Program Overview

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Introduction to the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene

The University of Mississippi offers a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene as a 2 + 2 program. The first two years are completed at the Oxford campus as part of the Allied Health Studies major with a dental hygiene emphasis, followed by two years of professional clinical training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, MS.

About the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene

During the first phase, students complete approximately 60 credit hours, including general education and prerequisite science courses. Note that UMMC requires all science courses for the dental hygiene program to be taken in person/face-to-face; online science courses will not satisfy the requirement. After completing those two years, students submit an application to UMMC's Dental Hygiene program, which accepts one cohort each fall. Acceptance is competitive and class size is limited. Upon completion of the program, the applicant will be qualified to sit for the state licensure exam.

The Value of an Allied Health Studies Degree

Allied Health Studies majors gain the ability to understand human behavior, communicate complex ideas, think critically, interpret data, and engage with a diverse world. These skills prepare majors to enter any allied health profession and become leaders of the future.

What is a Registered Dental Hygienist?

Registered dental hygienists are licensed oral health care professionals. Generally, dental hygienists examine patients for signs of oral disease and provide preventive care. This care can limit the extent of cavities and periodontal disease by using a variety of diagnostic aids, which include preventive services (such as fluorides and sealants) and therapeutic services (such as non-surgical periodontal therapy).

Program Information

Degree

• B.S. in Dental Hygiene

Emphases

• Dental Hygiene

Required Credit Hours

• 120

Program Type

• Major

Program Location

• Oxford

School

• College of Liberal Arts

Duration

• 4 years

Degree Requirements

Departments from across the University of Mississippi contribute courses to the B.A. in Allied Health Studies, which is coordinated by the Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO). The degree prepares students for application and admission to allied health professional schools.

General Education Requirements

Students in the College of Liberal Arts earning the B.A. degree have a common set of 48-50 hours of general education. The specific courses taken to complete the categories of general education may differ between majors.

Categories of General Education:

• First Year Writing I, II
• English Literature Survey
• Modern or Ancient Language
• History
• Additional Humanities
• Fine or Performing Arts Appreciation
• Mathematics
• Social Sciences
• Natural Sciences

B.A. in Allied Health Studies

Students in the B.A. in Allied Health Studies program complete 30-36 credit hours of courses for the major, additional requirements, and a required minor field of study.

• Bisc 210: Microbiology (or any Bisc 300 level or higher)
• ES 396: Allied Health Terminology OR Clc 201: Medical Terminology
• Spch 102: Fundamentals of Public Speaking OR Spch 105: Business and Professional Speaking
• One of the following advanced communication courses
  • Spch 305: Collaborative Communication
  • Writ 300: Rhetoric of Professional Communication
  • Writ 310: Writing in Professional Contexts
  • Writ 320: Contemporary Writing Studies
  • Writ 380: Scientific Writing
  • Writ 399: Special Topics
  • Writ 410: Grant Writing
• 5 of the following electives, depending on your allied health field and interests
  • Anth 349: Medical Anthropology
  • IMC/Jour 585: Health Communications
  • NHM 325: Family Relations
  • NHM 328: Child Development
  • Phil 321: Ethics
  • Phil/Rel 328: Biomedical Ethics
  • Soc 301/G St 303: The Family
  • Soc 310: Sociology of Disability
  • Soc 311: Social Problems
  • Soc 333: Sociology of Delinquency
  • Soc 345: Population Trends and Problems
  • Soc 353: Community Development
  • Soc 370/Hon 315: Population Health
  • Soc 413/AAS 413: Race and Ethnicity
  • Soc 427: Social Stratification
  • SW 326: Gerontology
  • Any 300 level or above biology course
  • Any 300 level or above psychology course
  • Any 300 level or above exercise science course

Additional requirements for the program are:

• Psy 201: General Psychology
• One of the following
  • Psy 301: Developmental Psychology
  • Psy 311: Psychopathology: An Integrative Approaches
  • NHM 323: Human Growth and Development

Career Opportunities for Registered Dental Hygienists

Baccalaureate graduates are employed as clinical practitioners, educators, researchers, administrators, managers, preventive program developers, consultants, and public health agency professionals. Registered/licensed dental hygienists practice according to the requirements of individual state dental practice acts.