Dental Hygiene

Thank you for interest in the Dental Hygiene program at Texas State Technical College Harlingen.

TSTC Harlingen is proud of its Dental Hygiene Department, the only dental hygiene program south of Corpus Christi that is fully accredited by the American Dental Association Joint Commission on Accreditation.
A dental hygienist’s education emphasizes the basic sciences and development of clinical skills needed to provide preventive dental care to the public. Dental Hygiene students at TSTC Harlingen are able to fulfill their clinical experiences at our state-of-the-art dental clinic on campus. Students work in the 13-chair clinic to receive more than a 700 hours of instruction with a faculty/student ratio of one to five.

Graduates of the program are well prepared to successfully complete the National Dental Hygiene Board and the Western Regional Board Examination, and the Texas Jurisprudence Examination for licensure.

Upon successful completion of these examinations, the graduate is eligible for state licensure. TSTC’s dental hygiene graduates have a 100 percent placement rate.

Most dental hygienists practice in private dental offices, but other employment opportunities include federal, state and local health departments, hospitals, nursing homes, school districts and other educational settings, correctional facilities and health maintenance organizations.

As a graduate of the DEH program, you can look forward to rewarding career opportunities as a member of a dental health team responsible for providing treatment that helps prevent oral disease such as dental caries (cavities) and periodontal disease (gum disease) and for educating the patient on the maintenance of optimal oral health.

More details about the Dental Hygiene program are available through the College Information Office, and you are welcome to visit our facilities by scheduling a tour. We would love for you to meet our current students.  Raquel Rico, Department Chair, and program instructors work with students individually to plan a career path and course schedules. For more information, call 800.852.8784 or 364-4702.