Dental Hygiene, Diploma

Program at a glance

Credential

Diploma

Work experience

Clinical/fieldwork placement

Study options

Full-time

Open to International

Yes

Area of study

Health Sciences

Length

2 years

Info sessions

Sessions are led by faculty, have all your questions answered.

Next session

Champions of health

September intake

Oral health matters! Dental hygiene blends the arts of health advocacy, technology, science, psychology and direct patient care. The Dental Hygiene program is fully accredited nationally and graduates historically have performed extremely well on the national board exam.

In demand

As a dental hygienist, you’ll be part of an oral health care team that provides professional treatment and advice to help people prevent or halt existing dental diseases and support total wellness. This full-time, two-year program prepares you to be a health promotion specialist on an oral health care team as well as a competent clinician and community health advocate (accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada).

Over the last two years, 100% of Camosun's Dental Hygiene program graduates were employed in a job related to their program.

Hands-on learning

In a small classroom environment and within the live clinic environment, you’ll acquire the knowledge and skills needed to provide preventative, educational and therapeutic dental hygiene services. You’ll also learn to evaluate research, communicate professionally and practice collaboratively with dentists and other health care professionals.

Our faculty is made up of talented and dedicated professionals with advanced degrees in education or dental hygiene.

We’ll help you succeed

The Diploma in Dental Hygiene provides the educational foundation you’ll need to succeed in the increasingly complex field of oral health. Dental hygienists work in a number of settings including general and specialty dental offices, dental hygiene clinics, residential care facilities, hospitals, community health agencies and educational institutions. Dental hygienists also work within the dental industry as educators and sales representatives.

The two-year Dental Hygiene program follows a foundational year of university transfer courses.

Community learning

You’ll have opportunities to provide education and care to local community groups. On a broader scale, you’ll also make connections with dental hygiene students from other countries who visit our Dental Hygiene program. There are also opportunities to travel within BC and abroad in order to study and provide care and education.

Transfer opportunities

Continuing your education is easy as the diploma program transfers directly into three degree programs which require one additional year of study to obtain a baccalaureate degree. First, Camosun College has been approved to offer the Bachelor of Science Dental Hygiene program and plans to begin offering this in September 2025; you will be fully eligible for this program as a graduate of the dental hygiene program at Camosun.

You can also complete a Baccalaureate Degree of Science in Dental Hygiene in one year at the University of British Columbia or the University of Alberta or obtain a Bachelor of Health Sciences at Thompson Rivers.

To find out more about the dental hygiene profession, check out the British Columbia Dental Hygienists Association.

Indigenous priority admissions

For a limited time each year, Camosun offers 12.5 percent priority seating for qualified Indigenous students in all Health and Human Services programs.

Apply for an Indigenous priority seat.

What you'll learn

Current students wanting information about your program, go to student planning in myCamosun.

Program outline

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the academic calendar.

Program outline

What to expect

Located at our Lansdowne campus, this program is two years in length (September to early May). Classes and clinical sessions are scheduled for 29 to 31 hours per week and include some evening clinics. Study and preparation outside of class and clinic time generally requires 3-4 hours per day, but varies.

Our facilities

Dental hygiene students practice in our modern on-site dental clinic and provide actual dental hygiene services to members of the community. The dental clinic is spacious and includes:

24 dental chairs
Dispensary/sterilization centre
Four radiography rooms

Computers for student learning (dental software)
Dental reception office
Client reception area

Year 2 (entry into program)

Year 2 courses include microbiology, dental anatomy, patho-physiology, radiology and your first two dental hygiene clinical theory and practice courses. Guided by experienced faculty, you will begin providing dental hygiene services to public clients by the end of your first term in the program.

Year 3

In year 3, you’ll build on your foundation knowledge of oral science, clinical care and professional practice. You’ll study pharmacology and nutrition and have a variety of opportunities to provide care and education within the Camosun Dental Clinic, out in the local community and beyond.

Field school opportunities

Students enjoy many opportunities to integrate theory and practice through simulated and community experiences, the provision of comprehensive dental hygiene care to the public in the Camosun College Dental Hygiene Clinic, and participation in international field schools.

A graphic representation of a hand pointing at a book with an "i" for information on the cover.

DHYG program handbooks

Find current student information in the School of Health and Human Services and DHYG program handbooks.

Tuition and fees

Effective from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025

Estimated tuition

Tuition estimates are for the entire program.

Dental Hygiene, Diploma

$18,643 (domestic)
$62,040 (international)

Domestic tuition fees vary depending on the individual course fees for the classes you select.

For International students visit: International Tuition & Fees.

Student fees

In addition to tuition estimates, student fees are calculated based on your enrolment. Refer to: Student Fees.

Financial assistance

You may need to find more than one source of funding to help pay for your education and living costs while attending college. Check out sources of money you don't need to pay back as well as those that need to be repaid.

Financial Aid & Awards

Admission requirements

Entry to the Dental Hygiene program is in second year.

Requirements for first-year courses include:

Submission of proof of completion of the following with a minimum grade of C+ or higher in each Camosun course or an equivalent course from another post-secondary institution:

Human Anatomy and Physiology
One pair of:

C+ in BIOL 143 and BIOL 144
C+ in BIOL 150 and BIOL 151
C+ in BIOL 152 and BIOL 153

Chemistry
Two of:

C+ in CHEM 110
C+ in CHEM 112
C+ in CHEM 120
C+ in CHEM 121

English
Two of:

C+ in ENGL 151 *
C+ in ENGL 161
C+ in ENGL 163
C+ in ENGL 164
C+ in ENGL 251 *

Psychology
Two of:

C+ in PSYC 110 *
C+ in PSYC 120
C+ in PSYC 130
C+ in PSYC 154 *
C+ in PSYC 160
C+ in PSYC 164
C+ in PSYC 171

Elementary Statistics for Social Sciences
One of:

C+ in STAT 116
C+ in STAT 216
C+ in STAT 218
C+ in BUS 230

UT Elective:

C+ in a university transferable 100 level or higher elective

*Denotes highly recommended

When you apply you will need to submit proof that you meet the program admission requirements listed above. Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar: Loading...