Dental Hygiene — B.S.
Dental hygiene—a profession dating back to 1913—is largely concerned with preventive health services. The hygienist works in cooperation with the dentist in private practice offices, industrial organizations, schools, hospitals, state or federal public health services, and the armed forces.
The B.S. degree is organized as a four-year college curriculum. The freshman and sophomore years of largely prescribed, preprofessional study may be taken at any regionally accredited college. The professional curriculum begins with the junior year in the School of Dentistry. The curriculum is approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The first class at this University graduated in 1961.
Institutional learning outcomes
Students who graduate with the Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene will meet the University outcomes.
Dental hygiene’s ten core competencies
The curriculum is designed to ensure that by graduation, all students will have been equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to successfully enter the practice of dental hygiene. By the end of the program, graduates should be able to:
- Apply a professional code of ethics in all patient and professional interactions;
- Adhere to the federal/state legal and regulatory framework in the provision of oral health care;
- Apply critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in the provision of oral health care to promote whole-patient health and wellness;
- Use evidence-based rationales and emerging treatment modalities to evaluate and incorporate accepted standards of care;
- Incorporate self-assessment and professional growth through lifelong learning;
- Advance oral health services through affiliations with professional organizations, service activities, and research;
- Apply quality-assurance processes to ensure a continued commitment to accepted standards of care;
- Communicate effectively with diverse individuals and groups serving all persons without discrimination by acknowledging and appreciating diversity;
- Provide accurate, consistent, and complete assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and documentation for the provision of all phases of the dental hygiene process of care;
- Provide collaborative, individualized patient care that is comprehensive and compassionate.
The entry-level B.S. degree curricula is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678; telephone: 312/440-250; e-mail: <accreditation@ada.org>; website: <http://www.ada.org>.
The entry-level dental hygiene applicant must meet the following minimum requirements:
- 96 quarter or 64 semester units of accredited college coursework.
NOTE: Loma Linda University requires all students who graduate with a baccalaureate degree to complete a minimum of 68 quarter units of general education, which is integrated into the entire undergraduate program. - A grade point average of 2.7 or higher in science and nonscience coursework, averaged separately; a minimum grade of C for all pre-entrance coursework to be transferred to the University. The entering grade point average is typically 3.2 or higher.
- A personal interview with a representative designated by the School of Dentistry. This interview will assess personal qualities such as, values, spiritual heritage, communication skills, service orientation, and volunteer experience. The interview is by invitation only.
- Three personal letters of reference.
- A minimum of 20 hours observation with a dental hygienist. Completion of observation hours prior to an interview is recommended. Dental assisting experience is also highly recommended.
- Dental hygiene applicants are expected to complete all general education requirements before matriculating in the School of Dentistry. A student may be accepted with a deficiency in one or more of the areas but is expected to eliminate deficits before registering for the Dental Hygiene Program.
- Required science courses must be completed within five years prior to the desired date of matriculation.
For further details, please see the application procedures tab in the School of Dentistry undergraduate section of this catalog.
Dental hygiene general education requirements
Domain I: 28-32 units
Religion and Humanities
Four quarter or three semester units of religion for each full year of attendance at a Seventh-day Adventist college, based on the total units graded; humanities courses (20-24 quarter units or 14 semester units) selected from a minimum of three content areas—history and/or civilization, fine arts theory, literature, philosophy/ethics, foreign language, performing arts/visual arts (not to exceed four quarter units).
Domain II: 24-32 units
Scientific Inquiry and Analysis and Social Sciences
One full year of chemistry covering inorganic, organic, and biochemistry—each with laboratory; human anatomy and human physiology with laboratory (may be two separate courses or sequential courses); microbiology with laboratory. Required science coursework must be completed within five years prior to matriculation. Nonremedial college mathematics or statistics. Introductory sociology, general psychology, and cultural anthropology/diversity courses are required.
Domain III: 9-13 units
Communication
English composition and literature, a complete sequence (two semesters or two to three quarters); and a speech/interpersonal communication/persuasion course are required. Introductory courses in computers are highly recommended.
Domain IV: 2-6 units
Health and Wellness
A personal health or nutrition course and two physical education activity courses with letter grades (C or better) are required.
For total unit requirements for graduation, see LLU General Education Requirements.
Code | Title | Clock Hours | Total Units | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lec | Lab | Clinical | Total | |||
Junior Year, Autumn Quarter | ||||||
ANAT 301 | Head and Neck Anatomy, DH | 46 | 46 | 4.0 | ||
DNES 200 | Curricular Practical Training2, 3 | 75 | 75 | 0.0 | ||
DNHY 305 | Oral Anatomy Lecture | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 305L | Oral Anatomy Laboratory | 30 | 30 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 309 | Radiology I | 22 | 40 | 62 | 3.0 | |
DNHY 321 | Preclinical Dental Hygiene I Lecture | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 321L | Preclinical Dental Hygiene I Laboratory | 60 | 60 | 2.0 | ||
RELT 423 | Loma Linda Perspectives | 20 | 20 | 2.0 | ||
Winter Quarter | ||||||
ANAT 303 | General and Oral Histology and Embryology | 42 | 42 | 3.0 | ||
ANDN 314 | Dental Anesthesia: Local Anesthesia and Inhalation Sedation | 33 | 30 | 63 | 4.0 | |
DNHY 310 | Radiology II | 22 | 40 | 62 | 3.0 | |
DNHY 322 | Preclinical Dental Hygiene II Lecture | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 322L | Preclinical Dental Hygiene II Laboratory | 60 | 60 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 375 | Dental Hygiene Clinic | 40 | 40 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 380 | Medically Compromised Patients | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 381 | Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist I | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
Spring Quarter | ||||||
DNHY 323 | Preclinical Dental Hygiene III | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 323L | Preclinical Laboratory | 40 | 40 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 376 | Dental Hygiene Clinic | 120 | 120 | 4.0 | ||
DNHY 380 | Medically Compromised Patients | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 382 | Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist II | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 405 | Introduction to Periodontics | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 450 | Junior Clinical Seminar | 22 | 22 | 1.0 | ||
ODRP 311 | General and Oral Pathology DH | 50 | 50 | 5.0 | ||
RELE 457 | Christian Ethics and Health Care | 20 | 20 | 2.0 | ||
Senior Year, Summer Quarter | ||||||
DNES 200 | Curricular Practical Training3 | 75 | 75 | 0.0 | ||
DNES 305 | Etiology and Management of Dental Caries | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNES 400 | Interprofessional Laboratory Experience1, 3 | 4 | 4 | 0.0 | ||
DNHY 303 | Dental Materials and Techniques | 12 | 30 | 42 | 2.0 | |
DNHY 328 | Dental Hygiene Portfolio Practicum3 | 10 | 10 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 376 | Dental Hygiene Clinic | 120 | 120 | 4.0 | ||
DNHY 390 | Introductory Statistics | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 406 | Orthodontics Concepts for Dental Hygiene | 12 | 12 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 416 | Dental Health Education I | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 421 | Research I | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 450 | Junior Clinical Seminar | 22 | 22 | 1.0 | ||
Autumn Quarter | ||||||
DNHY 411 | Dental Hygiene Topics I | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 415 | Applied Nutrition | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 417 | Dental Health Education II | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 422 | Research II | 20 | 20 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 435 | Special Topics in Periodontal Therapy | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 451 | Clinical Seminar I | 22 | 22 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 475 | Dental Hygiene Clinic I | 176 | 176 | 4.0 | ||
DNHY 495 | Dental Hygiene National Board Preparation | 22 | 22 | 1.0-2.0 | ||
RELR 475 | Whole Person Care | 20 | 20 | 2.0 | ||
Winter Quarter | ||||||
DNHY 408 | Professional Ethics | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 431 | Public Health Dentistry | 33 | 33 | 3.0 | ||
DNHY 452 | Clinical Seminar II | 22 | 22 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 476 | Dental Hygiene Clinic II | 176 | 176 | 4.0 | ||
DNHY 495 | Dental Hygiene National Board Preparation | 22 | 22 | 1.0-2.0 | ||
Spring Quarter | ||||||
DNHY 409 | Jurisprudence and Practice Management | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 413 | Dental Hygiene Topics III | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 414 | Personal Finance | 20 | 20 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 453 | Clinical Seminar III | 22 | 22 | 1.0 | ||
DNHY 477 | Dental Hygiene Clinic III | 204 | 204 | 4.0 | ||
RELR 408 | Christian Perspectives on Marriage and the Family | 20 | 20 | 2.0 | ||
Total Units | 996 | 484 | 836 | 2316 | 115-117 |
1 | Course may be taken in the junior or senior year. |
2 | Fulfills service learning requirement |
3 | Course may be repeated during each term |
Normal time to complete the program
Four (4) years — Two (2) years (seven [7] academic quarters) at LLU — full-time enrollment required
NOTE: Consult advisor regarding other courses that may be applied towards graduation.