Pictured | Christine Curtis | B.S. in Dental Hygiene / Minor in Palliative and Supportive Care | La Porte, Indiana (hometown)

Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, Degree Completion

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, Degree Completion

The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree completion program provides an opportunity for licensed dental hygienists to develop further expertise and includes application of practical experience. It prepares hygienists for leadership roles in education, public health, commercial ventures, professional associations, and/or health advocacy. The degre can enhance career opportunities available to dental hygienists in a variety of areas, including but not limited to state and county health departments, academia, sales and marketing, pharmaceuticals, dental education consulting, dental insurance companies, research, and clinical dental hygiene. Program activities promote development of professional leadership skills and prepare hygienists for entry into graduate programs.

The program’s objectives are designed to provide students with the education and skills to:

• perform dental hygiene services in a variety of settings (e.g., private dental practice, public health clinics, school systems, institutions, and hospitals)
• serve as a resource person and work in cooperation with other health personnel in assessing health care needs and providing health care services to the public
• plan, implement, and evaluate effective teaching methodologies in an educational setting
• supervise the teaching of dental hygiene services in a clinical or public health setting
• prepare for admission to graduate degree programs
• continue their professional education and personal growth

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 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.

Admission Policies

Graduates from an accredited degree program holding the Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene, and a current dental hygiene license must submit an application to be admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program after meeting with an academic advisor. Applicants who receive Dental Hygiene degrees from accredited programs other than those offered by Indiana University will be considered transfer students for the purpose of fulfilling general-education requirements at IU South Bend. Courses required for admission may be taken at any Indiana University campus or may be accepted as transfer credit hours from other accredited institutions.

Contact a dental education advisor for more information.

• A minimum GPA of 2.00 in each category is required
• Two letters of recommendation from faculty or dental professionals are required for non-IU South Bend degree graduates
• Students with the highest overall GPA and positive letters of recommendation will be granted admission
• A student is expected to complete the work for a degree within five years from date of admission

What Students Should Know

• Applicants who receive dental hygiene degrees from accredited degree programs other than those offered by Indiana University will be considered transfer students for the purpose of fulfilling general-education requirements at IU South Bend.
• Courses required for admission may be taken at any Indiana University campus or may be accepted as transfer credit hours from other accredited institutions.
• Admission is competitive based on average GPA, average for preprofessional coursework, and the GPA for professional dental hygiene courses. A minimum GPA of 2.00 in each category is required.
• The BSDH Completion Degree currently requires 30 credit hours beyond the 90 earned for the IU South Bend ASDH degree to equal 120 credit hours.
• Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene (ASDH) graduates of programs that do not have the minimum of 90 credits of the IU South Bend  program need to take additional approved bridge course electives at IU South Bend to add up to the 90 credits prior to enrolling in the following BSDH degree completion courses.

Degree Requirements (30 cr.)

Degree Map >>

Students receiving the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene must complete 30 total credit hours including:

• IU South Bend Campuswide General Education Curriculum (13 cr.)
  • Common Core | Select from approved 390 course list
  • Fundamental Literacies | Quantitative Reasoning (3 cr.)
• Research-Related Course | see advisor for approved course list (3 cr.)
• Required Dental Hygiene courses (12 cr.)
• Electives (9 cr.)

• A minimum of 30 credit hours must be completed at IU South Bend
• 20 of the 30 credit hours for the BSDH Completion Degree must be taken at IU South Bend, after admission to the program.
• Students must earn a grade of C or higher in all required courses and maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.5.
• Completion of the degree will be five years from the date of enrollment in the first course toward the BSDH degree.
• All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise noted.

BSDH Required Dental Hygiene Courses (12 cr.)

• DHYG-E 443 Public Health Education Methods
• DHYG-H 410 Management Strategies for the Dental Hygiene Professional
• DHYG-H 412 Global Health
• DHYG-H 444 Bachelor Degree Capstone Course

Electives (6 cr.)

• Upper division courses (300–400 level)