Dental Hygiene Entry Level Program
The Ohio State University offers you all the benefits of an education at a Big Ten university with the professional learning environment at a highly regarded dental college.
Our four year program will prepare you for practice and licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist and provide a foundation of evidence based research skill to help you provide the best quality care to your patients. You will also engage in many specialty department rotations throughout the dental school, as well as community service and outreach activities as part of a well-rounded education.
Please take a look at the information on our website to become familiar with our admissions requirements and process. If you have questions, please join us for one of our virtual admissions overview sessions that are held on various afternoons throughout the spring and summer. You can find information and register for these events on our calendar. Additionally, you are always welcome to submit a question to an admissions counselor.
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
Program Length
4 years (2 + 2 curriculum)
Application Deadline
February 3
International Students
Yes
DHY Entry Level Program Admissions Overview
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Observation Hours
To provide you with a first-hand look at the profession, we ask that all applicants provide documentation of a minimum of 20 hours of observation of dental hygienists in private practice.
- At a minimum, the 20 hours must include two or more dental hygienists and be conducted in two or more dental practices, including at least one general practice office. Although we encourage more observation, it is not necessary to document hours in excess of the 20 hours required.
- Observation hours may not be scheduled with a family member and may not take place in a teaching facility such as a college or university or in any office where the prospective student has been employed.
- Observation hours are subject to verification. You should record the following information as you complete each observation as this information will be requested in the program application:
- name of dental hygienist observed
- type of dental practice
- date(s) of observation
- total hours with this dental hygienist
- dental office address and telephone number
- describe three things you learned at each observation site
A grade of C– or higher is required in each of the program prerequisites listed below. Natural science prerequisites must be completed within the past ten years.
Required Cumulative GPA: 2.7 or higher
Required Science GPA: Average 2.5 or higher
Prerequisite and General Education (GE) Course Requirements
Admission to the dental hygiene program is selective and completive.
Students apply to the dental hygiene professional program during autumn semester of the sophomore year for admission in autumn semester of the junior year. Applications are reviewed following receipt of autumn semester grades and students are admitted conditionally on successful completion of their remaining prerequisites prior to program entry.
All program prerequisites must be completed by the end of spring semester prior to matriculation in the dental hygiene major. Below is the suggested deadlines for completing the prerequisites.
Specific Course Prerequisites
Should be completed by:
Anatomy 2300 or 3300.01 (or EEOB 2510)
4
End of autumn semester prior to enrollment in the dental hygiene major (the end of autumn semester of the sophomore year for admission in autumn of the junior year).
Biology 1110 (or 1101 or 1113)
4
Chemistry 1110 (or 1210)
5
English 1110
3
Math 1148 (1116 or higher)
3-4
Psychology 1100
3
EEOB 2520 (Physiology) or Physiology 3200
3-5
End of spring semester prior to enrollment in the dental hygiene major.
Human Nutrition 2210 or 2310 or 2410
3
Microbiology 4000.01 or .02
4
Sociology 1101
3
Legacy General Education Requirements*
The General Education (GE) courses listed below must be completed by the end of summer semester prior to enrollment in the dental hygiene major
Second Writing Course
3
Choose any course with attribute GE Writing and Communication 2
Historical Study
3
Choose any course with attribute GE Historical Study
Literature
3
Choose any course with attribute GE Literature
Visual and Performing Arts
3
Choose any course with attribute GE Visual and Performing Arts
Culture/Historical/Social Science
3
Choose any course with attribute GE Cultures and Ideas, GE Historical Study or GE Social Science
Open Option
3
Choose an additional course from any GE category except natural science. Foreign language must be at the level of 1103 or higher.
Global Studies
0-6
Courses listed above should be selected so that two courses also have the attribute GE Diversity: Global Studies. Otherwise, choose any two courses with the attribute GE Diversity: Global Studies.
*Students entering the university starting in autumn semester 2022 will follow the university's new General Education Program.
New General Education Requirements
Foundations: Writing and Information Literacy
3
English 1110* (or Student Choice – see below)
Foundations: Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning/Data Analysis
3-5
Math 1116 or higher* (or Student Choice – see below)
Foundations: Literary, Visual and Performing Arts
3
Student Choice
Foundations: Historical & Cultural Studies
3
Student Choice
Foundations: Natural Science
4-5
Chemistry 1110* (or Student Choice – see below)
Foundations: Social & Behavioral Sciences
3
Psychology 1100* (or Student Choice – see below)
Foundations: Race, Ethnic and Gender Diversity
3
Student Choice
Theme: Citizenship for a Diverse & Just World
4-6
Student Choice
Theme: Student Choice
4-6
Student Choice
*Indicates a pre/co-requisite course for this major that also satisfies this GE category. If a student makes an alternate selection in this GE category, they must also complete this course.
Directions for Checking Course Equivalency:
Students who wish to complete the program prerequisites at a different accredited institution must take courses equivalent to the Ohio State course numbers listed above. A transfer matrix is available at transferology.com, and equivalent courses for many schools are available at admissions.osu.edu/standards. Students may also request a Prerequisite Evaluation. Prospective transfer students should reach out to an admissions counselor to discuss course transferability. You can submit a question to an admissions counselor here.
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Unfortunately, because spaces in the class are limited, not all qualified applicants can be accepted to the Entry Level Dental Program. Admission is selective and competitive.
Your overall grade point average and grades in the required sciences are important factors in the admission decision, and preference is given to applicants who successfully complete the required sciences at a four-year college or university. Successful candidates will also demonstrate interest, knowledge and commitment to the dental hygiene profession, strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as leadership, service and other personal and academic strengths.
Required cumulative GPA: 2.7 or higher (most competitive applicants will have a cumulative grade point average above 3.2) Average cumulative GPA for admitted students in recent years: 3.5 Required science grade point average: 2.5 or higher (most competitive applicants will have a science grade point average above 3.0) Average science grade point for admitted students in recent years: 3.3 -
- Application window opens: December 2, 2024
- Application window closes: February 3, 2024
- Interview of selected candidates: March 2025
- Offers of admission: April 2025
Application Review and Admissions Process
- Applications are reviewed by staff of the Graduate and Professional Admissions Office to determine whether program prerequisites and minimum requirements for admission have been met. All applications are forwarded to the College of Dentistry Admissions Office for review by the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee. Applicants with substantial deficits will be notified that they are not eligible for admission and all eligible applications will advance for further review.
- The application essays, personal statement, descriptions of experiences and extra-curricular activities and documentation of office observations will be scored by a staff member in the College of Dentistry Office of Admissions and a faculty member on the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee. These will be scored on rubrics for involvement and leadership experience, community service, knowledge about the field of dental hygiene, and professional communication.
- Grades and scores for each applicant will be entered in a spreadsheet; data to be considered includes cumulative GPA (all colleges attended), OSU GPA (if applicable), grades in each of the six prerequisite sciences, the cumulative prerequisite science GPA, and the scores from the application review described above. The Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee will meet to review data for all applicants and select 48-50 applicants to invite for interviews.
- Interviews will be conducted on campus. Ohio residents are expected to attend in person unless there is a compelling reason preventing them from doing so. Non-residents are encouraged to attend but may request an alternate interview format; these interviews will be conducted online or by telephone as determined by the admissions committee. Interviews will be scored on knowledge of dental hygiene, commitment to the profession of dental hygiene, and professional communication skills.
- Interview scores will be added to the applicant data and the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee will meet to select students for admission. Admission is based on cumulative GPA, sciences grades and overall science GPA, application review scores, and interview scores. 32 students will be selected for admission and a small group of students will be selected as alternates. All students will be notified of their admission status by early April.
- Admission is conditional on successful completion of remaining prerequisites and maintaining the GPA; final admissions status will be determined following receipt of spring semester grades. Admitted students who fail to complete all prerequisites or maintain the GPA at which they were admitted will be reviewed by the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee and may be removed from the class.
- If seats in the class become available due to ineligibility or withdrawal of admitted students, alternates will be reviewed by the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee following spring semester grades and admitted based on the criteria described above.
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As a healthcare provider, you will interact with a variety of patients as part of the educational process in the College of Dentistry. Because of this patient contact, and for your own well-being, it is important to have a complete and accurate medical history and immunization record. In keeping with the policies of the College of Dentistry and requirements by affiliated hospitals, you will need to provide evidence of the following:
- Measles: Vaccination (two doses) or presence of serum antibodies
- Mumps: Vaccination or presence of serum antibodies
- Rubella: Vaccination or presence of serum antibodies
- Varicella (Chicken Pox): Proof of immunity through immunization (two doses), or presence of serum antibodies
- Hepatitis B: Presence of serum antibodies – Immunization for hepatitis B requires a series of three doses spaced over six months. The second dose should be given one month after the first dose, and the third dose should be six months after the first dose or five months after the second dose. The Hep B antibody test should be administered one to two months after completion of the vaccine series.
- Tetanus/Diphtheria: You must have a booster every 10 years.
- Tuberculosis: A two-step PPD or IGRA is required annually for all students who have not previously tested positive. If you have previously tested positive for tuberculosis as a result of infection or vaccination, you must provide physician documentation of the date and results of testing, verification of chest x-ray results, and a record of any treatment that you received.
- Influenza: Vaccine is required annually.
Ready to Apply?
College of Dentistry alumni give back! Their generous contributions allow us to proudly offer scholarship opportunities to students enrolled in the Entry Level Dental Hygiene program.
Because of the generosity of our alumni, we have four full tuition scholarships available to students in each entering entry level dental hygiene class. Note that our scholarships are competitive, modest, and in most cases, nonrenewable. Receipt of a Dental Hygiene scholarship in a previous academic year does not guarantee an award for the following year.
All Dental Hygiene students are encouraged to also complete the University application through OSU Scholarship Universe. The priority application date is February 1, 2025 for all University students.
More about the Entry Level program
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During the program you will spend much of your time in labs and clinics. There are additional costs associated with these educational experiences.
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To help you plan your four years in the dental hygiene program, here are some goals for your studies and a sample schedule.
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The dental hygiene graduate is a licensed oral health professional who provides educational, preventive, and therapeutic services in the support of optimal oral health.
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Our program outcomes include pass rates for the National Board exam, patient satisfaction, graduation rates and more.
The bachelor of science in dental hygiene program is 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 60611-2678. The Commission’s web address is: coda.ada.org.
Ohio State academic programs are designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and certification and state licensing board contact information at odee.osu.edu/students/state-authorization#licensure. Click on the link for State Dental Boards.
The Practice of Dental Hygiene
A dental hygienist is a licensed, preventive oral health dental professional. As a dental hygienist, you will work with the dental team in the prevention and control of dental disease, as well as provide education, clinical and therapeutic services supporting total health through the promotion of oral health.
Practice Settings
A dental hygienist may work in such practice settings as:
- Private dental offices and dental clinics
- Federal, state and local health departments
- Hospitals and nursing homes
- School districts or departments of education
- Educational programs for dental hygiene and dental assisting students
- Private business and industry
- Correctional facilities
- Private and public centers for pediatric, geriatric and other individuals and groups
- Health Maintenance Organizations
- Dental Service Organizations
Dental Hygiene Functions
Although legal dental hygiene functions vary from state to state, some of the functions routinely performed by a dental hygienist include, but are not limited to:
- Monitoring of patient's health history, including blood pressure
- Thorough examination of the teeth and oral structures, including a soft tissue exam
- Removal of calculus, stain and plaque from above and below the gum line
- Application of caries preventive agents such as fluorides and sealants
- Providing plaque control instructions and development of individualized oral hygiene programs for home care
- Offering dietary analysis and counseling
- Exposure, processing and interpretation of dental x-rays
- Placement of temporary fillings and periodontal dressings, removal of sutures, and polishing and recontouring amalgam fillings
- Educating the individual patient, the general public and special population groups about the importance of good oral hygiene habits
- Oral cancer and blood pressure screening
- Designing and implementing community dental hygiene programs
- Placing and carving of filling materials (expanded functions)
For more information about career opportunities in dental hygiene, visit the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) career information page.
Scope of Practice
The dental hygienist gains recognition as a health professional on a team working to serve the public by satisfying the need for dental service and education.
Salary and benefits vary with employment settings, geographic location and the dental hygienist's training and experience. Median pay nationally for dental hygienists is $37.41/hour (as of 2021). Most employers also offer additional benefits such as health insurance and paid vacations. The availability of full-time and part-time employment opportunities and flexible work hours are also advantages of the profession.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental hygiene is one of the 20 fastest growing occupations.
Qualifications
Dental hygienists must be licensed by the state in which they practice. Licensure requirements vary by state. In general, dental hygienists must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program and earn passing scores on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and state or regional examinations.
Visit the Ohio State Dental Board web site for more information about licensing in the State of Ohio.
Ohio State academic programs are designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and certification and state licensing board contact information at http://go.osu.edu/disclosures for online programs and https://odee.osu.edu/students/state-authorization#licensure for on-campus programs.