• All students must attend an information session before applying to the dental hygiene program. Sessions are available year-round, and it is recommended that prospective students attend an information session: before starting the prerequisite courses, at least one year before applying to the program, then within three months of the application deadline. 

  • Information Sessions
• You must apply to become a student of West Los Angeles College.
  • Submit an online application to West Los Angeles College and Obtain Student I.D. Visit www.wlac.edu and click "Apply" in the upper right-hand corner. 
  • International students must also submit an I-20 application along with supporting documentation to West. For more information, visit International website or call (310) 287-7283.
• Send official transcripts from all the colleges and universities outside the LACCD system to the West Los Angeles College Admission Office. The official transcripts will be used by the counseling office for course equivalency and evaluation of CSU/IGETC transfer certificate. Instruction of how to submit the transcripts from other colleges and universities can be located at the Admission and Record Grade Transcript page.
• Meet with a counselor at West Los Angeles College to review the prerequisite course requirements, course equivalency and set a student educational plan is highly recommended. Review the West Los Angeles College Bachelor's of Science in Dental Hygiene List of Equivalent Courses, this document contains the approved equivalent list of classes that are accepted at the West Los Angeles Community College, Dental Hygiene Bachelor's program. If the institution you attended is not listed, please make an appointment with a WLAC counselor to obtain the WLAC Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Prerequisite Course Substitution Request Form.  

Science Prerequisites: Must be completed within seven years at the time of application, and with an overall GPA of 3.0.

• ANATOMY 001 - Introduction to Human Anatomy w/Lab (4-5 units)
• PHYSIOLOGY 001 - Introduction to Human Physiology w/Lab (4-5 units)
• CHEM 051 OR 060 OR 101 - Fundamentals of Chemistry w/Lab (4-5 units)
• CHEM 066 OR 221- Biochemistry w/Lab (4-5 units)
• MICRO 020 - General Microbiology w/Lab (4-5 units)
  • Science prerequisite courses are mandated to incorporate a wet lab component, regardless of whether they are delivered in-person or online, utilizing methods such as take-home lab kits or hybrid formats. During the pandemic (Spring 2020 to Spring 2022), a waiver for the wet laboratory requirement was permitted. All applicants must submit proof of wet lab experiences at the time of application submission.  The evidence of the wet lab includes the course syllabus or a the letter from the course professor.

General Education Prerequisites: The following courses must be completed at the time of application with a minimum grade of “C” or better.  

• COMM 101 - Public Speaking (3 units) - NOT interpersonal communication
• PSY 001 - General Psychology (3 units)
• SOC 001 - Introduction to Sociology (3 units)
• ANTHRO 102 - Cultural Anthropology (3 units)
• ENGLISH 103 - Critical Thinking (3 units)
• MATH 227 0R 227-S - Statistics (4 units)

General Education and Graduation Requirements: Applicants must complete one of the following certifications by the time of application. Please refer to the West Los Angeles College Catalog for current CSU or IGETC requirements or visit a WLAC counselor. 

• CSU certification
• IGETC certification

Students are selected from a large number of qualified applicants based on the selection criteria listed below. These criteria have been approved by the West Los Angeles College Academic Senate and are consistent with State regulations:

• A minimum of 60 units of degree applicable lower division coursework
• An overall minimum 2.5 GPA for all courses taken
• An overall minimum 3.0 GPA in science prerequisite courses within 7 years
• Completion of all pre-requisite coursework
• Completion of the CSU/IGETC transfer certification
• Completion of Voc Ed 407- Part I

Additional Considerations are given to applicants who demonstrate the following:

• Previous dental fieldwork experience verified by the employer.
• Dental Assistant Licenses or Certifications
  • Ultrasonic Scaling Certification
  • Pit and Fissure Sealant Certification
  • Coronal Polishing
  • DBC approved 8-hour Infection Control Certification
  • DBC approved Radiographic Safety Certification
  • Registered Dental Assistant License
    • WLAC is offering continuing education courses that are open to prospective dental hygiene applicants: https://www.wlac.edu/academics/pathways/hs/continung-ed
• Completion of Non-Credit Courses toward Pre-Dental Career Preparation Certificate: Voc Ed 400 - Intro to Medical Terminology and Voc Ed 403 - Law and Ethics in Health Professions
• Applicants with Special Circumstances (military veteran, first-generation college student, foster youth, EOP&S, CALWORKS) are highly encouraged to apply.

The application for Spring 2025 is now open: https://forms.office.com/r/hHinNJMWNX

Deadline will be August 2, 2024.

West Los Angeles College accepts 35 qualified students into its Bachelor of Science Dental Hygiene Degree Program each spring and fall semester. All applications are carefully reviewed and ranked based on academic records and dental experience by allocating points to each required application criterion using a rubric.

The top-ranked sixty students will be invited to complete the Voc Ed 407 Part I course as part of the application process. Invitation letters to the Voc Ed 407 program orientation will be sent out 60 to 90 days after the application deadline.

During the in-person Voc Ed 407 course, applicants will complete in-class writing assessments, dexterity assessments, and homework assignments. Successful completion of the course is mandatory for admission consideration.

Final acceptance letters will be sent to the thirty-five students within 30 days after completing the Voc Ed 407 Part I course.

The thirty-five accepted students must undergo a criminal background screening and attend Voc Ed 407 Part II during the intersession. Details regarding required materials for starting the dental hygiene program will be provided during Part II. Payment for the first-semester student kit is due during Voc Ed 407 Part II before the semester begins. Prior to the start of the program, students must complete a physical examination, verify immunity, undergo a vision test, and submit to a drug test. Most of these tests are available through student health services at reduced rates.

*Clinical Examination will be needed for out of state- $1,500.00

Intersession Before Starting Program

Junior Year First Semester (H1)

Intersession Course Requirement

Required To Take After H1 semester before the H3 semester

Junior Year Second Semester (H2)

Senior Year First Semester (H3)

Senior Year Second Semester (H4)

Total Program Units: 65

(*upper division general education courses)

• All upper-division major must be completed at West Los Angeles College.
• During Winter and Summer sessions, students are offered elective clinical courses to support the technical skill training.