Dental Hygiene Schools in NC
Dental hygiene schools are available all across the country, from the East Coast in states like North Carolina, all the way to the West Coast with dental hygienist schools in California. In North Carolina, most dental hygiene programs are available at 2-year, public institutions, with the exception of at least one 4-year institution. Explore the table below to see some of the dental hygiene school options in the state.
| School Name | School Type | Location in NC |
|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 4-year, Public | Chapel Hill |
| Central Piedmont Community College | 2-year, Public | Charlotte |
| Wake Technical Community College | 2-year, Public | Raleigh |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | 2-year, Public | Asheville |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | 2-year, Public | Fayetteville |
| Wayne Community College | 2-year, Public | Goldsboro |
| Central Carolina Community College | 2-year, Public | Sanford |
| Cape Fear Community College | 2-year, Public | Wilmington |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | 2-year, Public | Winston-Salem |
| Halifax Community College | 2-year Public | Weldon |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Dental Hygiene Programs in NC
Students in North Carolina wishing to become a dental hygienist need to earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in dental hygiene and obtain a state license in the field. Here we discuss a few of the dental hygiene programs available in North Carolina in more detail.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a Certificate in Dental Hygiene, which is comparable to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in the field, and a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH). The dental hygiene portion of either program takes 2 years to complete, with the BSDH program taking 4 years total when you include general education requirements. Students receive hands-on training during clinical coursework and must complete an internship and practicum experience. Students in either dental hygiene program take courses in subjects like:
- Dental anatomy
- Oral pathology
- Dental ethics
- Community dental health
- Periodontology
Wake Technical Community College
Wake Technical Community College offers an AAS in Dental Hygiene program that can be completed in 5 semesters. The program is available during the day, on-campus, and totals 73 credits. Hands-on training occurs during multiple clinical hours and laboratory courses, and students even take a professional development course to prepare for their career. Other course topics include:
- Dental radiography
- Dental hygiene theory
- Materials
- Nutrition
- Dental office emergencies
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville Technical Community College has an AAS in Dental Hygiene program that also takes 5 semesters to complete. The school has a competitive admissions process for the program and requires students to have prerequisites in areas like biology and chemistry. Students receive hands-on training taking x-rays, cleaning teeth, recording patients' medical histories, and more. Coursework for the program includes topics in:
- Dental sciences
- Dental health education
- Infection
- Dental procedures
- Orofacial anatomy
Central Piedmont Community College
Central Piedmont Community College has an AAS in Dental Hygiene program that takes 2 years to complete and offers some online coursework. The program totals 76 credit hours and offers leadership, volunteer, and international experiences if students would like to participate. The school's Central Campus is home to a dental clinic where students receive hands-on training. Students also take coursework and discuss topics in:
- Infection control techniques
- Medical emergency response
- Insurance coding
- Periodontology
- Dental health
