Dental Hygiene, BS

Program Description

The dental hygienist is a member of the oral health team who provides treatment to prevent oral health diseases. Clinical skills include performing oral health assessments, examining head, neck and oral regions for disease, exposing and processing dental radiographs, other diagnostic assessments, debridement (removing) of deposits from the tooth structures, applying sealants and fluorides to prevent decay, providing nutritional counseling for maintenance of the oral cavity, fabricate athletic mouth guards, and other patient services allowed by the State Board of Dentistry. Dental hygienists are oral health educators within the community and plan oral health promotion strategies to better inform and serve their patients. The curriculum covers a three-year program culminating in a BS degree. The BSDH program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) is the national programmatic accrediting agency for dental and dental-related education programs at the post-secondary level. BSDH program teaches the student the essential theoretical and hands-on knowledge to compete for entry-level positions in the field.

In addition, the program provides a framework for developing the necessary skills to expand career opportunities in education, health promotion, public health, management and research. The program is built on academic excellence and clinical expertise with a vision toward the development of a professional leader, change agent, educator and/or public health manager in Dental Hygiene.

The BSDH program is comprised of 45 semester credits of General Education and 78 semester credits of Technical courses.

 

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program learning outcomes

  • Students demonstrate and develop strategies that will prepare them to become a successful dental hygiene educator in a dental hygiene program by addressing areas such as: learning theories, teaching strategies, learning
  • Students develop instructional content and plan for teaching topics for adult learners. Teaching methods, learning styles, student and instructor evaluation, and use of media will be discussed.
  • Students demonstrate fundamental understanding of acquiring and applying scientific information in evidence based dental hygiene practice.
  • Students demonstrate effective communication skills.
  • Students demonstrate an understanding of concepts including researching alternative resources and funding opportunities, proposal writing, implementing and managing grants, developing community partnerships and collaborations, and becoming knowledgeable in policies and procedures related to public entities

General Education Coursework

Course NumberCourse TitleSemester Credits
BIO 101Anatomy and Physiology I4
BIO 102Anatomy and Physiology II4
BIO 110Microbiology4
CHE 101General/Organic/ Biochemistry For Allied Health Professionals3
ENG 101English Composition3
ENG 302Research Design & Writing3
HEA 304Global Health3
MAT 103College Algebra3
MAT 300Basic Statistics and Microsoft Excel Applications3
PHI 302Bioethics3
PSY 101General Psychology3
REL302World Religions3
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3
SPC 101Interpersonal Communications3
Total 45

 Total Program Credits: 123

Total Length of Program: 36 months

program major courses

Course NumberCourse TitleSemester Credits
DH 100Dental Hygiene Preclinical Sciences3
DH101Dental Hygiene Clinical Sciences I4
DH 102Dental Radiology3
DH 103Dental and Oral Anatomy & Physiology2
DH 104General and Oral Pathology3
DH 105Oral Embryology and Histology2
DH 106Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office, Basic Life Support “C” AHA1
DH 200Dental Hygiene Clinical Sciences II4
DH 201Dental Hygiene Clinical Sciences III4
DH 202Pharmacology2
DH 203Periodontics I2
DH 204Periodontics II2
DH 205Law and Ethics for the Dental Hygienists: Ethics, Jurisprudence and Practice Management2
DH 206Foundations of Nutritional Science3
DH 207National Board and Case Review2
DH 208Community Dentistry & Health Study3
DH 209Dental Material & Lab2
DH 210Prevention and Control or Oral Disease2
DH 211Local Anesthesia & Pain Control2
DH 300Educational Methodology for Dental Hygiene3
DH 301Cultural Competency & Dental Hygiene Care for Target Populations3
DH 302Educational Concepts in Dental Hygiene3
DH 303Statistical & Methodological Aspects to Oral Health Research3
DH 304Grant Writing3
DH 305 Epidemiology of Oral Diseases3
DH 400Dental Practice Management with Oral Health Promotion3
DH 401Management of Oral Healthcare Delivery3
DH 402Dental Hygiene Care for Culturally Diverse and Special Needs3
DH 403Leadership Roles for the Dental Hygiene Professional3

  DH 404                         Internship Dental Hygiene                          0
                                          Clinical Rotation 

   
TOTAL 78

ADMISSIONS

  • Minimum High School Diploma or recognized equivalency certificate (GED)
  • Take the HESI Exam with a minimum score of 70
    • Grammar–Contains a basic grammar assessment, centering on parts of speech, common grammatical errors, etc.
    • Basic Math Skills–Centers on math skills needed for the healthcare field, including basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, decimals, ratios, etc.

Take a tour of our Jersey City campus, or contact us to learn more about our available allied health academic programs. 

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