Dental Hygiene


Application information for the Fall 2026 cycle is available on the Application Information page.  The Dental Hygiene application cycle will open February 1, 2026 and close on April 1, 2026.  Applications submitted prior to the opening date of February 1, 2026 will not be considered.

Support our Dental Hygiene students today!

Each spring, the Student Poster Competition provides hygiene students with a fun and creative way to exhibit their innovative ideas and unique talents. Through an engaging, spirited contest, students each year use this opportunity to present research and information that reflects an area of dental hygiene significant to them, to their patients and peers. 

Your support will help cover the travel expenses that our students incur because of their participation in these competitions.

The mission of the Dental Hygiene Department is to provide opportunities for the student to reach their greatest potential in the profession of dental hygiene so that they may achieve a sense of dignity, value, and personal worth in the community regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. The department's focus is on student success through effective teaching practices, in both the didactic and clinical areas. We promote student engagement in the broader community through experiential activities and utilize current scientific knowledge to design and implement learning opportunities based on current professional trends.

 

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

The Dental Hygiene Program at Cerritos College was established in 1971 and is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.   The program is well known throughout the community and the state for providing educated and qualified dental hygienists. As of Fall 2025, Cerritos College Dental Hygiene program will be a bachelor’s degree program.  An Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene is no longer offered.

Successful completion of the two-year program qualifies you to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam and the Regional Board Exams for Licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist. Cerritos proudly claims 100% pass rate on National and Regional Board exams.  

Wet Laboratories are required for the prerequisite biomedical coursework to gain entrance into the dental hygiene educational program.  Science prerequisite courses must include a wet lab component, which must be completed face-to-face unless the labs were taken during the waived pandemic period (Spring 2020 to Spring 2022).  Online or hybrid lab formats will be accepted through Fall 2025; however, beginning January 2026, all prerequisite science courses with lab components must be completed in a face-to-face wet laboratory setting.  This requirement applies whether courses are offered in person or online. If you completed your labs during the waived period, you may still be required to provide documentation at the time of application, documentation such as a course syllabus or a letter from the course instructor. California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Section 1105(f)(1)

Special Notations: Cerritos College Dental Hygiene uses outside clinical facilities for patient experiences and completion of clinical hours. 

Although citizenship is not a requirement for Cerritos College, it is a requirement for our outside clinical facilities and badging privileges may be denied without US citizenship and/or a social security number. In this case the student will not be able to complete their clinical experiences and will need to discontinue the program. 

Backgrounds checks are also completed, and the clinical facility may deny badging privileges if they deem any previous legal violations are not acceptable. Therefore, denying badging privileges which would not allow the student to continue in the program.

What is a Dental Hygienist??

A registered dental hygienist is an oral health professional licensed in dental hygiene who provides preventive, educational and therapeutic services supporting total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. 

Dental hygiene is a rapidly growing profession. Population growth and greater retention of natural teeth will stimulate demand for dental hygienists. California statistics (California Employment Development Department) concur, projecting very strong growth in the number of opportunities available for registered dental hygienists, a trend driven by the public's heightened awareness of the importance of regular dental care and an aging population with extended dental care need. 

The Cerritos College Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Our program has received full accreditation status each seven-year accreditation cycle. 

The two-year Dental Hygiene Program awards a Bachelor of Science degree. Graduates can take the National Written, California Ethics, and Regional Clinical Board Exams. Passing all exams allows practice in multiple states, while taking only the National and California Ethics Exams limits practice to California.