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; email: 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. Courses are to be completed at an institutionally accredited college or university.
- 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 1: Religion (8 quarter units)
(completed during enrollment at LLU)
Domain 2: Arts and humanities (minimum 16 quarter units)
Units must be selected from at least three of the following content areas: civilization/history, art, literature, language, philosophy, religion, or general humanities electives. A minimum of 3 quarter units in an area is required to meet a "content area."
Domain 3: Scientific inquiry and quantitative reasoning (minimum 12 quarter units)
- 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
- Nonremedial college mathematics or statistics
Domain 4: Social sciences (minimum 12 quarter units)
- Selected from two of the following content areas: anthropology, economics, geography, political sciences, psychology, and sociology.
- One course (or components integrated into several courses) dealing specifically with issues of human diversity.
Domain 5: Written and oral communication (minimum 9 quarter units)
- English composition, complete sequence that meets the baccalaureate degree requirements of a four-year college or university
- Other areas of study in communication may include courses in computer information systems, critical thinking, and public speaking.
Domain 6: Health and wellness (minimum 2 quarter units)
- A didactic course in health or nutrition (e.g., personal health, personal nutrition, population health, global health, and community nutrition) minimum of 2 units
- Physical education. Must include at least two separate physical activity courses totaling a minimum of one quarter units.
Electives
To meet the minimum requirement of 90 quarter units required for matriculation, electives may be selected from the previous four domains. For more information regarding GE 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 Training1, 2 | 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 Training2 | 75 | 75 | 0.0 | ||
DNES 305 | Etiology and Management of Dental Caries | 22 | 22 | 2.0 | ||
DNHY 303 | Dental Materials and Techniques | 12 | 30 | 42 | 2.0 | |
DNHY 328 | Dental Hygiene Portfolio Practicum2 | 11 | 11 | 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 | 2.0 | ||
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 | 997 | 480 | 836 | 2313 | 116-118 |
- 1
Fulfills service learning requirement
- 2
Students register for zero (0) units in the autumn and winter terms and for one (1) unit in the spring.
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.