Skip to content

Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene — Degree Completion

Location: Online
Start Term: Fall

As a dental hygienist, you have the power to influence patients’ oral and overall health – and make them smile with confidence. In this program, you’ll build on your previous associate’s degree with a science-based academic curriculum, so you’ll be well prepared to advance as a dental hygienist.

This part-time program is offered entirely online for working hygienists who wish to advance their education and their careers while continuing to work full-time. When you graduate, you’ll hold a bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene, increasingly the preferred degree in the field, and be in a position to earn a master’s degree in the future.

Attendance at an in-person orientation on the Boston campus is required for all new students prior to Fall enrollment.

If you already know that you wish to pursue a master’s degree after graduating from the completion program, check out the nation’s first and only Master of Science in Dental Hygiene Bridge Program.

Applicants to this program must meet the minimum requirements

  • Graduated from a dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation
  • Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in dental hygiene program courses
  • Completed one year of work experience in healthcare (i.e., dental assistant, nurse’s aide, social worker, etc.)
  • Successfully completed the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination
  • A license to practice dental hygiene or eligibility for licensure in at least one jurisdiction in the U.S. or Canada
  • A minimum TOEFL score of 79 or a score of 6.5 on the IELTS is required of all candidates for whom English is not the native language
  • Current employment in dental hygiene is recommended but not required

The following courses may be considered for transfer credit. Courses must have been completed at a regionally accredited college or university with a grade of C or better for transfer. Math and science courses taken more than ten years prior to the anticipated date of matriculation to MCPHS may not be accepted.

Required Prerequisite Courses:  

Linked courses are available through the MCPHS School of Professional Studies. 

  • Anatomy & Physiology I (with lab preferred) (3 credits)
  • General Chemistry I & II with lab (8 credits)
  • Computer Applications or Physics (3 credits)
  • College-Level Life Science (3 credits)
  • College Algebra or Higher Level Math (3 credits)
  • Communication Studies (3 credits) (Acceptable courses include Speech Communication, Interpersonal Communication)
  • Composition I & II (6 credits)
  • Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
  • Introduction to Sociology/American Culture, Identity and Public Life (3 credits)
  • Behavioral Science elective (3 credits) (Acceptable courses include any upper level psychology course)
  • Social Science elective (3 credits) (Acceptable courses include History, Political Science/Government, Anthropology, Upper-level Sociology, American Studies, Women Studies, Ethnic Studies, Geography, Economics)
  • Humanities elective (3 credits) (Acceptable courses include Literature, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Ethics, Religious Studies, Select Fine Arts, Advanced Level Languages)

Upon admission to the program, students who are registered dental hygienists and who have completed a dental hygiene program at a regionally accredited institution will be awarded credit for prior dental hygiene professional course work completed in their associate degree up to a maximum of 44 credit hours.

1. Pre-Professional (Arts And Sciences) Core Courses

Prior completion of the pre-professional coursework below is preferred prior to admission although not required. Coursework not accepted in transfer from the list below will need to be completed at MCPHS Online or at another institution with prior approval from the Academic Resource Center.

TITLE
SEMESTER HOURS
Anatomy & Physiology I (with lab preferred
3
Basic Chemistry I (with lab)
4
Computer Applications OR Physics
3
College Algebra or Higher Level Math
3
College-Level Life Science
3
Communication Skills
3
Composition I
3
Composition II
3
Introduction to Psychology
3
Introduction to Sociology/American Culture, Identity and Public Life
3
Behavioral Science distribution course
3
Social Science distribution course
3
Humanities course
3
Total Semester Credit Hours
40

 

2. Professional Courses: Required Professional Component

The following MCPHS University courses comprise the professional phase of the curriculum (36 semester hours) and must be completed at MCPHS University.

COURSE TITLE
SEMESTER HOURS
MAT261 Statistics 3
LIB512 Healthcare Ethics 3
DHY420 Oral Health Research Methods
3
DHY442 Evidence-Based Dental Hygiene Practice
3
DHY446 Oral Health in Special Care Populations
3
DHY490 Practicum I
3
HSC320 Writing for Health Science Professionals 3
HSC301 Health Promotion 3
HSC325 Healthcare Management 3
HSC401 Public Health & Policy 3
HSC315O Planning Health Education & Promotion 3
HSC427 Teaching in the Clinical Setting 3
Total Semester Credit Hours
36

The Required Minimum Number Of Credits To Complete Baccalaureate In Dental Hygiene Is 120 Semester Hours As Outlined Below.

Type Credits
Credits Accepted in Transfer for AD Professional DH Coursework: 44
Credits from Arts and Sciences Core: 40
Required Professional Component (taken at MCPHS Online) 36
 TOTAL 122
Online tuition is calculated at a cost-per-credit rate based on the program you choose and the number of credits for which you register. Learn more about Online tuition and fees here.
 

Careers in Dental Hygiene

Dental hygiene students and faculty looking at dental x-rays on computer screen.

As the demand for dental hygienists continues to grow, so do the career possibilities for those with a degree in dental hygiene.

Read More 

Dental Hygiene Student Donates Stem Cells to Patient in Need

Allison Leader

Allison Leader completed a peripheral blood stem cell transplant through Be the Match.

Read More