This is a two-year, full-time day programme leading to a University Diploma in Dental Hygiene. The programme is confined to students who have met the minimum entry requirements and who have completed their school leaving examination by the closing date for application, or such students of mature years as may be recommended for entry by the College of Medicine and Health. See Admission to Undergraduate Programmes in the General Information Section of the University Calendar.

Students must be at least 18 by 15th October in the year of proposed entry to the programme. Interested applicants should contact the Admissions Office, University College Cork before Easter for programme details etc.

Garda Vetting
Students, or applicants in receipt of an offer, on this programme will be subject to Garda Vetting as relevant. Students will be prohibited from engaging in a relevant work placement unless the vetting process has been cleared. Click here to view UCC's Student Garda Vetting Policy.

Fitness to Practise
Commencing with the 2013/2014 intake of first year students (including repeats), this programme will be subject to the University's Fitness to Practise Policy - full details may be found here.

Two Year Rule
Students must pass/progress within two academic years of first registration for each year of the programme. Students are permitted to repeat any academic year once only and may not repeat any more than two academic years in any one programme.

In order to be admitted to the First University Examination in Dental Hygiene, a student must have satisfactorily attended, subsequent to entry to the College of Medicine and Health, prescribed modules amounting to 60 credits as follows:

AN1004 The Anatomical Basis of Dental Hygiene (15 credits)
PL1011 Basic Science for Dental Hygiene (15 credits)
RD1004 Clinical Dental Hygiene 1 (5 credits)
RD1005 Clinical Dental Hygiene 2 (10 credits)
RD1006 Theoretical Dental Hygiene 1 (5 credits)
RD1007 Theoretical Dental Hygiene 2 (10 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2019/2020 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2019/2020.

No student may enter the Second Year of the Diploma in Dental Hygiene until he/she has passed the First University Examination in Dental Hygiene. In order to be admitted to the Diploma in Dental Hygiene University Examination, a student must have satisfactorily attended (i.e. the Second Year), subsequent to registration for the Second Year of the Diploma in Dental Hygiene, prescribed modules amounting to 60 credits as follows:

OH2001 Preventive Dentistry and Dental Public Health (10 credits)
RD2001 Periodontology (15 credits)
RD2002 Clinical Prevention (5 credits)
RD2003 Clinical Dental Hygiene (20 credits)
RD2004 Dental Hygiene Project (10 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2019/2020 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2019/2020.

Programme Learning Outcomes for the Diploma in Dental Hygiene (NFQ Level 7)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Apply knowledge and understanding of the basic anatomical and biological and clinical sciences and recognise the difference between normal and pathological structures;
• Apply knowledge and understanding of the normal physiological functions and differentiate between conditions/disorders relevant to clinical dental hygiene practice;
• Obtain and record a complete history and examination of the patient's medical and oral state, interpreting the findings in order to evaluate oral and periodontal conditions;
• Apply current concepts of prevention and treatment of oral disease that support the maintenance of oral health;
• Promote and improve the oral health of individuals and the community;
• Display an appropriate caring behaviour towards patients and appropriate professional behaviour towards all members of the dental team;
• Demonstrate understanding of relevant research methodologies and be able to carry out a comprehensive literature search of a topic relevant to dental hygiene;
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the ethical and legal responsibilities involved in the provision of care to individual patients and the community;
• Communicate effectively with patients, their families, relatives and carers, and with other health professionals involved in their care.