BACK TO PROGRAMSSmile Bright: Shape Your Future in Dental Hygiene at CEI!
Professional Overview
Dental Hygienists, under the supervision of licensed dentists, focus on preventing and treating oral diseases in order to promote optimal oral health. This career path opens a variety of professional opportunities including clinical, administrative, public health, government, education and research.
Why CEI’s Dental Hygiene Program?
- Small Class Size
- Comprehensive, Affordable, High-quality Education
- Innovative, Modern, on-site Dental Clinic
- State of the Art Equipment
- Expert Instructors
Program Length:
Earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Dental Hygiene in four full-time semesters. (Does not include pre-requisite completion time.)
Important Update: Dental Hygiene Program Applications
We are excited to share that the CEI Dental Hygiene Program has received initial accreditation, and we are now opening applications for the Fall 2026 cohort.
Applications will open on Monday, March 9, 2026, and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (MST) on April 6, 2026.
An application guide is available on the CEI Dental Hygiene webpage under the Resources tab. We strongly encourage you to review the guide and begin gathering any required documentation. All supplemental forms and materials can also be found under the Resources tab.
We will be hosting two application Q&A sessions via Zoom on:
- Wednesday, March 11, 2026, from 12:00–1:00 p.m.
- Friday, March 13, 2026, from 12:00 – 1 p.m.
Please use the following link to join: Dental Hygiene Application Q&A. All applicants are encouraged to attend. Please note that we are unable to meet one-on-one to review individual applications.
If you have any questions, please email dentalapplications@cei.edu.
We look forward to supporting you through the application process and are excited to begin this new program.
Student Success
Where Are Our Graduates Working?
- General Dental Practices
- Periodontal Specialist Practice
- Community Health Clinics
- Hospitals
- Research Institutions
How Much Do Our Graduates Make?
| Statistic | Salary |
|---|---|
| Mean | $82,740 |
| Entry | $74,680 |
| 10th Percentile | $77,130 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,960 |
| 75th Percentile | $92,650 |
| 90th Percentile | $94,740 |
Course Curriculum
Prerequisites
| Course Prefix & Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 101 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 101 | Writing & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| BIOL 227 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL 227L | Human Anatomy & Physiology I Lab | 0 |
| BIOL 228 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| BIOL 228L | Human Anatomy & Physiology II Lab | 0 |
| MICR 111 | Introduction to Microbiology | 3 |
| MICR 111L | Introduction to Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 101 | Introduction to Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 101L | Introduction to Chemistry Lab | 0 |
| NUTR 239 | Human Nutrition | 3 |
| GEM 3 - Choose one of the following: | ||
| MATH 143 | Precalculus I: Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 153 | Statistical Reasoning | 3 |
| GEM 6 - Choose one of the following: | ||
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| TOTAL | 31 |
Semester 1
| Course Prefix & Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DH 101 | Intro to Dental Hygiene Theory I | 2 |
| DH 101C | Dental Hygiene Clinic I | 3 |
| DH 115 | Dental Radiology | 2 |
| DH 115L | Dental Radiology Lab | 1 |
| DH 122 | Head and Neck Anatomy | 2 |
| DH 132 | Dental Anatomy, Embryology and Histology | 2 |
| DH 145 | Dental Materials | 1 |
| DH 145L | Dental Materials Lab | 1 |
| TOTAL | 14 |
Semester 2
| Course Prefix & Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DH 151 | Dental Hygiene Theory II | 3 |
| DH 151C | Dental Hygiene Clinic II | 4 |
| DH 175 | Pharmacology | 3 |
| DH 185 | Oral Pathology | 3 |
| DH 190 | Periodontology I | 3 |
| TOTAL | 16 |
Semester 3
| Course Prefix & Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DH 201 | Dental Hygiene Theory III | 3 |
| DH 201C | Dental Hygiene Clinic III | 4 |
| DH 215 | Local Anesthesia | 2 |
| DH 215L | Local Anesthesia Lab | 1 |
| DH 245 | Periodontology II | 3 |
| TOTAL | 13 |
Semester 4
| Course Prefix & Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DH 251 | Dental Hygiene Theory IV | 3 |
| DH 251C | Dental Hygiene Clinic IV | 4 |
| DH 270 | Community Dental Health | 3 |
| DH 280 | Practice Management and Board Review | 2 |
| TOTAL | 12 |
Accreditation
The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "initial accreditation". The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (800) 232-6108 or at 401 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60611-4250. The Commission’s web address is: https://coda.ada.org/.