Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Dental Hygiene (BSDH)

Brenda Bradshaw, Entry-Level Program Director

The baccalaureate program in dental hygiene is designed to prepare men and women as professional dental hygienists qualified for positions in a variety of health-care settings and/or for graduate study in dental hygiene. A dental hygienist is a licensed professional and member of the oral health care team who provides services to promote optimal oral health. Dental hygienists serve as clinical practitioners, educators, researchers, administrators, managers, program developers, consultants, and/or dental product sales representatives, depending on the individual's employment setting and educational background. In addition, dental hygienists with a bachelor's degree may pursue careers in elementary and secondary schools, community and public health settings, institutional, entrepreneurial and industrial dental hygiene, professional education, and research.

Students in good academic standing during the last semester of the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene entry-level program may be approved by the School Chair to take the National Board Examination for Dental Hygiene and a regional licensing board examination. A successful outcome on both examinations is required to practice dental hygiene.

The School of Dental Hygiene reserves the right to require remedial work of any student who does not perform at a level satisfactory for patient care. Annually, students are required to submit documentation of a current background check, CPR certification, immunizations and diagnostic procedures. Students are required to complete the School of Dental Hygiene Entrance Health Form and strongly advised to be up to date on all appropriate immunizations to minimize risk of infectious disease due to the nature of clinical care as part of the dental hygiene curriculum.  The University maintains liability insurance on the students while enrolled in the School of Dental Hygiene.

Admission to Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (Entry-Level)

OVERVIEW: The ODU baccalaureate dental hygiene program strives to prepare professional dental hygienists qualified for positions in a variety of healthcare settings and/or for graduate study in dental hygiene.  Admissions procedures and decisions are nondiscriminatory.  A diverse pool of applicants is encouraged to apply.  Dental hygienists serve as clinicians, educators, researchers, administrators, managers, program developers, consultants, and/or dental product sales representatives, depending on the individual's employment setting and educational background. Dental hygienists with a bachelor's degree may pursue careers in education, research, community and public health settings, institutional, entrepreneurial, and industrial dental hygiene.  Dental hygiene education curriculum is scientifically-oriented and rigorous.  Accreditation requirements limit enrollment based on resources including faculty-student ratios.  Therefore, admission is competitive with standardized and fair criteria and procedures to ensure selected candidates have the potential for successfully completing the program.  Required  prerequisite courses and dental hygiene curricular content can be found below.  Recommended courses for transfer from the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) can be viewed here: https://www.odu.edu/transfer/vccs-transfer-guide.  To determine if courses taken outside of ODU will transfer, visit: https://transfer2.odu.edu/equivalency/.  All applicants are highly encouraged to seek advising from the ODU College of Health Sciences Advising Team before applying.  They can be reached by emailing: hsadvising@odu.edu .  This program is fully on campus.

Below is an explanation of the 2-step application process with a list of criteria and instructions:   

Step 1. Complete an online application to ODU as a degree-seeking student by December 1.

• Application information for undergraduate admission to the University can be found at: https://odu.edu/admission/undergraduate.  

Step 2. Apply to the entry-level baccalaureate degree program of the School of Dental Hygiene (SODH) using the American Dental Education Association Dental Hygiene Centralized Application Service (ADEA DHCAS).  The deadline for completing this application is February 1.

The following 4 bullet points list Required parts of the dental hygiene application:

• All post-secondary educational official transcripts: The applicant is responsible for providing accurate and comprehensive information regarding their academic history by including official transcripts from all educational institutions attended since high school including community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities.  Instructions for entering academic history information and sending official transcripts to DHCAS can be found at: https://help.liaisonedu.com/ADEA_DHCAS_Applicant_Help_Center.  Failure to follow these instructions may cause delays in the verification of an application and/or the inability to be admitted to the School of Dental Hygiene.  Candidates’ Grade Point Averages (GPAs) are evaluated in two ways: Overall GPA (minimum 3.0) and Science GPA (minimum 3.3).  All courses attempted and grades earned are calculated into the GPAs by DHCAS.  GPA calculations include +/- grades, and all grades earned for each attempt at a course (repeated courses are included).  For information about GPA calculations, visit: https://help.liaisonedu.com/ADEA_DHCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Filling_Out_Your_ADEA_DHCAS_Application/Academic_History/4_ADEA_DHCAS_Course_Subjects. GPA is weighed most heavily for admissions decisions.  While minimum GPAs are expected, many applicants have well above the minimums and are considered most competitive.    
• High school unofficial transcripts: This may take some time.  Applicants are encouraged to request unofficial transcripts from their high school(s) early in the application process.  You can upload them in the "documents" page of the application.  High school grades are not considered and are not factored into the GPA.  This is used mainly to ensure foreign language has been satisfied if taken in high school.  
• Two ODU School of Dental Hygiene Recommendation Forms:  These forms should be completed by current or previous academic and/or employer recommenders.  Applicants send electronic copies of the School of Dental Hygiene Recommendation Form to their recommenders and explain that this specific form must be used.  The form is located here.  Then, go to the "Program Materials" section of the application, select "ODU," navigate to the "Evaluations" tab, and enter the recommenders' names and email addresses. Be sure to do this accurately. Recommenders will receive an email from dhcasinfo@dhcas.org requesting they provide an “online evaluation.”  NOTE: Recommendation letters are not accepted and will not be reviewed.  For more information, visit: https://help.liaisonedu.com/ADEA_DHCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Filling_Out_Your_ADEA_DHCAS_Application.
• Essay: Applicants must upload a well-written 300-500 words typed essay on the following topic: “Dental hygienist professional roles include: clinician, corporate, public health, researcher, educator, administrator, and entrepreneur.  Choose one role you are most interested in and explain how you would contribute to the profession in that role.”  Applicants are highly encouraged to explore the American Dental Hygienists’ Association website to gather information for their essay: https://www.adha.org/professional-roles.  There is no required format or reference style for the essay.

The following 6 bullet points list optional information applicants may include that would award points on their application.  GPA is weighed heavily for admissions decisions, but the following additional information may be used to support admissions decisions. To earn these points, upload applicable electronic certificates/documents to the DHCAS application as proof:

• Radiation Safety Certificate= .5 points
• Certified Dental Assistant Certificate= .5 points
• Current CPR Card= .5 points
• Enrollment information: the number of semesters enrolled at Old Dominion University (past and present).  Proof of this would show on submitted ODU transcripts.  .25 points are awarded for each previous and currently enrolled semester.
• Previous degrees that have been conferred as shown on official transcripts.  Points awarded are: Associate degree= .25; Bachelor’s degree= .5; Master’s degree= .75.
• Admission Test for Dental Hygiene (ATDH) scores are optional, but recommended.  If an applicant submits scores, points will be awarded based on a range of scores.  SCORE RANGES: score of 200= 0 points; scores of 201 to 275= .25 points; scores of 276 to 350= .5 points; scores of 351 to 425= .75 points; scores of 426 to 500= 1 point.  For more information about the ATDH and how to report scores, visit: https://www.ada.org/education/testing/exams/admission-test-for-dental-hygiene-atdh.

3. Still have questions or concerns about the ADEA DHCAS application?

• Answers to most questions are found here: https://help.liaisonedu.com/ADEA_DHCAS_Applicant_Help_Center or applicants may contact DHCAS Customer Service for assistance with questions about the application. Call 617-612-2095 or email dhcasinfo@dhcas.org.
• The SODH does not have access to an application until it has reached “verified” status by DHCAS.  Applications will not be considered for admission unless verified by March 1. 

4. Wait for email notification.

• Applicants will receive notification from the ODU Office of Admissions regarding the application decision for entrance into the University. 
• Applicants will receive email notification in April from the SODH regarding the status of their application decision for entrance into the SODH (check email inbox and spam folder daily).  If accepted or placed on the alternate candidate list, there will be deadlines in the email which will require immediate action. If accepted into the SODH, a $300 non-refundable place-keeping fee is required.
• Admission to ODU does not guarantee acceptance to the SODH.  Applicants must be successfully admitted to both the University as a degree-seeking student and to the SODH.

5. If accepted into the SODH, students will need to attend the SODH's required in-person orientation where they will meet with an advisor and register for dental hygiene classes.  Orientation details will be emailed.

Guaranteed Entry Program

The guaranteed entry program is designed for highly qualified senior high school students who are committed to completing a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene at Old Dominion University. Students accepted into this program will be guaranteed a position upon completion of the prerequisites and candidacy requirements as outlined by Old Dominion University School of Dental Hygiene.  For more information, email hsadvising@odu.edu 

Requirements for Entry-Level Program

Students must complete the entire curriculum of 120-126 credit hours (depending upon foreign language exemption) to meet degree requirements. All Dental Hygiene courses with the prefix DNTH are to be completed in a prescribed sequence within two academic years due to scheduling and space limitations. A minimum grade of C (2.00) must be obtained in all DNTH courses.

Students desiring to enroll in the BSDH Entry-level Dental Hygiene program must complete the lower-division general education courses noted below and departmental requirements for dental hygiene prior to beginning the dental hygiene major.

Lower-Division General Education

All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.00) or better. A grade of C- will not transfer into the School of Dental Hygiene.

Information Literacy/Research, Oral Communication, and Philosophy/Ethics will be met in the major.

Mathematics: STAT 130M*

Human Behavior: PSYC 201S* and SOC 201S*

Nature of Science: CHEM 105N* and CHEM 106N*, BIOL 150* and BIOL 151*, and BIOL 240* and BIOL 241* or BIOL 250* and BIOL 251*.

Impact of Technology (300/400 level preferred; any 300/400 level T course EXCEPT DNTH 440T meets upper-division general education/Option D)

Upper-Division General Education courses must be outside the College of Health Sciences. 

*Grade of C or better required.

Upper-Division General Education

• Option A. Approved Disciplinary Minor, 12 hours minimum; also second degree or second major.
• Option B. Interdisciplinary Minor (specifically 12 hours, 3 of which may be in the major)
• Option C. An approved Certification Program such as teaching licensure
• Option D. Two Upper-Division Courses from outside the College of Health Sciences and not required by the major (6 hours)

Requirements for Graduation

Requirements for graduation include the following:

• Minimum of 120 credit hours.
• Minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
• Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken.
• Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward the major.
• Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward a minor.
• Completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better. The W course must be taken at Old Dominion University.
• Completion of Senior Assessment.

Dental Hygiene Departmental Requirements

*

Grade of C or better required

Dental Hygiene Major*

*

Grade of C or better is required in all DNTH courses

Additional Requirements and Information

Continuance Policy

In addition to the Old Dominion University Continuance policies in this catalog, the following policies are specific to all declared majors in the Gene W. Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene.  A grade of D (1.00) or F in any dental hygiene course will result in academic dismissal from the program.  Inability to attend clinical practice or community rotations due to an agency refusal or infraction in a background check will be cause for dismissal.  One finding of a violation of the Code of Student Conduct for academic integrity is grounds for removal from the dental hygiene program.

1. A grade of C (2.00) or better is required in all dental hygiene courses to continue in the dental hygiene program.
2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better is required to continue in the dental hygiene program.
3. A dental hygiene student who earns a D (1.00) or F in a dental hygiene course and after dismissal from the program, may seek reapplication to be considered for readmission to the dental hygiene program (see Readmission Policy).

Policy on Readmission

Subsequent to dismissal or withdrawal for academic deficiencies, readmission may be sought through reapplication to the Dental Hygiene Program. A student who must repeat one or more courses in the dental hygiene major must first be readmitted to the dental hygiene program. In order to initiate the readmission process, the student shall submit a letter to the School of Dental Hygiene, requesting readmission to the program, with supporting documents to include a copy of official transcripts and letter of intention indicating the reasons why he/she should be reconsidered and proposed goals for achieving academic success no later than one month after dismissal date.  A cumulative GPA of 3.0 will make the candidate competitive for readmission consideration. Students dismissed for violations of the Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity are ineligible for readmission. Once the School of Dental Hygiene has processed the letter of intent and official transcripts, the admissions committee will consider the student for readmission. The process of reconsideration will include a careful review of the student’s academic records, the letter of intent, and an assessment of potential for academic progress in the future by a readmission committee. Recommendations relative to readmission will be referred to the School of Dental Hygiene Chair in conjunction with the Chief Department Advisor and Office of Admissions for final decision and notification, including conditions for readmission, where appropriate. Readmitted students are allowed to repeat a failed course only once.  A student may be readmitted to the dental hygiene major only once.  A student who leaves the major and is readmitted will be required to take additional course work prior to or concurrent with readmission.  Readmission will be granted on a space-available basis only after regular admission has been filled.  Appeal of readmission decisions should be directed to the School of Dental Hygiene Chair. 

Degree Program Guide

The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years.  It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor.  Additional information can also be found in Degree Works. 

Linked Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene to Master of Science Program

Entry-level and BSDH Post-Licensure online dental hygiene students who have a cumulative 3.30 grade point average and senior standing may complete the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene to Master of Science (BSDH-MS) dental hygiene linked program application. This program allows exceptional undergraduate students the opportunity to take up to 12 credit hours of graduate course work and apply them to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.  Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).  Consult with the graduate program director for more information.