The Dental Hygiene Application will open in January 2026.
Program Admission Eligibility Requirements
The Dental Hygiene Program Admission is competitive and requires a special application to apply. Applications open each Spring Semester (early January) for admission the following Fall Semester. A maximum of 16 students are admitted each year. Applicants are scored using the point system below. Points will only be awarded for courses completed with a “C” or better. Admission to the program is based on the total accumulated points earned from completed classes before the admission deadline.
Admission Requirements and Application Process
- Students new to RCTC must complete the online college application. Acceptance to the RCTC does not imply acceptance into the Dental Hygiene Program.
- Overall college-level cumulative GPA of 2.00 (includes all transfer credits) on 1000-level courses and above.
- All program-required courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C or higher.
- In-progress courses will not receive points.
- Students must have completed, at minimum, 2 classes from the required sciences: BIOL 1217 (A&P I), BIOL 1218 (A&P II), BIOL 2021 (Microbiology), and CHEM 1117 (General, Organic, Bio).
- All required science courses must be completed within the past five years. This is calculated from the Fall Semester in which you are applying.
- Raw science GPA of 2.50. Raw science GPA is calculated using all attempts within the most recent 5-year period in BIOL 1217, 1218, 2021 and CHEM 1117.
- Repeated science courses will be averaged for points. Visit with an advisor before repeating a course.
Transfer Students
- Students must submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions.
- Students who earned credits in fall semester; official transcripts with these fall grades must be submitted to RCTC by January 15th to complete the application.
Please Note:
- Most students complete their required science and liberal arts courses prior to acceptance into the program.
- Students not accepted into the program will need to meet all requirements and reapply for admission into the program the following year.
- All students will be notified of their Dental Hygiene Program application status via email on or before April 20th of each year.
Admission Point System
| Dental Hygiene | A | B | C | D/F/FN/FW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 1217 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| BIOL 1218 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| BIOL 2021 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| CHEM 1117 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| ENGL 1117 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| COMM 1114/1130 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| PSYC 1611/2618 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| SOC 1614 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| GOAL 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| BIOL 1211 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Total: ____ /46 |
*Although all the above requirements are necessary to apply, be advised that having met these requirements does not imply acceptance into the Dental Hygiene Program. The Dental Hygiene Program receives many applications annually for the 16 available positions thus, admission is competitive.
** Program Accreditation: American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission on Dental Accreditation is the specialized accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education to accredit programs which provide basic preparation for licensure or certification in dentistry and the related disciplines.