The dental hygienist program at Central Virginia Community College is a combined effort between CVCC and Virginia Western Community College. The program is accredited by the American Dental Association. This two-year degree program is offered with classes beginning in even numbered years. Students are required to do extensive reading in the courses, which are all science-based. The college recommends that applicants take a medical terminology course before entering the program.
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in dental hygiene. Admission to the dental hygiene program begins with an informational session. The dental hygiene program consists of 28 courses, including clinical, laboratory and on-site training. The program prepares students to take and pass the State Board Exam to work in dental care until the direction of a dentist.
Wytheville Community College offers a five-semester program for dental hygienists. Students who complete the course are prepared to take national and regional examinations for their dental hygienist licensure. Program applicants must have graduated from high school with a "C" average in biology and chemistry and an overall 2.0 grade point average. They must also pass a sufficiency test in math and English. The program is approved through the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.
Thomas Nelson Community College, located in Hampton, Virginia, offers a dental hygiene program that takes five semester to complete. The instructors in the classes are experienced dental professionals. Courses are a combination of lectures, seminars, discussions and laboratories. Specific coursework includes Office Practice and Ethics and Pharmacology and Periodontics for the Dental Hygienist.