16-Month Fast-Track Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BS)

Launch Your Career Without Compromising on Education

This 16-month dental hygiene program at our Worcester campus is designed for transfer students and bachelor’s degree holders, providing an immersive education on an expedited schedule. Working with professional experts, you’ll gain experience through clinical work in our prestigious Forsyth Dental Hygiene Clinic and external sites in the Worcester area. When you graduate, you’ll hold the preferred degree in the field and be eligible for national and regional licensure examinations.

Prepare for a Fulfilling Career in Dental Hygiene

Studying dental hygiene at MCPHS is the smart choice for a secure future.

#5

In the U.S.

The MCPHS dental hygiene program ranked in the top 5 for universities nationwide, according to College Factual (2025).

#7

Best Healthcare Jobs

Based on job satisfaction and salary, dental hygienists rank highly on the 2025 list of best healthcare jobs, according to U.S. News and World Report.

7%

Job Growth

Projected job growth for dental hygienists through 2034, faster than the average occupation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025.

Explore the Dental Hygiene Program in Worcester

Learn how the fast-track program prepares you to succeed in the profession.

Smiling MCPHS Dental Hygiene student in the Boston Forsyth Dental Hygiene Clinic.

Moving the Profession Forward

In our dental hygiene program, you won’t just gain technical clinical skills—learning from a curriculum that focuses on professionalism, you’ll grow into a leader and advocate with experience working in interprofessional healthcare teams.

Explore the Curriculum

Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene students.

Dental Hygiene Students Provide Free Dental Care to Hundreds

At the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene, community service is embedded in the curriculum and helps students reach their goals. “I met many passionate and knowledgeable individuals and learned techniques and tips that I can carry forward into my own practice,” said Gary Luo, BS ’25.

Jaymi-Lyn Adams, DHSc, MS, RDH

| Associate Professor

"Working at community events let students see real-world impacts of social determinants of health and provides opportunities to apply health promotion and disease prevention in the community."

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Mission

The Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene commits to excellence through engagement of students in a diverse learning environment, fostering innovation and collaboration with community partners, and the advancement of knowledge through practice, scholarship, and lifelong learning. Program Goals

Goal 1. Educate oral health professionals through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, dedicated to meeting the oral health needs of diverse populations, functioning with autonomy as prevention specialists, providing evidence-based patient-centered care and exhibiting high levels of ethical decision making.

Goal 2. Engage and collaborate with community partners to increase oral health awareness, advocacy and policy development.

Goal 3. Conduct evidence-based scholarship to foster faculty development, and to establish best teaching and clinical practices for dental hygiene education and the profession.

Goal 4. Contribute to the knowledge base and growth of the profession through interprofessional collaboration to improve overall health outcomes.

Goal 5. Create experiences offering innovative pathways promoting student success to meet emerging real-world opportunities.

Accreditation

The Forsyth Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association, and has been granted the accreditation status of "approval without reporting requirements." The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312.440.4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611. The fax number is 312.440.2915 and the website is www.ada.org.

Technical Standards

View the Technical Standards for the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.

Exposure Control Plan

View the Exposure Control Plan [PDF] for the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.

News & Features

Keep up with the latest news from the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene at MCPHS.

Two Forsyth Faculty Members Selected to Serve on Statewide Oral Health Commission

MCPHS students from the pharmacy and dental programs collaborate during an interprofessional education initiative, offering comprehensive exams to older adults in underserved communities. (Ian MacLellan photo)

A Collaborative Culture: MCPHS and Harvard Team Up to Bring Interprofessional Education to Life

Dental Hygiene student with pediatric patient in mobile dental van.

Forsyth Student and Professor Help Children Brush Up on Dental Care

Other Pathways to a Career in Dental Hygiene

Download a Fact Sheet

How can the Dental Hygiene (BS)—Fast Track program help transform your trajectory while improving the lives of others? Tell us about yourself and we'll share the information you’ll need to make it happen at MCPHS.

Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BS)—Fast Track