Palo Alto - Alamo Colleges District

Once all of the application information has been completed in its entirety and have met the GPA requirements will be given the opportunity to sit for the entrance exam, Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT).

The next step is to complete the entrance exam from Insight Assessment called Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT).

This is a 60-minute assessment that is timed with 46 different items to assess. The scoring ranges from 50 to 100.

Qualified applicants will be sent an access code and method of payment for the assessment fee of $20.00 along with instructions to start the exam.
This exam can be taken on any computer with proctoring access.

At the completion of the assessment, the student will provide a digital copy of the assessment tool through the application portal. Upload instructions will follow shortly for this piece of the application.

The applicant must meet the minimum pre-requisite requirements in order to apply to the PAC Dental Hygiene Program. The following courses have to be completed along with specific GPA requirements.
Pre-requisite courses are listed below. These five courses are the minimum courses required to apply:

(The credit hour requirements are imperative to adhere to). Please note that if an applicant has not taken these exact courses, then the course equivalency will need to be evaluated. This evaluation may take additional time added to the application. Please start early.

ENGL 1301 – Composition I – 3 credit hours
BIOL 2401 – Anatomy & Physiology I – 4 credit hours
BIOL 2402 – Anatomy & Physiology II – 4 credit hours
BIOL 2420 – Microbiology – 4 credit hours
CHEM 1405, OR 1406, OR 1411 – Chemistry – 4 credit hours

At the minimum, all General Education courses must meet a weighted GPA of 3.0 or above.
If an applicant has taken other general education courses that are embedded in the program, the applicant will have these courses calculated into their overall GPA. 
These additional courses will be included in the overall GPA calculations, which will allow higher placement in the scoring process. Any and all general education courses will have to meet an overall GPA of 3.0 or above.
Below is a list of all the courses that are considered part of the general education portion of the dental hygiene program. These courses must equal a weighted gpa of 3.0 GPA or above.

ENGL 1301 – Composition I – 3 credit hours
BIOL 2401 – Anatomy & Physiology I – 4 credit hours
BIOL 2402 – Anatomy & Physiology II – 4 credit hours
BIOL 2420 – Microbiology – 4 credit hours
CHEM 1405, or 1406, or 1411 – Chemistry (only 1 of the 3 courses is required) – 4 credit hours
PHIL 2306 – Introduction to Ethics – 3 credit hours
PSYC 2301 – General Psychology or PSYC 2314 – Lifespan Growth & Development or SOCI 1301 – Introduction to Sociology (only 1 of the 3 courses is required) – 3 credit hours

The four science courses must stand alone and meet a 3.5 GPA or above for an applicant to be eligible to apply to the PAC DH program.

BIOL 2401 – Anatomy & Physiology I – 4 credit hours
BIOL 2402 – Anatomy & Physiology II – 4 credit hours
BIOL 2420 – Microbiology – 4 credit hours
CHEM 1405, or 1406, or 1411 – Chemistry (only 1 of the 3 courses is required) – 4 credit hours

The GPA requirements are a must to start an application. If these minimum GPA requirements are not met, a student will not meet the requirements to begin an application.
They can choose to have information evaluated for areas of improvement. In order for an applicant to calculate their weighted GPA, please complete the calculations using the excel spreadsheet that is available on the website for calculation into the 2025 Fall cohort.. 
This sheet will allow for the applicant to complete the orange highlighted areas only. This sheet will be part of the application process that will be submitted. Please print out the calculation sheet in a pdf format and include in your application.

Copies of all transcripts must be included in the application information. This must be from ALL institutions of higher learning. All Transcripts.

Observation hours are required for an application to the PAC DH Program. This observation requires for the applicant to observe a dental hygienist in their role in each of the dental settings. This observation CANNOT be at a place of your employment. Below is the information.
20 Total Hours of dental office observation spread over three different fields of dentistry. Each of the different fields must have a minimum of 2 hours per category.

(For Example: Pediatric, observed 2 hours; Periodontal, observed 2 hours, General Dentistry, observed 16 hours), This is acceptable. 

1) General Dentistry
2) Pediatric Dentistry
3) Periodontal Dentistry.

There will be an observation form for the dental hygienist to complete. (This is available for download to print, or as a fillable form for the RDH to fill, print out, and email to the applicant.)
Observation hours can be accrued over a three-year period. Each observation must have a separate form for each of the visits.

Immunizations must be completed before applying to the program.

IMMUNIZATIONS:
(The information provided below includes links for the applicant to understand the needs for a healthcare program)
If you are planning to apply for the 2024 cohort, please note the immunizations that are required. The Centers for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html and the Texas Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 97, Subchapter B, Rule §97.64

https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=97&rl=64)
state required immunizations for required vaccinations for students enrolled in health-related institutions of higher education.

All vaccinations must be completed at the time of enrollment as per the Texas Administrative Code, “before they [the student] can engage in direct patient contact with potential exposure to blood or bodily fluids in educational, medical, or dental care facilities.” Below is the list for completion prior to enrollment. There are NO exceptions to this rule.

The Texas Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 97, Subchapter B, Rule §97.68 state the acceptable forms of proof of vaccination(s). https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=T&app=9&p_dir=N&p_rloc=179074&p_tloc=&p_ploc=1&pg=5&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=97&rl=64)

a)     Vaccines administered after September 1, 1991, shall include the month, day, and year each vaccine was administered.
b)     Documentation of vaccines administered that include the signature or stamp of the physician or physician’s designee, or public health personnel, is acceptable. 
         Immunization records generated from electronic health record systems must include clinic contact information and the provider’s signature/stamp.
c)      An official immunization record generated from a state or local health authority is acceptable.
d)     An official record received from school officials, including a record from another state, is acceptable.

The CDC provides The Pink Book: “Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 14th Edition as a reference for vaccine recommendations. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/index.html 
Some immunizations take up to six months to complete. Please see the list of immunizations required below:

Hepatitis B – Please follow the CDC reference here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hepb/hcp/index.html#recs
If an applicant has had the Hepatitis Vaccination previously, then a blood titer level must be completed. A titer is a blood test that measures the amount of antibodies in the blood. The CDC recommends that a healthcare worker should have immunity is their blood titer level exhibits an anti-HBs at a level of 10 mlU/mL (positive), resulting in immunity to Hepatitis B. The following link is provided from the CDC reference of Pink Book’s chapter on Hepatitis B, Chapter 10, Page146,

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/hepb.pdf 

MMR Vaccination – Measles, Mumps, Rubella – Please follow the CDC reference here:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html
Measles requires 2 doses separated by at least 28 days

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/public/index.html#:~:text=Healthcare%20personnel%20should%20have%20documented,by%20at%20least%2028%20days.)

Students born on or after January 1, 1957, must show, prior to patient contact, acceptable evidence of vaccination of two doses of a measles-containing vaccine administered since January 1, 1968 (preferably MMR vaccine).
Students born on or after January 1, 1957, must show, prior to patient contact, acceptable evidence of vaccination of two doses of a mumps vaccine.
Students must show, prior to patient contact, acceptable evidence of one dose of rubella vaccine.
Mumps and Rubella may consist of one dose, unless combined with Measles.

Varicella (Chicken Pox) – Vaccination for or immunity verification for the Varicella Virus – Please follow the CDC reference here:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html
If immunization is not verified, the CDC recommends two doses of vaccine who have never had chicken pox before. If you have not had nor have been immunized, the CDC recommends immunization to healthcare providers. https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/hcp/index.html#assessing-immunity)

Flu (Influenza) – Please follow the CDC reference here:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/flu/index.html#vacc
One does of influenza vaccine annually

Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis – Please follow the CDC reference here:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pertussis/recs-summary.html
Receive a one-time dose as soon as possible if have not received a Tdap previously.
Followed by a booster every 10 years.

Meningococcal – Please follow the CDC reference here:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/hcp/index.html
The Meningitis Vaccine can result in a three-part series, depending on the type of vaccine.

Tuberculosis Screening/Testing – Please follow the CDC reference here:
https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/healthcareworkers.htm and https://www.dshs.texas.gov/tuberculosis-tb
Two-Step TB testing is required. https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/healthcareworkers.htm

The below information is provided as a resource only and is not affiliated with Alamo College Districts in any way. 
The City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District provides Immunization Clinics. Please review the following links for additional information in seeking immunizations for lower costs.

·       Metro Health Immunization Clinic https://www.sanantonio.gov/Health/HealthServices/Immunizations/MainClinic
·       Adult Immunization Price List https://www.sanantonio.gov/Health/Reference/Fees#AdultImmunizationServices

There are no exceptions to immunizations as per the Texas State Legislature for any reason. All information submitted must be signed off on by a licensed practitioner for verification.

The application must also have a current certification in CPR. This certification must be the two-year American Heart Association certification. Please see the information below:

·       Must have a current American Heart Association Provider CPR Certification with AED experience.
·       This is typically a 2-year certification.

There is no exception to this!

Current CPR certification must be presented with BLS/AED certification and must remain current for the duration of the educational period and licensure process.
Must be from the American Heart Association’s organization.