Admissions
Dental Hygiene Programs Requirements
Associate of Science (A.S.) Admission Requirements
Required prerequisite courses may be taken at any accredited college or university if they are listed as approved courses by the Student Records and Admissions Office at the Indiana University School of Dentistry (see the section of this Web site entitled For Further Information for the address).
A listing of currently approved courses can also be accessed on the School of Dentistry website under Prerequisites for Pre-Dental and Pre-Hygiene Students. They include one semester each of English composition, chemistry with laboratory, human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology with laboratory, psychology, sociology, and public speaking, and two semester courses in arts and humanities.
Remedial courses may not be used to fulfill this requirement. All applicants must maintain a minimum cumulative college grade point average of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) and achieve a minimum course grade of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in all prerequisite courses to be considered for admission to the program. In addition, applicants must earn a 2.7 grade point average in the combined prerequisite science courses (inorganic chemistry, microbiology, human anatomy, and human physiology).
Please note that if prerequisite courses are retaken for an improved grade, all course grades will be included in the computed grade point averages. Courses taken at institutions other than Indiana University must show a grade of C or above to be accepted as transfer credit by Indiana University. All prerequisite courses listed above must be completed by the end of the spring semester of the year in which students wish to enter the program.
Required science courses must have been completed within the past seven years. Questions about course work that does not meet these time limits should be directed to the Student Records and Admissions Office at IUSD.
All candidates applying for admission must provide documentation that they have recently completed the prescribed number of hours of observation of a practicing dental hygienist in at least two different practice settings. They must also submit a personal statement. Specific instructions for documenting observations and the personal statement are available at the School of Dentistry website under Dental Hygiene Admission Criteria or from the Student Records and Admissions Office.
Each eligible candidate is required to either attend the In-house Dental Hygiene Candidates' Orientation or complete the online orientation. Registration forms indicating orientation preference must be received by the Student Records and Admissions Office.
All applications and supporting materials are to be submitted by February 1. Applicants who have previously applied must submit a new application when reapplying. Applications to the IUSD dental hygiene program may be obtained by contacting the dental school's Student Records and Admissions Office or from the Web site. Requirements and forms for admission to the IUSD dental hygiene program are specific to this program only and are not acceptable for admission to other dental hygiene programs in the state.
Applications for admission to any other Indiana dental hygiene program must be directed to those programs and follow their prescribed procedures. (See the section of this Web site entitled For Further Information for a list of dental hygiene programs offered on other campuses.) All potential applicants are advised to consult the School of Dentistry's Student Records and Admissions Office or Web site for updates or changes in dental hygiene admissions policies that may occur after publication of this document.
Class size is limited, and there are more qualified applicants than can be accepted each year. Applicants are encouraged to consult with the Student Records and Admissions Office or the program director for pre-dental hygiene counseling. Selections are made on an individual basis, upon appraisal of the applicant's established record and potential for development.
Potential applicants are advised to review the list of minimum skill standards for admission and retention in the dental hygiene profession. This document is provided on the Web site and from the school's Student Records and Admissions Office. In addition to these standards, it is necessary that students enrolled in the dental hygiene program enter with basic computer literacy sufficient to allow them to participate in instruction involving computer-based course work, Internet searching, basic word processing, and e-mail applications.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Admission Requirements
Prerequisites to the public health dental hygiene program include completion of 90 undergraduate semester hours, graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program, satisfactory completion of the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, and current licensure as a dental hygienist.
Accepted students are expected to have basic computer literacy sufficient to participate in Web-based instruction, computer word processing, and e-mail communication. An application to the program may be obtained by addressing communications to Director, Dental Hygiene Program, Indiana University School of Dentistry, 1121 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5186.
Applications may be received at any time during the academic year, but the completed application must be submitted to the program director at least 60 days prior to the first semester in which the applicant wishes to enroll. Completion of all application requirements and an interview with the program director or admissions committee is required before acceptance into the program can be considered. Upon acceptance, each student must complete a curriculum plan to be approved by the program director before enrollment in required courses.
Students in the public health dental hygiene program must complete a total of 32 semester hours of course work, including the following courses that comprise the required core curriculum. In addition to the core courses, students must complete approved elective courses in a selected focus area (e.g., behavioral sciences, education, or basic sciences) to fulfill the 32 semester hour completion requirement of the bachelor's degree.