Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene

Brittney GoleyPictured | Brittney Goley | Dental Hygiene | Bourbon, Indiana (hometown)
Club Affiliations
| Honor Society, Hoosier Hygienist


Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene

The IU South Bend campus offers two types of degrees for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene:

  • The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene entry level, which is designed for those preparing to enter the profession
  • The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene completion degree, which is designed for licensed hygenists who are already graduates of an accredited Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program and wish to continue their education

Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, Entry Level

The Dental Hygiene curriculum, which is accredited by the American Dental Association, leads to the Bachelor of Science degree, and consists of a total of four years of study; one year of prerequiriste courses followed by three years of integrated general education and professional studies. Upon completion, graduates are eligible for licensure to practice this preventive specialty of dentistry. Students can schedule an appointment with an advisor through the Student Appointment Scheduler (SA) in One.IU.


Academic Advising

College policy on advising requires that students meet with their academic advisors at least once each year, and in some departments, prior to each semester’s to enrollment. Advising holds are placed on all Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences students prior to advance registration and are released following advising appointments. Students with a declared major are advised in their academic units. To determine who your advisor is and how to contact them, see One.IU.


Degree Requirements (120 cr.)

Degree Map >>

Students receiving the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene must complete 120 total credit hours including:


  • A minimum of 30 credit hours at the 300- or 400-level
  • Courses required for the major must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
  • A minimum CGPA of 2.0 is required.
  • All courses are 3 credits, unless otherwise noted.

Major Requirements (71 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 205 Medical and Dental Emergencies (1 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 206 General Pathology I (2 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 211 Head and Neck Anatomy
  • DHYG-H 214 Oral Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology
  • DHYG-H 215 Pharmacology/Therapeutics—First Year
  • DHYG-H 217 Preventive Dentistry
  • DHYG-H 218 Fundamentals of Dental Hygiene (4 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 219 Clinical Practice 1
  • DHYG-H 221 Clinical Dental Hygiene Procedures
  • DHYG-H 250 Local Anesthesia and Pain Control (2 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 301 Clinical Practice 2 (4 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 302 Clinical Practice 3 (4 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 303 Radiology
  • DHYG-H 304 Oral Pathology—2nd Year (2 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 308 Dental Materials (2 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 312 Radiology Lecture—II (1 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 321 Periodontics (1 cr.)
  • DHYG-H 333 Management of Special Needs Patients (pending approval)
  • DHYG-H 400 Evidence-Based Decision Making
  • DHYG-H 403 Advanced Community Dental Hygiene (2 cr.) (pending approval)
  • DHYG-H 420 Advanced Clinical Procedures (4 cr.) (pending approval)
  • DHYG-H 444 Bachelor Degree Capstone Course
  • DHYG-H 497 Topics in Dental Hygiene (1 cr.)
  • HSC-H 434 Diversity and Cultural Competence
  • HSC-H 477 Community Assessment and Program Planning
  • HSC-H 478 Evaluation of Health Promotion Programs
  • HSC-W 314 Ethics and Health Professionals

Photo provided by the Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences

Academic Bulletins

PDF Version

2017-2018 Campus Bulletin
2016-2017 Campus Bulletin
2015-2016 Campus Bulletin
2014-2015 Campus Bulletin

Please be aware that the PDF is formatted from the webpages; some pages may be out of order.