Germanna Community College

Germanna Community College offers a Certificate in Dental Assisting and an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. Both programs consist of a combination of traditional and clinical learning modalities. The programs prepare selected students to serve in a dynamic and growing health profession as valuable members of the Dental Health team.

The Dental Assisting program can provide a seamless pathway for students who wish to advance to the Dental Assisting II program and/or matriculate to an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. Students will take the Dental Assisting National Board Examination as part of the curriculum and requirements for graduation. Twelve (12) students are selected annually for admission to the program. 

The Dental Hygiene curriculum is designed to prepare selected students to serve in a dynamic and growing health profession as valuable members of the Dental Health team. The student will be eligible to take the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination and regional clinical examinations required for licensure by the Virginia Board of Dentistry. Five (5) students are admitted annually for admission to the program. 

General Admission Requirements: All students will be required to demonstrate college readiness through transcript review or informed self-placement. Based on this review, students may request or be required to enroll in prerequisite or corequisite math and/or English courses.  Applicants will be offered admissions contingent upon a background check and drug screening. Those who have committed a felony/misdemeanor may not be offered continued enrollment. Applicants who have a drug or alcohol-related offense will be disqualified. 

The program in Dental Assisting and the program in Dental Hygiene are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements”. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is: http://www.ada.org/en/coda. Germanna’s next site visit is scheduled for the fall of 2027.  Third-party comments may be submitted by interested parties such as faculty, students, program administrators, Commission consultants, specialty and dental-related organizations, patients, and/or consumers.  Comments are accepted 60 days prior to each program’s site visit to allow time for the program to respond.  Comments should be sent to 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, or by calling 1-800-621-8099, extension 4653.  All comments submitted must pertain only to the standards relative to the particular program being reviewed or policies and procedures used in the accreditation process.

Dental hygiene applicants may submit experience, observation, or volunteer/civic engagement hours. Do not submit observation hours if dental experience is documented. Observation hours are for those without dental experience. Volunteer/civic engagement hours must be from the application year (e.g., Jan 1–Aug 29, 2025). A maximum of 40 observation and volunteer/civic engagement hours each may be submitted. These additional forms are not required for the dental assisting application.