How to Apply for Dental Hygiene

Admission to the Dental Hygiene program at MVCC is a competitive, time-sensitive, and sequential process. The following are the application requirements. Applicants are also encouraged to review the Dental Hygiene Essential Functions.

Attending a Dental Hygiene Information Session is highly recommended before applying.

Program Admission Requirements

Applicants are evaluated on GPA, grades in *Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 (with labs) and *Microbiology (with lab), an interview, and a letter of intent.

Completing general education and science courses increases an applicant's ranking score and likelihood of acceptance.

Minimum requirements:

  • High School Chemistry and Biology with labs, or college-level/MVCC course equivalent to College Chemistry (CH131) and General Biology 1 (BI141) with labs, minimum grades equivalent to 75%
  • High school GPA of 85 or higher or college GPA of 2.8 or higher (once 12 college credits are completed, the college GPA will be used)

Recommended:

General Education and Science courses with minimum grades equivalent to 75%; an MVCC course equivalent will be accepted. Taking these courses is highly recommended to increase an applicant's ranking and improve their chances of getting into the program.

  • *BI216: Anatomy and Physiology 1 with lab
  • *BI217: Anatomy and Physiology 2 with lab
  • *BI201: Microbiology with lab
  • EN101: English Composition
  • EN102: Ideas and Values in Literature
  • MA110: Elementary Statistics
  • PY101: Introduction to Psychology
  • SO101: Introduction to Sociology

*These courses must be completed within seven years of the application submission and will be used for ranking.

Steps to apply

All prospective students must complete the following steps to officially apply for admission to the Dental Hygiene program. Students must complete the application process and have all admission documents submitted by March 1. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Prospective students (new to MVCC)

  1. All new MVCC students need to first apply to the College by submitting an MVCC Admission Application and all official college and/or high school transcripts to the MVCC Admission Office by March 1.
    1. If you are outside of the United States, you must request a professional education credential evaluation report from an evaluation service (such as World Education Services). Please request that an official copy of the report be sent to: Mohawk Valley Community College, Office of Admissions, 1101 Sherman Drive, Utica, NY 13501. 
  2. Once your complete application, including transcript(s), is received by the College, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Office, and you will be notified of your next steps.
  3. If it is determined that you meet the initial eligibility requirements to be considered for admission, the Dental Hygiene program application will be sent for you to complete and mail to: Mohawk Valley Community College, Dental Hygiene Program, 1101 Floyd Avenue, Rome, NY 13440. The complete Dental Hygiene program application must be received by March 1; applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Note: If an application is considered complete by the Admissions Office, initial acceptance will be to the College in MVCC’s Health Sciences program. Admissions will then notify the program to review the application and records to determine program eligibility.

Current MVCC students

  1. Contact Holistic Student Support at 315-731-5710 to schedule an appointment with a Student Support Advisor (SSA) to review the program requirements and application process.
  2. If you meet the minimum qualifications, the SSA will notify the Dental Hygiene program of your interest in being considered for the program by March 1. 
  3. Send your completed Dental Hygiene application, including any additional significant information for the Selection Committee to consider, to: Mohawk Valley Community College, Dental Hygiene Program, 1101 Floyd Avenue, Rome, NY 13440, by March 1 for consideration. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.

Applicants who meet initial eligibility requirements 

  • Letter of Intent: In addition to the Dental Hygiene program application, all applicants must include a letter of intent to emphasize what they can bring to the program and profession and provide a reflection of their personal background and accomplishments, as well as achievements, talents, and long-term professional goals.
  • Personal Interview: The Dental Hygiene program will complete a preliminary review of each applicant’s credentials and rank them. The top applicants will be invited for a personal interview. Invitations for a personal interview are issued only to the most qualified applicants.

Applicants denied acceptance

  • Applicants denied program acceptance will receive a letter of denial. We recommend contacting an SSA to discuss next steps and a pathway toward future program consideration.

Note: Letters of acceptance or denial will be mailed after application review. Only applicants with complete files will be considered.