Program Overview

Introduction to the Dental Hygiene Program

The program leading to a baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene is designed to prepare the graduate to successfully enter the profession of dental hygiene in any one of the seven designated roles of the dental hygienist as defined by the American Dental Hygienists' Association: clinician, corporate, public health, researcher, educator, administrator, and entrepreneur. In addition, graduates are prepared to continue their education in graduate or professional programs.

Program Description

The curriculum is designed to assist students in the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable them to adapt to a complex and changing health care delivery system. Special emphasis is placed on the development of skills related to periodontal disease, skills, and attitudes to meet the needs of the geriatric population, and access to care for those persons unable to attain care, especially the underserved rural segment of the population.

Admission Requirements

• A minimum grade of C (as defined by the dental hygiene program grading scale) for all dental hygiene courses is required to maintain enrollment in the dental hygiene professional sequence.
• Dental hygiene courses typically are taught one time in an academic year.
• A student who fails to meet the minimum grade requirements for each dental hygiene course (or drops out of the dental hygiene sequence) will be removed from the dental hygiene program and must reapply for admission.
• Students applying to the dental hygiene program must submit copies of their high school transcript and college transcripts.
• All students are required to observe a dental hygienist for a period of two or more hours.
• Students enter the professional sequence of the curriculum upon successful completion of 32 hours of specific University Core and science courses.

Program Structure

• Thirty-six students will begin the professional sequence each fall semester.
• Admission requirements to the applicant pool are the same as those to the University.
• Once accepted into the University, the student must submit a separate application to the dental hygiene program.
• In order to be considered for admission into the professional sequence, students must have completed a minimum of 29 credit hours of college credit (not including PSYC and/or SOC). These credit hours must include the following courses or approved substitutions: ENGL 101, ENGL 102, MATH 101 or 108, PSYC 102, SOC 108, MICR 201, AH 105, AH 241, and CHEM 106. Prospective students may complete the University Core Curriculum and the basic science courses at other Colleges or Universities as well as at SIU Carbondale. The student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 in order to remain in good standing in the University and dental hygiene program. Failure to maintain the minimum GPA will result in dismissal from the program. A student who fails a class or classes in the dental hygiene program, whether it is a fall or spring semester course, must reapply to the program for possible fall re-admittance. The student must rank high enough in the program selection process for re-entrance into the program. Year one is for General Education courses only. Year two is when the student begins the dental hygiene program sequence, for which this re-admission policy applies. The failed course or courses must be registered for and passed according to the program/course attendance and grading scale specifications. If a student fails more than one dental hygiene course in any semester, they will be dismissed from the program.

Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Dental Hygiene Degree Requirements

• University Core Curriculum: 39 credit hours
  • To include: AH 241 or Anatomy equivalent, CHEM 106, MICR 201, HND 101, AH 105
• Requirements for Major in Dental Hygiene: 78 credit hours
  • Including: DH 200, DH 206, DH 206L, DH 207, DH 207C, DH 210, DH 210C, DH 212, DH 218, DH 218L, DH 219, DH 219L, DH 220, DH 220C, DH 226, DH 233, DH 247, DH 247L, DH 320, DH 320C, DH 322, DH 322L, DH 340, DH 341, DH 347, DH 349, DH 355, DH 355C, DH 400, DH 401, DH 401L, DH 410, DH 417, DH 417I, DH 440, DH 441, DH 441C, and DH 450C
• Total: 120 credit hours

Education and Management Specialization

This option is designed to allow dental hygienists with an associate degree and their credentials, the opportunity to complete a Bachelor's Degree. The student will study educational theories, philosophies, styles, and techniques. Additionally, the student will be introduced to management concepts as they relate to health care. Students in their last semester of completing their program in dental hygiene, may elect to start the education and management program. Students who start the education and management option during their last semester, must obtain an associate's degree and their credentials at the end of their program in order to continue in the dental hygiene education and management option.

Education and Management Courses

The ten following courses must be taken:

• DH 345
• DH 365
• DH 411
• DH 425A
• DH 425B
• DH 435
• DH 476
• HCM 360
• HCM 364
• HCM 388

Capstone Option for Transfer Students

The SIU Carbondale Capstone Option may be available to eligible students who have earned an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) degree or the equivalent. The Capstone Option reduces the University Core Curriculum requirements from 39 to 30 hours, therefore reducing the time to complete those requirements.

Accreditation

The program in Dental Hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Post-secondary Accreditation and by the United States Department of Education.