Dental Hygiene Students Pass Clinical Board Exam
(left to right) Leea Earnhardt, Kyla Smith, Alia Hempel, Destiny Ramos, Alysha Carter, Katelyn Vernon, Jean Anton, Olivia Branch, Lauren Hughes, Mikaela Jennings, Katie Lunsford, Jubril Nichols, Tyler Gurano, Ashton Gray, Maggie McGrellis, Sofiia Grigg, Allisha Hemingway, Monica Peralta.
Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) is proud to announce that 100% of the senior dental hygiene students recently successfully passed the clinical boards exam this semester. There are 18 seniors graduating in May from HGTC’s Dental Hygiene Program. After successfully completing a National Written Dental Hygiene Board Exam, all graduates will be prepared to enter the workforce as Registered Dental Hygienists upon licensure by the South Carolina Board of Dentistry.
“We are very pleased with the results of the clinical board examination for our students. This is a huge accomplishment for our seniors who have worked tremendously hard to complete their clinical assignments and prepare to pass the exam,” said Professor Michelle Meeker, HGTC Program Director and Chair for Dental Sciences. “I am looking forward to hearing their success stories and following their careers as dental hygienists in the workforce.”
The Associate in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene degree prepares students to provide direct patient care in the detection and prevention of oral diseases under the supervision of a dentist, as required by law. The dental hygienist's major role is as an educator and includes designing dental hygiene treatment and education for patients on an individual basis. Graduates of this program will be qualified to evaluate patient medical histories, take and record blood pressure, chart conditions of periodontal disease and decay for diagnosis by the dentist, conduct oral-cancer screening examinations, educate the patient on the latest techniques of oral home care, and perform a thorough cleaning of the patients' teeth. A dental hygienist is also qualified to apply sealants and fluoride for the prevention of decay, to expose and develop radiographs, and to provide nutritional counseling for dental patients.
Students in the Dental Hygiene program receive their education in a state-of-the-art Dental Clinic on the Grand Strand campus, under the direct supervision of licensed dentists and hygienists. Graduates are eligible to take national and state board examinations. After successful completion of these examinations, graduates will be licensed and recognized as a Registered Dental Hygienist.