Dental Hygiene

The School of Dental Hygiene will provide white coats and nametags for all incoming dental hygiene students. To ensure proper fit and accurate personalization, students are required to complete an online form with their preferred coat size and nametag details.

The deadline to submit your information is July 31, 2025.

Students must purchase scrubs in advance from any vendor. Only the designated colors, brands, and styles listed below may be worn at the Forsyth clinic.

• Scrubs sets (two sets: pants and top) must be worn in all laboratory and clinical courses. They must be obtained as soon as possible, but no later than September 15th, 2025. Worcester students should purchase Cherokee WorkwearRevolution black colored scrubs.

• Optional (in addition to scrubs):
• Warm-up jackets: These may be worn over scrubs. If you choose to purchase one, it must match the color and brand/style of your scrub set.
• Long-sleeved t-shirts: These may be worn under scrubs. If purchased, they must be a solid color with no designs.

• Shoes should be fluid-resistant and wipeable with a full heel/back (slip-ons or shoes with back straps are not acceptable). There should be NO shoelaces, nylon, mesh, or cloth on them. Exemption: Fluid-resistant Clove shoes with wipeable shoelaces may be worn.

• Shoes can be any color but should have minimal logos and/or additional colors

• Socks must be high enough to cover exposed skin when the clinician is seated. The color of socks is optional, but the design must remain professional.

• Scrub cap - any color/professional design acceptable as long as it covers all hair (a disposable bouffant cap will be provided if you decide not to purchase your own).

Uniform compliance must be achieved by September 15, 2025. Failure to comply after this date will result in dismissal from the lab.

Students have access to on-site lockers assigned to them for the entire duration of their clinical experiences at Forsyth. The lockers will be assigned during the first pre-clinical session. Please purchase and bring with you a CODE (no key) lock.

Please ensure that your computer and other devices are compliant with the MCPHS technology requirements.

Instrument kits/equipment will be distributed to students during the first pre-clinic session.

All students must complete the American Heart Association (AHA) CPR/BLS Life Support Provider Course by September 30, 2025, to participate in labs and clinics. This course requires a hands-on training component to meet school program standards. Find qualifying AHA courses near you at the AHA CPR Courses Search.

Alternatively, the American Red Cross (ARC) BLS Training for Healthcare & Public Safety course is acceptable, provided it is the ARC Basic Life Support-BL r.21 course. You can find qualifying ARC courses at the ARC CPR Course Search.

If you already have CPR training upon entering the professional phase of the program, you don’t need to repeat it until your certification expires, but you must provide proof of your current certification from one of the two courses mentioned.

It is strongly recommended that all students have a current eye exam prior to beginning the dental hygiene program. This will be helpful as students are fitted for dental loupes (magnification lenses). If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, you will need to have a copy of your prescription from your eye doctor when placing your order. More information about getting measured for dental loupes will be provided to you once the classes start.

Students will be assigned to external sites outside the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene clinic to broaden their exposure to diverse community members in various settings, such as pediatric and public health environments. Mandatory external and enrichment rotations may take place outside the regular clinic hours (Monday to Saturday) to accommodate these sites and provide valuable opportunities for students.

The MCPHS Bookstore has transitioned to an online platform for all textbook orders. Students can now purchase or rent their course materials through the MCPHS online bookstore website. Free shipping is available for all course material orders. Please note that the list of required textbooks is subject to change. To confirm which textbooks are required for each course, visit the Student Self-Service portal, or contact the course instructor directly.

Please note: Online ordering will open in early August.

DHY 209/209L Process of Care I (all texts are required)

• Boyd, L. D. & Mallonee, L. F. Wilkins' Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist, 14th Edition, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2023. ISBN: 9781284255997 (paperback OR electronic copy is acceptable)
• Gehrig, J.S. Patient Assessment Tutorials, 4th Edition, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2018. ISBN: 9781496335005 (paperback OR electronic copy is acceptable)
• Gehrig, J.S. Fundamentals of Periodontal Instrumentation & Advanced Root Instrumentation, 9th Edition, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2026. ISBN:9781284019339 (paperback OR electronic copy is acceptable)

DHY 231/231L Dental Materials (both texts are required)

• Eakle,S. & Bastin, K. Dental Materials Clinical Application for Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists.  5th Ed. Elsevier. Paperback ISBN: 9780443114496 (paperback OR electronic copy is acceptable)
• Companion lab manual (will receive additional information at a later time).

DHY 230/230L Radiology (text is required)

• Iannucci, J. & Howerton, L. Dental Radiography Principles and Techniques 6th Edition. Elsevier, 2021. ISBN (Print): 978-0-323-69550-3 or ISBN (eBook): 9780323695527 

DHY 204 Anatomical Science of Head & Neck

• Fehrenbach and Herring, Illustrated Anatomy of the Head & Neck (6th Edition) ISBN: 978-0323613019 / 0323613012 (text is required)
• Fehrenbach, Dental Anatomy Coloring book 3rd ed. ISBN: 978-0323473453 / 9780323473453 (text is optional)

DHY202: Oral Embryology, Oral Histology and Dental Anatomy (text is required)

• Fehrenbach and Popowics: Illustrated Dental Embryology, Histology, & Anatomy (6th Edition) ISBN: 9780443105364

DHY232: Nutrition (text is required)

• The Dental Hygienist's Guide to Nutritional Care, 6th Edition by Lisa F. Mallonee, MPH, RDH, RD, LD, Linda Boyd, RDH, RD, EdD and Cynthia A. Stegeman, RDH, EdD, RDN, LD, CDE, FAND ISBN: 9780323797009 2025 Elsevier

All incoming students must be in compliance with the MCPHS Immunization Policy. The deadline to upload records of your required immunizations is August 1, 2025.

For more detailed information, please visit the Student Immunization Compliance website. If you have any questions about this process, please email immunization@mcphs.edu.

• Purchase or rent textbooks before the start of classes.
• Update your eye exam (recommended) before the start of classes.
• Ensure that your computer and other technology meet the MCPHS Technology Requirements by the start of classes.
• Purchase a lock to bring to the first pre-clinical lab session by September 2, 2025.
• Purchase and receive uniforms by September 15, 2025.
• Submit your immunization records and ensure they are approved by CastleBranch by September 30, 2025.
• Obtain Healthcare Provider CPR certification by September 30, 2025.