Coursework and Clinic:
An Interconnected Curriculum
Curriculum
The School of Dental Hygiene Studies prepares dental hygienists to provide compassionate, patient centered dental hygiene care to diverse populations in a variety of healthcare settings. Students graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene after completing required prerequisites and two years of dental hygiene courses.
The School: Meeting Your Expectations
Our curriculum is designed to provide you with a well-rounded education, emphasizing communication skills, critical thinking, cultural awareness, community service and professional leadership. The curriculum includes courses in dental hygiene science, Spanish language and Hispanic culture, diverse populations, teaching strategies and business management.
Clinical Placements
You will gain invaluable experience providing care to patients in our 16-chair Dental Hygiene Clinic. The clinic provides preventive dental hygiene services to the community, with special emphasis on patients who have limited access to dental care. You will experience fieldwork in a variety of healthcare contexts, including public health clinics, nursing homes, hospitals and other community settings. You will also have an opportunity to pursue concentrated study of a dental-related topic of your choice through your senior capstone project.
A Day in the Life
Prospective students often ask us, “What is a day in the life of a student really like? How many hours do they study? Do they bring lunch or eat in the dining hall?” So we went straight to the source and asked some of our current students about a typical day. A Day in the Life gives you a glimpse of what you can expect.
FEATURED ALUMNI
Fozia Mohamed, RDH
Class of 2012
Currently in McLean, VA from Nairobi, Kenya
“The instructors gave me the time when I needed someone to listen to me, the resources when I needed help and courage when I felt overwhelmed… The diverse patient population at the different rotation sites shaped me to be a servant and transformational leader and the rigorous course work helped me develop exceptional critical-thinking skills and that answers will not always be in front of my face.”
FEATURED ALUMNI
Frank Nguyen, RDH
Class of 2014
Currently in Beaverton, OR from Hillsboro, OR
“Because we are more prepared clinically, we are able to critically think in difficult situations in order to provide higher quality care to our patients… With the majority of the patients seen through the university being the underserved population, this taught me how to be a great listener, as well has having empathy for patients, which is vital when we are trusted providers taking care of patients. Patients recognize this and really appreciate that we are not there just to scrap plaque off their teeth.”
