TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE HARLINGENDENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE POLICY FOR THE CLASS OF 2012-2014 

Notice: It is important for prospective Dental Hygiene (DHYG) Program students to understand that meeting admission requirements to be admitted to TSTC-Harlingen as a general student with a DHYG major code does not mean that the student has been accepted for full continuance in and completion of the DHYG program. Applicants for the DHYG program must ALSO make a formal application to the Dental Hygiene Program by March 1, 2012 and fulfill all other requirements described below to be considered as an applicant.  Approximately 30 DHYG students will be officially accepted to complete the DHYG Program and be allowed to take DHYG prefix courses.

DISCLAIMER: The DHYG program reserves the right to make changes to the admission criteria at any time it deems necessary.

The following steps are involved in acceptance/continuance in the DHYG program:

STEP 1            Apply for general acceptance to TSTC Harlingen by submission of Admission Application. Applications to the college may be done on-line by contacting http://www.tstc.harlingen.edu/

STEP 2            Take the Accuplacer or THEA test (or an equivalent test).  The Accuplacer test is offered

                        every weekday during the college semester at the Counseling Center of the Student Center from 8-1.  The cost is $30.00.

                        ALL 3 (READING, WRITING, MATH) sections of THEA or College Placement Test (AccuPlacer) must be passed or the student must be TSI complete before submitting application to the Dental Hygiene Program in March.

STEP 3            Take the Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET V) during the month of January, 2012. The TEAS test a nationally normed test developed to measure basic essential skills in the academic areas of reading, mathematics, science, and English and language usage that has been proven to be an accurate predictor of success in health occupations. The test will be administered at the TSTC counseling center during the month of January, 2012 for a fee of $45.00.  $25.00 must be paid by credit card in the student’s name at the time of the test, and $15.00 test administration fee paid at the cashier’s office and a receipt must be shown for admittance to the test.  It is a timed test of 3 hours and 30 minutes, and for the convenience of our students, applicants can take the computer test between 8-12:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Testing Center in the Student Center.  If you have questions, please call 956.364.4310.      Test dates are from January 10, 2012 to January 31, 2012 with no exceptions.  Retakes are not allowed, and test scores are only valid for one year.  Study guides are available for purchase at http://www.atitesting.com/ati_store/product.aspx?zpid=1235. or by calling 1.800.667.7531.

STEP 4            A completed TSTC Dental Hygiene Program application must be filed by March 1, 2012 using the form available in this packet or at the program.  Applicants must attach official THEA, Accuplacer, ACT, or SAT scores or exemption verification to the application. Applicants will receive notification of their acceptance into the program by March 30, 2012.  NOTE: Prospective applicants are strongly advised to make an appointment and meet with the program chairperson, Robert Bennett at 956.364.4690 to ensure understanding of the application process.

STEP 5            Upon acceptance into the DHYG Program, the following basic program courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better, and a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better must be maintained.

These courses MUST be completed prior to beginning the DHYG program in August, 2012:

                                               CHEM 1411    General Chemistry

BIOL 2301     Anatomy and Physiology I

Failure to complete these courses by the start of the Fall semester 2012 with a 2.0 or better will result in the loss of the candidate’s acceptance status in the Dental Hygiene Program. The candidate will be dropped from the program and an alternate candidate who has successfully passed the core classes will be accepted.

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE CANDIDATE COMPLETE ALL NON

DENTAL HYGIENE COURSES BEFORE THE AUGUST START DATE TO FACILITATE

SUCCESS IN THE RIGOROUS DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM.

STEP 6            Students accepted into the TSTC-HARLINGEN Dental Hygiene Program will be required to return a NON-REFUNDABLE $300.00 deposit which will be applied to the student’s instrument kit with their letter of acceptance by May 1, 2012 to ensure their position in the entering class of the fall of 2012. 

DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE PROCEDURES:

I.          The DHYG Program Admissions Committee applies an objective program acceptance formula to each applicant’s file in making all program acceptance/continuance decisions. The committee will review only complete those applicants who have completed both TSTC and Dental Hygiene Program applications; have taken the HOBET test, and have satisfied THEA/ACCUPLACER requirements. The following formula will result in a composite score used to determine qualified applicants.

II.     Selection Factors                                                                                           Possible Points

        1.         Accepted as Student to TSTC                                                

        2.         Completed THEA/Accuplacer requirements 

        3.         Completed Dental Hygiene Application                                     

       4.          Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test                                       Composite Score

       5.         Graduate from an ADA accredited

Dental Assisting Program, or TSTC's Dental Assisting Program 10 points

                        OR

       6.         2 years or more as Clinical Dental Assistant                                       5 points

       7.         Each of the completed required science courses;

            A = 2 points                                 B = 1 point.                                                                           

            Chemistry 1411, Anatomy and Physiology 2401,

            Anatomy and Physiology 2402, and Microbiology 2421                   8 possible points                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Total Points = Selection Score

  III        The applicants with the highest selection scores will be offered acceptance into the DHYG Program.  The Department Chair will notify applicants who are accepted in writing. Only those applicants receiving this official letter of acceptance/continuance will be allowed to register for the DHYG prefix courses and continue the program degree plan.  In the case of a tie, the candidate with the highest GPA based on general college courses will receive admission into the program.        

V.        Alternate List

Students who meet the qualifications for the DHYG Program but are not among the top 30 may be placed on the alternate list in rank order based on the formula score. In the event that an applicant who is accepted declines the position in the class, the first available applicant on the alternate list will be offered this position.

VI.        Non-Acceptance

Applicants who are not selected for acceptance/continuance by the DHYG Admissions Committee are sent official letters to that effect by the Dental Hygiene Department Chair.  All applicants not accepted will be offered the opportunity for academic counseling with a member of the DHYG faculty to discuss ways to improve future application scores.  However, this counseling does not provide any guarantees that the applicant will be accepted in the future.

VII.      Summary of Selection Process for DHYG Program Acceptance/Continuance

Step 1  Admissions Office receives completed TSTC application form and transcripts.

Step 2 Pass all sections of THEA requirements or be TSI complete.

Step 3  Applicant takes Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET V)  during January, 2012.

Step 4  Applicant completes DHYG application from the DHYG Program before March 1, 2012.

Step 4  DHYG Admissions Committee selects the top 30 applicants based on program acceptance formula.

Step 5 Letters of Acceptance/Denial/Alternate List status are mailed out to applicants by

            March 31, 2012.

Step 6 Accepted students return their letters of acceptance and a $300.00 non-refundable instrument kit deposit by May 1, 2012.

Step 7 Applicant completes General Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology I before start

            of the Fall, 2012 courses.       

Step 8  Applicants on the Alternate List will be offered positions in the current class as they become available.

Step 9  Applicants not selected for the current year MUST re-apply to the DHYG Program.

Reviewed Date:1/15/12