Bachelors in Dentistry in USA

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences provides a two-year professional program in dental hygiene. Although University of Louisiana at Lafayette does not award degrees in dental hygiene, we provide you with the instruction and practice you will need to move forward. In the state of Louisiana, Louisiana State University Health Science Center (LSUHSC) School of Dentistry and UL Monroe offer a BS degree program in this field.

The SIU School of Dental Medicine in Alton, Ill., offers a four-year academic program that awards the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). The mission of the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine is to educate dentists and improve the oral health of the region through patient care, research/scholarship and service. In addition to classroom, clinical, and research facilities, the School has recently opened a new multidisciplinary, preclinical simulation laboratory. The use of this facility will enhance the student's preparation to be outstanding healthcare providers. The School also has broad capabilities in microscopy, including scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy, as well as other sophisticated equipment with which to conduct biomedical research. Patient care is provided in state-of-the-art clinical facilities at the Alton campus and the East St. Louis Center.

Our program is one of few dental hygiene programs in Minnesota to offer a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. Having a Bachelor Degree in Dental Hygiene will provide more options for job opportunities in the future.

Dental schools require a minimum of two years of college work before the student is eligible for admission. However, dental schools rarely accept students who have only two or three years of college work, so pre-dental students should plan to complete a baccalaureate degree before leaving Eastern.

To be a competitive applicant, students must maintain a high grade point average, score well on the Dental Admission Test (DAT), and acquire some experience in the field. Students apply through a centralized application service (AADSAS) in the fall preceding their entrance year. 

This is a Bachelor Completion program, meaning you must first have a two year degree in dental hygiene to apply and be accepted. Please refer to our website at www.uvu.edu/dental and/or call us at 801-863-7536 or 7592 for specific information about the application process. The BS degree builds on the AAS degree in dental hygiene. The BS degree consists of 120 credits and builds on the credits already earned in the AAS program. This degree can be for those who want to:  increase their knowledge in their field, move onto an advanced degree, become a hygiene faculty and teach, work for private companies, research work for the government, become a mid-level provider or want to improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills. This degree is aimed at the working professional, as the Dental Hygiene courses are offered on-line.  There is not a clinical component. There are also no special fees involved. The first four (4) semesters and AAS pre-requisites are listed. You must have completed your AAS degree before you can matriculate into the BS program. Because applicants will present with a variety of previous courses already taken, the following plan is only meant to be a guide. It is based on a student completing the UVU AAS Dental Hygiene Degree. Once you have applied, and are in the BS program, you must speak with the Department of Dental Hygiene advisor to help you customize a plan that works for you.

A registered dental hygienist works in partnership with a dentist to provide comprehensive dental hygiene care and preventive services to patients. You'll develop clinical skills that include

• recording medical and dental histories
• performing oral examinations
• dental charting and periodontal evaluations
• exposing radiographs
• scaling and root planing
• polishing
• administering fluoride therapy
• local anesthesia and pain control techniques
• placing pit and fissure sealants
• making study models

In addition to clinical skills, as a hygienist you will utilize significant knowledge to develop an individualized care plan for the patient and to instruct them in the maintenance of oral health. Enhanced understanding of the restorative aspects of dentistry has also been incorporated into the program. Courses in expanded functions permit you to gain knowledge and experience in the placement of amalgam and non-metallic restorative materials.

Dental Hygieniests play an integral role in modern dental care.  With an Associate of Science degree in Dental Hygiene, you will become familiar with the proper procedures and equipment for dental cleanings and  more advanced procedures. Our dental hygiene program enjoys a reputation of educational excellence, with  faculty who are recognized at the state, national and international levels. Upon satisfactory completion of the Dental Hygiene program, you will be eligible to take the National Board Examination and practical examinations required for a professional license.

What You’ll Learn:

• Use critical thinking skills and comprehensive problem-solving to identify oral health care strategies that promote patient health and wellness.
• Use patient assessment data, diagnostic technologies, and critical decision making skills to determine a process of comprehensive care.
• Communicate effectively with diverse individuals and groups, serving all persons without discrimination by acknowledging and appreciating diversity.
• Provide oral health services in a variety of settings. Advocate for effective oral health care for underserved populations.
• Use evidence-based decision making to evaluate emerging technology and treatment modalities to integrate into patient dental hygiene.

Students with an interest in dental hygiene are admitted to Clayton State University as a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences major with a concentration of pre-dental hygiene. Refer to the Bachelor of Health Sciences section of this Catalog for details. Separate application to this competitive admission program is required upon completion of 60 hours of lower division requirements. Students not admitted to this competitive admission program may continue with the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in consultation with academic advisor to determine appropriate concentration and career path.

Through the dental hygiene program, you'll gain hands-on clinical experience, take innovative classes and receive personalized support. Your education will equip you with the knowledge and experience you need to pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a clinical licensing exam, which is required for licensure in any state, and set you up for success as a compassionate and confident dental hygienist. 

Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals who have graduated from an accredited dental hygiene program in an institution of higher education, licensed in dental hygiene to provide educational, clinical, research, administrative and therapeutic services supporting total health through the promotion of optimum oral health. In performing the dental hygiene process of care, the dental hygienist assesses the patient’s oral tissues and overall health determining the presence or absence of disease, other abnormalities and disease risks; develops a dental hygiene diagnosis based on clinical findings; formulates evidence-based, patient-centered treatment care plans; performs the clinical procedures outlined in the treatment care plan; educates patients regarding oral hygiene and preventive oral care; and evaluates the outcomes of educational strategies and clinical procedures provided.

Dentists offer professional advice and instruction to their patients concerning how best to take care of their teeth and gums including diet choices that can affect oral health. In addition, dentists also diagnose and treat problems. Their communication, dexterity, leadership, organizational and problem-solving skills assist them in the workplace.

Whether as a member of a larger organization or in private practice, dentists enjoy successful careers as general practitioners, dental public health specialists, endodontists, oral and maxillofacial radiologists or surgeons, oral pathologists, orthodontists, pediatric dentists, periodontists or prosthodontists. A Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a Pre-Dental concentration is the perfect path for an undergraduate student.

Students are encouraged to take the Dental Acceptance Test (DAT) during their junior year before applying to dental school. Lourdes graduates have successfully gained entrance into dental schools. Upon graduation from an accredited dental school, individuals must pass prescribed written and practical exams to become licensed to practice in any given state.

This entry-level degree program in dental hygiene encompasses two years of pre-requisite and general education courses followed by two years of dental hygiene theory and practice, community oral health, research methodology and teaching strategies. Upon completion of the dental hygiene program, graduates are eligible to take the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination as well as the regional and state board examinations to become licensed dental hygienists.

The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program is a four-year program with Lower and Upper Division requirements. Students complete the lower division requirements on the Belknap campus and then apply for competitive admission to the Dental Hygiene Upper Division, which is housed in the School of Dentistry on the Health Sciences Center Campus.

As a pre-dental student at Calvin, you'll have the flexibility to pursue any major as you complete the courses required for dental school. These classes include a range of chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. You will also meet regularly with the pre-dental faculty advisor to plan your path to dentistry school.

The Department of Dental Hygiene at UH Manoa offers the only baccalaureate dental hygiene educational program in the state. It offers the preparation required by dental hygienists to provide oral health care and education to the people of Hawai‘i, the continental U.S., and the Pacific-Asia region.

The bachelor of science in dental hygiene offers professional training, a foundation for personal and professional development, and preparation for graduate study. Students completing the degree in dental hygiene qualify for admission to the national and regional dental hygiene examinations for licensure to practice dental hygiene in private, public health, and other dental hygiene settings.

The Department of Dental Hygiene also offers an Advanced Professional Certificate for Expanded Function Dental Hygiene in Pediatrics (EFDH). This program provides Registered Dental Hygienists (RDH) and graduates from the UH BS Dental Hygiene Program the opportunity to expand their knowledge, improve oral health outcomes for children, and develop clinical skills in pediatrics, giving them a competitive advantage for employment.

The baccalaureate degree curriculum is designed to prepare dental hygienists with a background for teaching, for organization and management, for research, as well as for clinical dental hygiene.

The educational experience offered prepares the graduate hygienist to effectively carry out the duties as prescribed by licensure. Hygienists are prepared for varied career opportunities, which include the following settings: general dentistry practice, specialty practices, public health, military installations, hospitals or clinics, research facilities or public school dental hygiene.

Although 14 hours of Colonnade courses (including Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology) are prerequisites, most beginning dental hygiene students will have successfully completed one or more years of college.