Master of Science - Dental Hygiene
757-683-5949
http://www.odu.edu/dental
Denise C. McKinney, PhD, RDH, Graduate Program Director
The challenge of effecting change in the scope and direction of dental hygiene and health care requires competencies in collaborative problem solving, evidence-based ethical decision making, and leadership.
Recipients of the Master of Science degree in dental hygiene develop skills to meet complex national and global health challenges in interprofessional education, knowledge-generation, information transfer, and health care for all members of society. Within a multidisciplinary, multicultural curricular framework that integrates theory, research, and practical experience, the competency-based program links goals and career aspirations of the student with relevant learning experiences, technologies, and resources to facilitate career advancement. Through specialized skills training, graduates are prepared to assume leadership roles necessary for quality professional dental hygiene care and advancing knowledge and practice.
Solutions to complex health problems need the participation of dental hygienists educated in community health, research, management, education, public policy, and advocacy, just to name a few. Therefore, the program offers distinct specialty areas in which students may specialize: education, administration/management, research, marketing, community health, global health and modeling and simulation. Although graduate education focuses on developing a specialty, such specialization is viewed as secondary to generating evidence-based knowledge and theory through research. Demand for master’s level dental hygienists in these key areas of specialization continues to be strong and students are able to develop competencies essential in today’s employment market.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the graduate program director to obtain additional information regarding requirements, experiential credit, cognate offerings, travel abroad, practica and externship opportunities. The program is available on campus, online, or as a hybrid of the two. Up to 12 approved graduate credit hours may be taken at another university and applied toward degree requirements, making this program one of the most flexible in the nation. The student-focused, nationally and internationally recognized faculty are committed to the educational preparation of dental hygienists leading to degrees at advanced levels; and the opportunity to segue to doctoral education in health services research within the College of Health Sciences. This program is available on-campus and online.
Admission Information
To qualify for admission, the applicant must possess a certificate or associate degree from an accredited dental hygiene program and a baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene or a related field. International students who have graduated from a dental hygiene program, other than a CODA accredited dental hygiene program, will be considered on an individual basis. The applicant must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate education and a minimum of 3.00 in the undergraduate dental hygiene major. Applicants whose qualifications are slightly below the required level will be considered for admission to provisional status and may be required to take additional course work.
For consideration, the documents listed below must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions, Old Dominion University, Rollins Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529.
International Students must submit their documents for consideration to the Office of International Admissions, Old Dominion University, 2101 Dragas Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529.
Students can apply online at the Office of Admissions website.
Visit: International Admissions at http://www.odu.edu/admission/international
Visit: VISA & Immigration Services Advising at: https://www.odu.edu/visa.
Applicants must provide the following documents:
- Graduate Application.
- Scores from the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Note: International dental hygiene students who have not graduated from an CODA accredited dental hygiene program and who do not have National Board Dental Hygiene scores, will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis. A current active dental hygiene license in at least one state may be submitted for national board scores; consult with the graduate program director.
- Two letters of recommendation from academic sources.
- A written statement including educational and professional goals, how the anticipated degree will assist in achieving those goals, and a detailed statement of research interests.
- International applicants must present satisfactory evidence of competence in English by submitting score of at least 550 on the TOEFL, 79 on the TOEFL iBT or 6.5 or higher on IELTS.
- If you are interested in competing for a University Fellowship, the GRE or Millers Analogy scores are required.
- Evidence of a Bachelor's degree in dental hygiene or a related field and, in the latter case, have completed an accredited certificate or associate degree program in dental hygiene.
- Evidence of an undergraduate overall quality point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Official transcripts of all college work.
The master's degree program is available under the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB) Academic Common Market. Applicants who are legal residents of Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, or South Carolina may enroll, if accepted, as Academic Common Market students at in-state tuition rates. Students also may be required to take undergraduate courses or non-credit courses to make-up deficiencies in other areas.
For additional information, visit http://www.schev.edu/index/tuition-aid/academic-common-market.
Curriculum Requirements
Students must complete all courses within a eight-year time period with a minimum GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students must also successfully present and defend a thesis or non-thesis project and pass an oral comprehensive examination.
Thesis degree requirements include a minimum of 34 semester hours.
Non-Thesis degree requirements include a minimum of 37 semester hours.
Students must select one specialty area for elective courses. Additional courses within the specialty area may be substituted with advisor's approval. Note - The Global Health certificate requires admission to the program. All core requirements may be taken on campus, online, or hybrid. Candidates are required to fulfill a 22 credit hour core requirement to include:
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
| DNTH 514 | Educational Concepts for the Health Professional I | 3 |
| DNTH 515 | Research Methods in the Health Sciences | 3 |
| DNTH 516 | Administrative Leadership and Professional Development | 3 |
| DNTH 604 | Clinical Administration and Teaching | 3 |
| DNTH 669 | Clinical Administration & Teaching Practicum | 1 |
| DNTH 660 | Educational Concepts for the Health Professional II | 3 |
| DNTH 668 | Internship | 3-9 |
| FOUN 722 | Introduction to Applied Statistics and Data Analysis | 3 |
| or MPHO 605 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Public Health |
| Research | |
| Thesis | |
Education Concentration
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
| Principles of Professional Counseling and Ethics | |
| Counseling and Psychotherapy Techniques | |
| The Management of Learning and Instruction | |
| Foundations of Instructional Technology | |
| Foundations of Distance Education | |
| Instructional Gaming: Theories and Practice | |
| Instructional Design Theory | |
| Multicultural Education | |
| Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning | |
| Fundamentals of Measurement and Assessment | |
| |
Thesis Option. (34 credit hours). This option requires original thesis research and writing for a total minimum program requirement of 34 credit hours and is considered essential for students interested in developing investigative and data management skills. The student is encouraged to become familiar with possible research areas soon after admission and contact the graduate program director to discuss the research proposal, funding options and the selection of the thesis committee. The student will be provided with a committee consisting of the thesis advisor and two other faculty members selected by the graduate program director and the student. Prior to beginning the research, the student will present a written proposal to the thesis committee for approval. Candidates choosing the thesis option must satisfactorily complete the thesis at least four weeks prior to graduation with copies delivered to the thesis committee. An oral comprehensive examination and thesis defense will be conducted by the student's thesis committee during the last four weeks of the semester prior to graduation. The cost of the thesis is a student expense. The thesis option is not available to online students. Students should expect a minimum of two semesters enrolled to complete the course.
Non-Thesis Option. (37 credit hours). Candidates are required to complete: DNTH 698 (3 credits) and a minimum of three (3) additional credits of approved elective course work. This option is designed for students pursuing a less research-oriented program of study. A student in this program is required to complete an in-depth literature or systematic review, or execute a modest project as approved by the faculty. An oral comprehensive examination and project defense will be conducted prior to graduation. Students should expect a minimum of two semesters enrolled to complete the course.
The graduate dental hygiene degree is a writing-intensive program. Students deemed deficient in writing skills will be required to remedy their deficiency through the services of the Writing Center prior to the completion of 12 graduate credits. Students who fail to participate in the diagnostic writing exercise or to complete recommended developmental work through the Writing Center will not be allowed to register for subsequent semesters. All faculty members in the school require written assignments, which will be evaluated on the basis of form and content. If needed, resources are available through the Writing Center. Graduate students and faculty employ the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association as the standard reference text for written assignments within the School of Dental Hygiene.
