two (2) times per semester. There will be a 1% grade deduction for each additional late arrival/tardy thereafter that will affect the student's final grade.

Missed Exams and Coursework

  1. If the student is aware that a scheduled examination will be missed, arrangements for taking the examination should be made with the course professor prior to the scheduled date.
  2. It is the responsibility of the individual student to seek assistance from the course professor the first day back on campus to secure information relative to assignments and/or announcements missed during clinic, class, or lab.
  3. The student is expected to make up exams or quizzes missed due to an absence the first day back on campus unless prior arrangements are made with the course professor. Makeup activities will be determined by the course professor on an individual basis. A grade of zero (0) will be assigned if a quiz/examination/assignment is not made up according to arrangements made with the professor.
  4. Late Assignments will receive a 20% deduction, if not turned in 1 day after the due date, the student will receive a zero (0).

Background checks

Note: Only students who are accepted into the program need to complete a background check.

Clinical agencies affiliated with the Dental Hygiene Program and state licensing applications require a criminal background check and a security fingerprint check. Additional requirements and/or disclosures may become necessary while enrolled in the program. Any fees associated with these mandates will be the student’s responsibility.

Health Records

Note: Only students who are accepted into the program need to submit health records and complete a physical examination.

All students must have a completed Health Record and Physical Examination form on file prior to entering the clinical setting. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up-to-date immunizations and meet the health record requirements. Annual TB skin tests are required and additional immunizations may be required by clinical agencies, such as COVID-19 vaccine, flu shot. Due to the rapidly changing clinical requirements in regard to the COVID-19 vaccination, contact the program director for the most current requirements and process. Health restrictions which prohibit student performance of total patient care may prevent admission to or completion of the program.

Individuals with Bloodborne Infectious Disease:

It is the responsibility of all healthcare workers (HCW) who perform exposure-prone procedures to know their bloodborne pathogen status, specifically related to Hepatitis B virus (HbV), Hepatitis C virus (HcV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Further, it is the responsibility of the faculty, staff or student who tests positive for HIV or HbV or HcV to report test results to the program director and the chair of the Risk Management Committee at Johnson County Community College. An expert review panel will review the circumstances, if any, under which the individual may continue to perform exposure-prone procedures.

CPR Certification

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Health Care Provider certification is required by the program prior to the fall semester. (This is not required at the time of application.) A course for dental hygiene students is held each summer, prior to the first day of the fall semester.

Both American Red Cross and American Heart Association Health Care Provider certification will fulfill this requirement as long as both one and two rescuer procedures, obstructed airway procedures for infant, child and adult, and AED are completed.