Learn how to care for your teeth and help others with the Dental Hygiene program! Practice in a full scale clinic on intricate lifelike mannequins to develop valuable experience. Skills that focus on patient education, prevention of oral diseases and dental hygiene treatment are emphasized. The credentials that you gain can be applied to a variety of health establishments, making employment after graduation a smooth process.
View the Dental Hygiene Application Checklist
Once accepted into the program, you will be able to participate and learn in the Dental Hygiene Clinic on Lake Land’s campus. To learn more about the clinic and its’ services, click here.
The faculty at Lake Land College all have unique aspects about themselves that they bring to the classroom. Each Faculty member plays an integral role in the students lives. Each faculty member has worked as an RDH in at least one of the following aspects: Clinician, Corporate, Public Health, Research, Education, Administration, or Entrepreneur.
Recent graduates are working in many different states. Among the states the recent graduates are working as a clinician, are employed corporately, are active in public health, conduct research, provide education, have transitioned into an administrative role, or have used their imagination and creativity in becoming an entrepreneur.
Elizabeth Hartrich – Dental Hygiene Instructor and Director of Dental Hygiene Program
“Dental Hygiene is a great career for several reasons: it’s flexible, you can work as much or as little as you like: full-time, part-time, temping, traveling dental hygienist, etc. It provides good hours, the job outlook is looking great for the future, you get to help people, and it is a health career. But being a dental hygienist is more than just cleaning teeth. We educate our patients on dental diseases like cavities and gum disease, and we teach them how to prevent those diseases. The Lake Land College dental hygiene program prepares our students to do all these things.”
Nicki Amigoni – Dental Hygiene Instructor – 217-234-5203 namigoni@lakelandcollege.edu
Kara Molzen – Dental Hygiene Instructor – 217-234-5201 kspringman49235@lakelandcollege.edu
Lacy Maulding
You may apply to take the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS) clinical examination and National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) for Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) in your final spring semester once approved by the Director of Dental Hygiene.
Upon successful completion of these exams, you may apply for the RDH license. You will be awarded with an Associate in Applied Science degree upon completion of the program; however, completion of the Dental Hygiene program does not guarantee RDH licensure. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) may refuse to issue a license if a candidate has a criminal history. Please consult with the director of the Dental Hygiene Program to avoid license application hindrances.
As a student in the hygiene dental program, you will have access to a fully equipped clinic. You can gain on the job experience by working on classmates, friends, family and the public!
The Application Process is open from August 1 – March 1. Applicants will be informed mid-April on the status of their candidacy. Fill out the application here.
In addition to tuition, lab fees, and service fees, you are expected to buy your uniform (approximately $200), dental hygiene kits and magnification loupes (approximately $3,400), and pay for other incidental expenses. Special books and miscellaneous items average about $300 per semester. Combined cost is approximately $4,000 per semester. Licensing examinations and learning experiences off campus will be at your expense.