Next Start Date: August 13, 2012

A leading centre in Canada for comprehensive dental hygiene education, Oxford College’s Dental Hygiene program prepares outstanding dental hygienists that are committed to advancing oral health and community service. Dental Hygiene is a health profession involving theory and evidence-based practice. Dental hygiene theory and practice draw on biomedical, social and behavioural sciences as well as the body of dental hygiene knowledge. Key responsibilities of dental hygienists include health promotion, education, clinical therapy, research, change agent and administration that occur in varying degrees depending on the nature of the individual dental hygienist’s practice. The practice of dental hygiene involves collaboration with clients, dentists, dental assistants, other health professionals and society.

Our 18-month dental hygiene program concentrates on teaching students the scientific and medical components of dental health, and how to care for clients using the latest dental hygiene equipment. Our program is divided into four semesters, each lasting about four-and-a-half months. The curriculum involves courses in dental sciences, clinical sciences and behavioural sciences. In the first two semesters, your learning is mostly centred in the classroom, but you will gradually move into the clinical setting where you perfect your instrumentation skills. In the third semester, you will begin seeing real clients and perform cleanings and other dental hygiene services for them.

Courses in our Dental Hygiene program

Semester 1

Dental Hygiene Theory I
Dental Hygiene Pre-Clinic I
Medical Emergencies
Anatomy and Physiology
Dental Anatomy
Dental Office Management
Infection Control
Microbiology
Nutrition for Living
College English
Introduction to Psychology
Computer Applications and Skills

Semester 2

Dental Hygiene Theory II
Dental Hygiene Pre-Clinic II
Dental Radiography Theory I
Dental Materials Theory
Dental Materials Lab
Head and Neck Anatomy
Periodontology I
Pharmacology

Semester 3

Dental Hygiene Theory III
Dental Hygiene Pre-Clinic III
Dental Radiography Theory II
Dental Hygiene Clinic I
Professional Practice I
Community Dental Health I
Periodontology II
Histology and Embryology
Oral Pathology
Oral Health Education I

Semester 4

Dental Hygiene Theory IV
Dental Hygiene Clinic II
Professional Practice II
Community Dental Health II
Oral Health Education II

Learn Dental Hygiene

Here is what you need to know when applying to enter our dental hygiene program:

A. Applicants educated in Canada

• OSSD with a minimum for Ontario graduates and the equivalent for graduates from all other provinces
• Grade 12 English (General Level although College level or University is highly recommended),
• Grade 11 or Grade 12 Biology (General Level although College level or University is highly recommended)
• Grade 11 Math (General level)
• Grade 11 Chemistry are highly recommended.

Cooperative Courses in these disciplines are not considered as having met these academic requirements

B. Applicants educated outside Canada/International Students

Candidates educated outside Canada will require an education equivalent to an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, which includes English and Biology, Chemistry is highly recommended. Applicants are required to have their documents assessed by the World Education Service www.wes.org/ca and the courses taken must be equivalent to;

• Grade 12 English (General Level although College level or University is highly recommended),
• Grade 11 or Grade 12 Biology (General Level although College level or University is highly recommended)
• Grade 11 Math (General level)
• Grade 11 Chemistry are highly recommended.
• One of the following English proficiency tests will be required: TOEFL with an expected minimum is 230 computer, 500 paper, or 80 internet IELTS, with a minimum score of 6.0

D. Successful results on the Oxford College entrance examination. Minimum 70% is required to successfully pass the written pre-admission testing.

Transfer students

Students applying for the Dental Hygiene program at Oxford College from another post-secondary institution that is NOT accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada are NOT eligible for transfer credits from any course and must commence the program from the first semester.

Students applying for the Dental Hygiene program at Oxford College from another post-secondary institution that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada may be eligible for transfer credits provided the following requirements have been met:

• Only courses completed with a grade of 70% or better and have similar course content will be considered for transfer credit.
• Only those behavioural science courses completed at the college or college transfer level may be considered for transfer credit if completed within five years of the current academic year.
• Courses in science, beyond the introductory level and career related courses may be considered for transfer if completed within five years of the current academic year.
• The amount of transfer credit is limited by the requirement that at least 75% of the program must be completed at Oxford College

Required Documents for Registration

Applicants are required to successfully complete the Oxford College pre-admission test. Once the applicant is accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program the following documents must be submitted to complete the registration process;

• Admission Form
• Legal Proof of Age (driver’s license, passport or birth certificate)
• Official or Notarized copy of OSSD Transcript or High School equivalent
• Any post-secondary degrees or diplomas
• Letter of Reference (previous employer, professors, guidance counselor)
• Two passport-size photos of yourself
• Police reference check
• Other documents that might be required to strengthen the application-please specify
• Registration Fee of $150.00 (payable by cash, money order, debit card, Visa or Mastercard)

Candidates are encouraged to contact the admissions department at Oxford College for all scheduled test dates. Test dates will also be posted on the Oxford College website.

Applicants meeting the requirements will be invited to a personal interview for further consideration and a conditional offer will be issued to suitable candidates.

For further details, please contact our Admissions Department by email (admissions@oxfordedu.ca) or telephone (416-439-8668)

Learn Dental Hygiene

At Oxford College, we understand that one of the challenges in beginning your post-secondary education is being able to cover the expenses of tuition. Financial assistance is available to students coming from all provinces in Canada – we have access to a number of solutions that you can access:

1) Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) provides eligible students with various types of assistance based on financial need. This assistance is intended to supplement, not to replace, the resources of you and your family. Detailed information is available on the OSAP web site. OSAP provides financial assistance to approximately 35%-40% of college and university students each year. Students enrolled in Oxford College’s Dental Hygiene program are eligible for OSAP.

For students coming from outside Ontario financial assistance may be available from your province for those who qualify. We are designated in most provinces across Canada.

2) Second Career

Second Career is a program from the Ontario government to help people who have been laid off within the last 12 months and are currently unemployed. The program will help unemployed workers who commit to a long-term training plan make the transition to new careers in growing areas of the economy. Second Career can help an applicant with the costs of tuition, books, living expenses and other costs associated with the training to build skills for a new career. More information can be found on the Second Career website.

3) Flexible Monthly Payment Plans

Oxford College gives dental hygiene students the option to pay their tuition over the 18 month period in which they are enrolled. These interest-free payments allow students more flexibility in funding their education.

4) Registered Education Savings Plan

An RESP is an Education Savings Plan registered under Canada’s Income Tax Act, which is established for the purpose of providing financial assistance to a Beneficiary (usually a child) when he or she pursues a post-secondary education. Investment earnings on savings within an RESP are tax-sheltered until the child is ready for post-secondary education. The earnings are taxed in the hands of the student, who typically pays little to no tax. In addition, RESPs may qualify for various government incentives that help parents, relatives and friends save for a child’s post-secondary education. All of our programs qualify for all RESP grants and contribution.

Our Financial Aid Officer is available to assist students, who have met admission requirements, in completing necessary documentation and aid in financial planning.

Please also visit the Oxford College website for more details about financial options. You can also contact the Oxford College Admissions Department by email or phone at 416-439-8668

Learn Dental Hygiene

Oxford College’s Dental Hygiene Department includes:

Saadia Choudhry – Program Director

Roula Anastasopolous – Dental Hygiene Clinic Lead

Michelle McCrate – Clinic Lead

Instructors

Carmen Adebar
Tilly Berg
Susanne Dent
Nazia Hamir
Roxanne Infusini-Hill
Jennifer Mahabir
Toula Manakis
Joanne McCavery
Le-Ann Mitchell
Susan Mitri
Tas Pirani
Melissa Ravenda
Terry Skinner
Simim Toussiani
Sharon Uton

Other Staff

Lindsay Butt – Placement Officer
Samim Mansur – Student Services Coordinator

See also

Faculty Profile: Michelle McCrate

Oxford welcomes back Saadia, says goodbye to Cathy

Learn Dental Hygiene

For anyone considering entering college, one of the most basic questions they should themselves is which profession should they train towards? Lots of choices are available, but some are better than others. The choice of a good career might depend on a few factors – is it work that you like? What are the future career propects? Can I find work where I live?

Recently Canadian Living magazine listed dental hygiene as one of the Top 10 Jobs in Canada, saying “the industry will continue to grow as Canada’s aging population requires more care, more Canadians enjoy dental coverage, and the booming demand for adult cosmetic dentistry continues (thank you, Hollywood!).”

WorkinginCanada.ca, a job website managed by the Federal Government, found that wages and career prospects for dental hygienists remain good. The hourly pay rate for dental hygienists varies throughout the country – in Toronto, one can expect about $35.80 per hour; Vancouver – $44.07; Edmonton – $49.14; and Halifax – $27.25. Over the next ten years (2009-2018) the Federal Government believes there will be over 11000 job openings in this field, and a thousand of them will go unfilled from a lack of dental hygienists.

The report states, “The demand for dental hygienists will increase with population growth. As a large segment of the population ages, there will be an increasing emphasis on dentistry for the prevention of dental decay, and other dental issues associated with ageing. As dentists increasingly dedicate their own time to more complex procedures, they are likely to employ more hygienists to perform preventative dental care, such as cleaning.”

One other factor to consider is how stressful the job will be? According to to a study released last year by CareerCast.com, dental hygienists ranked as the 5th least stressful job in the United States (meanwhile, commercial airline pilot was named the most stressful job in the country). Other medical careers also ranked very well in terms of stress, which CareerCast.com attributes to having “shorter work weeks, low pressure and little competition.”

One last thing to consider is that compared to many other professions, you can quickly complete your education to become a dental hygienist. At Oxford College, our program runs for 18 months, and national board exams are held several times per year, so students are often able to start working within weeks finishing their studies.

Learn Dental Hygiene

Want to know more about the Dental Hygiene program, or visit Oxford College? The best way to get in touch with us is by telephone or email:

Call us at 416-439-8668

Toll-Free at 1-866-600-6604

Email us at info@oxfordedu.ca

You can also learn more about at Oxford College through:

Our main website - www.oxfordedu.ca

Our Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/pages/Oxford-College-of-Arts-Business-and-Technology/299063270781

Our Youtube Page - www.youtube.com/user/OxfordCanada

Our Linkedin Page - www.linkedin.com/company/oxford-college

Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/oxfordedu

Learn Dental Hygiene

Fourth semester students in Oxford College’s Dental Hygiene program hosted a table clinics presentation last month, where they explained the various alternative career paths for dental hygienists.

As part of their Professional Practices course, the students created bulletin boards and models to demonstrate various aspects of the profession, such as Continuing Education and business opportunities that are available to dental hygienists. The one-day event drew many viewers, including other dental hygiene students and members of the public.

Rehan Khwaja worked in a group that showed off the different administration and management opportunities that graduates can do. The project gave him “a sense of how to promote dental hygiene, and interact with people in general.”

Another student, Zoltan Zara, was involved in a group working on business opportunities for dental hygienists, and focused on the career of sales representative for a dental company. His bulletin board presentation included samples of dental products from different companies. “The funnest part was doing the research and putting it together,” he said.

Roxanne Hill, the instructor of the Professional Practices course, was impressed with the event, which was held for the first time. Talking about the students, she said, “they were very well versed, very prepared and showed complete professionalism.”

Learn Dental Hygiene

This month, Colgate Canada launched the Colgate Oral Hygiene Advisor, a complimentary professional enhancement and patient education program created exclusively for Dental Hygienists.

For the first time in Canada, Dental Hygienists can enroll in a free program that offers professional enhancement and patient education. Enrollees in the Colgate Oral Health Advisor (COHA) Program, will have access to complimentary patient education materials for both in-office and take- home use, free continuing education courses offered online 24/7, and advance notice about new Colgate* products and technologies.

“At Colgate, we are delighted to bring this dynamic new program to Canadian Dental Hygienists. With free CE courses, patient education materials for in-office and take-home use and patient trial products, it’s the most comprehensive program of its kind in the country. This marks a first for us and for the profession,” said Dr. Brian N. Feldman, Colgate Canada’s Professional Relations Director.

Dental Hygienists across the country are invited to enroll, either through the website: www.colgateoralhealthadvisor.ca or by using mail-in registration forms. The forms are available in an introductory mailing to all Dental Hygienists, from Colgate’s Oral Care Consultants and at Canadian dental and dental hygiene conventions beginning in February 2012. Once enrolled, members receive an introductory “toolkit” with patient education materials for the office and to take home, along with a free supply of patient samples. Members can take advantage of online CE courses offered through the COHA website and will receive regular communications from Colgate regarding new technology, special offers and updates to the program.

Learn Dental Hygiene

To honour the spirit of Valentine’s Day, on February 11 registered dental hygienists across the province will provide oral care services to the public at no cost.

For the fourth consecutive year, Gift From the Heart campaign offers a way for dental hygienists to reach out in their community and help members of the public who may be financially unable to receive oral care or have difficultly accessing dental hygiene services.

“Because dental hygienists can work independently outside the traditional dental office, the event also helps to build awareness about the public’s right to choose their health-care provider and the importance of preventing oral disease for a healthy mouth and healthy body,” said Bev Woods, co-ordinator of the project.

Last year, dental hygienists from all practice settings, including those who operate their own businesses, treated approximately 1,500 clients during the one-day volunteer event. “Our annual Gift From the Heart keeps growing. This year we expect to help more people so that we can truly make a difference through treatment and public education about the importance of good oral health,” adds Ms Woods.

Since September 2007 when legislation allowed dental hygienists to provide their services outside the dental office, more than 190 independent dental hygiene practices — stand alone clinics and mobile services — have opened across Ontario.

“This legislation change in 2007 increased access to affordable and comprehensive dental hygiene care,” said Jocelyne King, President of the Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association. “Gift From the Heart goes one step further to make sure more people know about dental hygiene’s integral role in the delivery of quality oral care in Ontario.”

Dental hygiene is a regulated health-care profession with more than 12,000 practising dental hygienists in Ontario, making it the third largest of the health-care professions in the province. The College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, the profession’s regulatory body, sets policies and standards to ensure the public receives safe and ongoing comprehensive oral care.

Gift From the Heart participants in Ontario:

Acton M. Susan MacPhail Dental Hygiene Healthcare
46 Mill St. East 519-853-5985

Alexandria Josee Laferriere Polished Tooth Dental Centre
24 Main Street S PO Box 339 613-525-9900

Ancaster Abigail Santos Ontario Dental Education Institution
201 Wilson St W 866-979-6334

Arnprior Patty McComb Rural Roots Dental Hygiene Services
43 Madawaska St 613-323-6487

Ayr Michelle O’Neill O’Neill’s Dental Hygiene Clinic
76 Stanley St. 519 394 3000

Barrie Linda Ambrose Barrie Lakeside Dental & Wellness
Barry’s Bay Marcia Dillabough Barry’s Bay Dental Hygiene Clinic
19674 Hwy 60 PO Box 729 613-756-6884

Beamsville Wendy Andrews Gentle Hands Dental Hygiene Care
5041 King Street 905-563-6080

Belleville Elaine Herald Quinte Dental Hygiene Services
417 Dundas Street E. 613-967-3600

Bradford Nancy Johnston MDH..the Smile Spa
13 John Street West Unit ‘A’, PO Box 684 905-778-8523

Brantford Jillian Turcotte Hot Smiles Dental Hygiene
385 St.Paul Ave

Brockville Jen Macdonald Hygiene Wise
135 Ormond St., Suite 103 613 865 9292

Burlington Judy Ganis Judy Dental Hygiene Care
5198 New Street

Caledonia Vicki Lance Precious Smiles Dental Hygiene Services
4444 River Road

Cobourg Mary Ito Northumberland Dental Hygiene Clinic
297 Division St. 289-252-0232

Dundas Sara Stumpo and Barb Consoli C.A.R.E. Dental Hygiene
33 King St. West 905-627-7500

Dundas Lesley Knapp Dundas Dental Hygiene & Wellness Studio
155 King St. W. 905-719-5699

Durham Region Natalie Brooks-Matwichuk Dental Solutions Mobile Dental Hygiene Services
905-999-9016

Erin Kelly Kirk Pearly Whites Dental Hygiene
49 Waterford Drive 519-833-9788

Etobicoke Joanne M. Sellitto Dental Hygiene Office
1500 Royal York Rd Unit 39 416-247-9900

Fort Erie Nancy Pearce Choice Independent Dental Hygiene
168 Garrison Road 905-994-0259

Fort Frances Dawn Gustafson LifetimeSmiles
715 Nelson Street, 807-274-6588

Georgetown Lisa Castrucci TLC Dental Hygiene
360 Guelph St. Unit 40 905-877-1300

Hamilton Julie Dinardo Gleam Smile Centre
678 Upper James St. 905-378-6453

Kanata Elaine Russell Kanata Dental Hygiene
417B Hazeldean Rd 613-592-2044

Kempville Jen MacDonald Hygiene Now
PO Box 159 2722A Cty. Rd. 43, 613 258 3200

Kincardine Lorri Hussey Kincardine Dental Hygiene
226 Queen St. 519-396-5550

King City Kathleen Bernardi Woodland Dental Hygiene
205 King Summit Road 905-273-2300

Kingston Melissa Green Green Hygiene Mobile Dental Hygiene Services
309 Glen Castle Rd 613-766-8407

Kitchener Contact reception to book appts. Medix School- Kitchener Campus
248 Stirling Ave S., Unit 14 519-895-0013

Larder Lake Kathleen Bougie Spoon Bay Dental Hygiene
29 Godfrey St. 705-643-2443

Lindsay Dental Hygiene Care By Marnie
68 Springdale Drive, 705-879-1689

Maple Alie Preisig Snow White Smiles
9929 Keele St 905-303-4933

Midland Nicole Brunelle Genesis Dental Hygiene Care
340 First Street 705-526-3600

Midland Roma Czech The Hygienics Studio
741 Yonge St. Unit #3 705-526-3232

Noelville Julie Raymond Jewels Dental Hygiene Clinic
38 St-Christophe, PO Box 90 705-898-3220

North Bay Anne-Marie Nadeau Brilliance Dental Hygiene
150 Main Street West 705-477-1744

North Bay Canadore College
100 College Drive 705-474-7600

North Bay Chantal Pannell Hilltop Dental Hygiene Clinic
101 Worthington St. Suite 223 705-478-8584

Oakville Gagan Sandhu Gems Dental Care
501 Pinegrove Rd 905-582-5494

Oakville Joanna Wisniewska Glen Abbey Dental Hygiene
481 North Service Road West, Unit A19 905-465-1199

Ottawa Michelle Black Confident Smiles Dental Hygiene
166 Second Ave. 613-799-2633

Ottawa Carolle Lepage La Cité collégiale
801 Aviation pkway 613-742-2493 ext 2515

Ottawa Rosemary Vaillant The Perfect Smile
52 Glendenning Dr. 613-898-2292

Pickering Debra Amos Community Dental Hygiene
1295 Wharf St. Unit 37 905-492-0805

Pickering Ann McDow Healthy Smiles
677 Marksbury Rd. 289-200-2468

Sarnia Pam Jackson Healthy Smiles Hygiene Care
270 North Christina St. 519-332-5783

Scarborough Sheila McKenzie McKenzie Integrated Health Center
2201 Warden Avenue, Suite L1 416 492 6725

Smiths Falls Lori Lawrence Smile Sensations
34 James St. N. 613-205-0555

Stratford Christine Embree Perth Dental Hygiene Inc.
169 Huron Street 519-508-5800

Thunder Bay Maheen Cassim Natural Smiles The Dental Hygiene Boutique
509 Edward St N Unit #5 807-285-3493

Val Caron Nathalie Bertrand Valley East Dental Hygiene Clinic
9-2924 Hwy 69 North 705-588-2222

Learn Dental Hygiene

Oxford College’s Dental Hygiene program received great news this month—its Accreditation has been renewed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), which will last until 2015.

The renewal came in a letter dated November 30, 2011, from Susan Matheson, Director of CDAC.

Mohammed Wajiduddin, President of Oxford College, said, “We are very proud of the great work being done by the faculty in our Dental Hygiene program. For the last eight years we have been teaching Dental Hygiene, and each year we improve the program and prove that we are among the best in Canada.”

Matilda Berg, Director of the Dental Hygiene program, said she was “extremely happy” with this news, adding this is “good for the college, the students and staff morale, and good for going forward from here.”

The process to renew accreditation began in January with the college’s first submission. In March, members of CDAC held a site visit at Oxford College, where they spoke with students and staff. In late November CDAC held its meetings to determine accreditation for various college and university dental hygiene programs.

“I am very pleased with the outcomes,” said Saadia Choudhry, Assistant Director of the Dental Hygiene program. “It has been a long year with a lot of sleepless nights. I feel very fortunate to work with such a hard working and dedicated team.”

This news from CDAC comes about a month after Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities gave their approval to enhancements in the program. The program administrators are now working on implementing a new curriculum to match national competencies in the field. Matilda Berg says the changes “will make us more consistent across Canada with other dental hygiene programs.”

Learn Dental Hygiene