Dental Hygiene (B.S.)
Dental Hygiene is placed significantly among the health professions. As a member of the dental health team, the dental hygienist is concerned primarily with the prevention of oral diseases.
The dental hygienist serves as a preventive oral health professional who provides patient care and is required by law to obtain a license to practice. To obtain this license the dental hygienist must graduate from an accredited school of dental hygiene and pass board examinations. The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, which is recognized by all U.S. licensing jurisdictions, is taken by qualifying second-year students. A clinical examination is also required prior to licensure by the various states. WLU is a testing site for the CDCA exams annually during the spring semester.
Career opportunities for dental hygienists have increased in response to society’s demands for comprehensive dental healthcare. Increasing numbers of dental hygienists are working in expanded career alternative settings including dental hygiene education, school systems, public health, hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities, clinical research, military services, sales in private industry, research organizations, health promotion specialties, federal, state, and local health departments, and foreign employment.
The selection of a career is one of the most important decisions a person makes; therefore, it is important that potential students be fully informed about the profession and educational requirements. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association website (www.adha.org) publishes important facts about dental hygiene education, professional roles, employment, licensure, national and international careers.
West Liberty University’s Bachelor's Degree Dental Hygiene Program is committed to creating an educational environment that fosters competence in oral health professionals who are capable of thinking critically and solving problems while being responsible decision-makers when delivering dental hygiene care. The West Liberty University Dental Hygiene Program is a comprehensive and rigorous training program that prepares students to enter the workforce as dental hygienists in the clinical setting. Our Bachelor's Degree Dental Hygiene Program guidelines will allow graduates of this bachelor’s degree level institution to be competent entry-level practitioners with solid skill sets necessary in a variety of settings requiring a BS degree. The BS Degree in Dental Hygiene requires 120 credit hours. Fifty-seven credits are general education, prerequisites, and electives hours. The remaining sixty-three hours are clinical dental hygiene courses and BSDH required courses, generally completed during the junior and senior years.
Retention, Suspension, and Reinstatement
Minimum Academic Standards
Because Dental Hygiene courses are sequenced and are taught only one semester per year, successful completion of all dental hygiene professional courses is a prerequisite to entering the following semester.
A student must maintain a “C” or higher in all dental hygiene and prerequisite courses included in the Dental Hygiene Program curriculum.
Failure to meet Academic Standards
Failure in a Dental Hygiene Professional Course: A grade of D, F, WF, FI in any of the Dental Hygiene courses will result in immediate suspension from the program. In order for a student to be considered for reinstatement, the course must be repeated with a grade of “C” or higher during the next regular semester the course is offered. If a course grade of “D” or lower is subsequently repeated, the original grade will remain and be counted as an unsatisfactory grade. Upon earning a second unsatisfactory grade (D, F, WF, FI) in any Dental Hygiene course, the student is immediately and permanently dismissed from the Dental Hygiene Program. A student has the right to formally appeal decisions involving such matters to the Dental Hygiene Appeals Committee.
Readmission Policy Following Suspension
Following suspension, a student must repeat the course deficiency that resulted in the suspension during the next semester in which the course is offered. When the deficiency is corrected, the student must submit an application for re-admission to the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee before the start of the next semester in which the student desires admission. The Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee will inform the students of their decision before the start of the next semester. Readmission to the program is on a space available basis through the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee.
Professional Ethics Policy
If a student is found in violation of the university policy on academic dishonesty and receives an “F” for any such course, the student will be dismissed for violation of professional ethics and will not be reinstated into the program. The policies, rules, and regulations regarding academic student rights are contained in the Student Information and Policy Handbook. If a student wishes to appeal any faculty committee decision about dismissal, the appeal must be submitted in accordance with the student appeals procedure.
Admission Process
Application for admission to the A.S. and B.S. Degree programs in Dental Hygiene must be submitted on or before January 15 of each year. Completed applications are reviewed and evaluated by the Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee beginning in February. All applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision regarding their application.
B.S. Degree Application Requirements
Applicant must:
- Meet the admission requirements for WLU. Applicants who meet these requirements will be formally notified by the Admissions Office.
- Begin completion of all prerequisite courses:
English 101 & 102
Sociology 150
Psychology 101
Oral Communications 101
Biology 204, 205, 216 & 330
Chemistry 100 &101
- Enroll in general studies courses towards completion of B.S. degree.
- Maintain a minimum cumulative G.P.A. average of 3.0.
- Earn a minimum grade of “C” in all prerequisites.
- Make a formal application to the professional two-year block of clinical courses by January 15 of the year seeking admission.
Requirements
Required Courses
| DH 155 | Head & Neck Anatomy | 2 |
| DH 156 | Tooth Morphology | 2 |
| DH 185 | Clinical Dental Hygiene I | 3 |
| DH 186 | Clinical Dental Hygiene I Lab | 2 |
| DH 225 | Periodontology I | 1 |
| DH 237 | Radiography | 2 |
| DH 238 | Radiography Lab | 2 |
| DH 267 | Dental Materials | 1 |
| DH 268 | Dental Materials Lab | 2 |
| DH 285 | Clinical Dental Hygiene II | 3 |
| DH 286 | Clinical Dental Hygiene II Lab | 2 |
| DH 325 | Periodontology II | 2 |
| DH 331 | General & Oral Pathology | 3 |
| DH 340 | Nutrition in Dentistry | 2 |
| DH 350 | Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist | 2 |
| DH 360 | Community Dental Health | 3 |
| DH 365 | Ethics, Jurisprudence & Dentistry | 1 |
| DH 380 | Clinical Dental Hygiene III | 2 |
| DH 381 | Clinical Dental Hygiene III Lab | 3 |
| DH 385 | Clinical Dental Hygiene IV | 3 |
| DH 386 | Clinical Dental Hygiene IV Lab | 3 |
| DH 390 | Applied Concepts in Clinical Dental Hygiene | 1 |
| DH 440 | Evidence-Based Dentistry | 2 |
| DH 450 | Dental Hygiene Senior Seminar | 3 |
| DH 460 | Pain Management | 3 |
| DH 462 | Patients with Special Needs | 2 |
| DH 464 | Educational Methods for the Dental Hygienist | 2 |
| DH 466 | Practice Management for Dental Team | 2 |
| DH 470 | Dental Hygiene Board Review | 2 |
| MATH 160 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 or 5 |