• Applicants must be enrolled in Austin Community College and meet the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements to be considered for admission to the Program. For more information, click here. Admission to Austin Community College does not guarantee admission to a Health Sciences program.
• The Dental Hygiene program is open to all students. A health science or dental background is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet the required Technical Standards for the program.
• It is important to note that upon program completion, state licensure requires that the Dental Hygiene applicant be at least 18 years of age and a graduate of an accredited high school or hold a certificate of high school equivalency.

New students are accepted into the Dental Hygiene program in the Fall.

Applications are accepted from September 1 to February 1. Applications must be physically received by the close of business on February 1. If February 1 falls on a weekend, the deadline will be extended to the next regular business day.

To view the Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science Degree Program Map, click here.

1. Activate your ACC email account. All correspondence regarding your application will be sent to your ACC email address. For information on how to set up your ACC email account, please see this page.
2. Complete the immunization requirements and document immunizations on the required Health Sciences immunization form.
3. Complete the mandatory online Dental Hygiene Information Session. Print and keep the confirmation email at the end of the session.
4. Complete the following prerequisite courses with minimum grades of “C” or better by the application deadline. Courses may be repeated one time for a better grade unless course course has expired. The higher of the two grades will be used. A GPA of 3.75 is competitive:
   • BIOL 1322: Human Nutrition (BIOL 1323 if taken at ACC previously). BIOL 1322 from ACC only accepted if taken Fall 2018 or later. Other schools, please email Teri Frank at [email protected] for approval.
   • BIOL 2401: Anatomy and Physiology I. Must be completed within 5 years of the application deadline. Assessment test is required before permission is given for this course. Permission is given through the Biology Department.
   • BIOL 2402: Anatomy and Physiology II (BIOL 2401 is a prerequisite). Must be completed within 5 years of the application deadline. Permission is given through the Biology Department.
   • BIOL 2420: Microbiology for the Health Sciences (BIOL 2401 is a prerequisite). Must be completed within 5 years of the application deadline.
   • ENGL 1301: English Composition
5. Due to the rigorous nature of the program, you are strongly encouraged to complete the co-requisite courses before entering the Associate of Applied Science degree program, especially the chemistry. If these classes are successfully completed at time of application, bonus points are awarded in the admissions ranking score calculation. Dental Hygiene degree plan course equivalents or substitutions can be found in the degree plan.
   • CHEM 1305 + CHEM 1105: Introduction to Chemistry lecture and lab
   • MATH 1342: Elementary Statistics
   • PHIL 2306: Ethics
   • PSYC 2301: Introduction to Psychology
   • SOCI 1301: Introduction to Sociology
6. Complete the required Dental Hygiene Observation form (required for Fall 2023 applicants).
7. All applicants must complete the TEAS Exam (Allied Health version). For information on how to schedule your TEAS Exam through an ACC testing center, click here. You may also choose to schedule your TEAS Exam online or at an ATI testing center. The ACC Dental Hygiene Program uses the Reading and English Language Usage sections of the exam for admission criteria. A minimum score of 58.7 is required on both the Reading and English Language Usage sections for admission to the ACC Dental Hygiene Program. Exam attempts cannot be combined to meet the minimum score requirement.
   • For new applicants, the Program allows two exam attempts within 365 days of the application deadline.
   • Re-applicants to the Dental Hygiene Program have two options: 1) you can submit the TEAS scores from your previous application; or 2) you can re-take the TEAS exam up to two times within 365 days of the application deadline.
   • If you are testing at an ACC testing center, the number of attempts allowed is limited and you may need to get permission to re-take the test from the Dental Hygiene program.  If the testing center tells you that you need permission, contact Teri Frank at [email protected].
   • Resources to aid in preparing for the ATI TEAS examination are listed below.
     • TEAS Test Study Guide (Mometrix)
     • TEAS Test Review Guide (registerednursing.org)
     • ATI Study Guide (this resource has a charge)
     • Learning Express Library (ACC campus access)
     • Learning Express Library (off-campus access)
8. Obtain transcripts for coursework taken at any schools other than ACC. Applicants may turn in unofficial transcripts with their program application. Official transcripts must be turned in to the Admissions and Records department prior to application to the program.
9. During the application period (see “Deadline” above), go to the CastleBranch website and click the link “Place Order.”
10. Enter UL64im in the “Package Code” field. After entering your personal information, the system will prompt you to upload your 1-page immunization form for each of the four required immunizations. The cost to set up the account is $47.
11. Next input code UL57im in the “Package Code” field. The system will prompt you to upload the following application documents:
    • Information Session confirmation email, signed
    • Dental Hygiene Observation form
    • TEAS Transcript
    • Dental Hygiene Patient Care Experience form (if applicable)
    • DANB Certification (if applicable)
    • Graduate of a CODA accredited Dental Assisting or Laboratory Technician Program (if applicable). Please reference the list here of accepted programs.
    • Active duty or honorably discharged from military service. Upload current DoD ID Card, DD Form 2765, or discharge paper, DD Form 214.
    • Re-applicants to the dental hygiene program must place a new order with Castle Branch using the code UL57im. You may re-use the following documents from your prior application if there have been no changes: Observation Form, TEAS Transcript, Patient Care Experience Form, DANB certification, and Active Duty/Veterans documentation. You must complete a NEW Information Session that is dated after the close of the previous application period (Feb 1st).
12. Documents are approved when you receive a green check next to the requirement. All items must be approved in CastleBranch before your application will be accepted.

1. After completing the CastleBranch requirements (green checks = clearance), download and complete the Dental Hygiene program application:
   • Application for first time applicants
   • Application for re-applicants
2. Applications will not be accepted in person until further notice. Follow the instructions on this page to submit your application remotely.

• Selection for enrollment to the Dental Hygiene program is highly competitive.
• Enrollment is limited by the size of our on-site dental hygiene clinic, therefore only 18 students are selected per year with a Fall program start date.
• A ranking score is created using the grades of the required science prerequisites (Nutrition, the Anatomy & Physiology courses, and Microbiology), recognition of any co-requisites successfully completed by the application deadline, and bonus points awarded for patient care experience and/or re-application to the program. The Admissions Ranking Worksheet will assist in understanding how these areas are weighted and the score calculated. Please note that we require a minimum score of 58.7 on the Reading and English Language Usage sections of the TEAS exam, but ranking points are no longer associated with the TEAS exam. The average of the two TEAS scores will be used if there is a tie in ranking scores.
• No deferments are granted and no wait-list is utilized. Each applicant pool competes as a unique group.

Provisional Admission Information

Admission to the Dental Hygiene program is conditional until the following clinical requirements are met. Do not take action on these items until instructed by the department:

• Criminal Background Check
• Drug Screening
• TB Testing
• Health Data Form
• Seasonal Flu Vaccine
• CPR Certification

If you have concerns about events in your background, you may contact the Health Sciences Compliance Coordinator Lisa Enloe at (512) 223-5867 or [email protected].

• You are encouraged to read the Dental Hygiene FAQ for more information about the program.
• Individuals who are involved in the provision of dental hygiene services may be exposed to blood-borne pathogens that may result in human disease. Students and faculty members who experience an exposure to potentially infectious materials (needle stick, mucous membrane, or non-intact skin) or airborne inhalation require specific follow-up. An accident insurance fee is assessed to courses where the likelihood of an exposure may occur and a management protocol has been developed. For more information on the policies on blood-borne and infectious diseases, refer to the current Dental Hygiene Student Handbook.
• Application packets for those who qualify but are not offered admission to the Program will be retained for 3 years. After that time, if the application has not been updated, it will be destroyed and no longer eligible for consideration. For example, if someone applied for the entering class of 2016, was qualified to be considered and was not offered admission and he/she waited to reapply again for the 2018 entering class, the applicant would be awarded the corresponding reapplication bonus points because they are applying within the 3-year window. On the other hand, if he/she did not reapply again until the 2019 cycle, their application packet would have been destroyed and in essence the applicant would be applying as if it were their first time. If you applied previously, were qualified to be considered and are within the 3-year retention window, then use the re-application form.
• Keep your contact information current. Applicants will be informed as to the finalized score and ranking in a written communication sent via email to the prospective student’s ACC email address (the required communication address).
• Students interested in the Dental Hygiene program are advised to be diligent and proactive in routinely reviewing this website for updates to the application process and/or the degree plan and for department announcements.