Dental Hygiene

White coats and name tags will be ordered for each student by the department. White coat sizes should be based on blazers or jackets that you wear over other clothing. Students starting the program in fall 2024 will receive the white coat order form in the summer. For questions, you may contact Carl Allard at carl.allard@mcphs.edu.

The Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene has stringent clinical attire criteria, which will be reviewed when you arrive for your first day of pre-clinical lab. In the meantime, please review the following preliminary information regarding uniforms, scrub caps, shoes, and socks that students are required to purchase.

Scrubs and warm up jackets can be purchased in advance online from any vendor or through a local vendor, Uniforms for America. Scrubs and warm up jackets will also be available to try on and purchase from Uniforms for America during the program’s on-campus orientation. Students should only purchase approved uniforms (see below) of the designated color to be worn at Forsyth clinic.

• Two scrubs sets (pants, top and jacket) should be purchased as soon as possible but no later than September 12, 2023. Worcester students should purchase Cherokee WorkWear black colored scrubs. Students are strongly encouraged to make the purchases online in order to meet the deadline.
• Shoes should be all leather 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.
• 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 is 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 date for students entering fall 2024 is TBD. Lack of uniform compliance 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.

The Basic Life Support (BLS) course is required by all students in order to participate in labs and clinics. This must be completed no later than September 30. BLS training must have a hands-on training component to meet the FSDH program requirements.

Courses are accepted through:

• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross

Courses offered by different providers will need approval from the Professional Services Director, Dr. Susan Jenkins. If you hold current certification, you will need to provide proof of this by sharing a copy of both sides of your signed card with a course director. You are not required to repeat CPR training until your current certification period expires.

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.

To provide diverse, real-life patient experiences, students will be assigned to various external dental settings to provide patient care. The assignments will be limited to Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday to avoid interfering with other course offerings. Students can expect to travel to distant sites within 1 hour from campus during the patient-care clinic curriculum and are responsible for providing their own transportation.

Having (owning or renting) a textbook is essential for your success in the program. Verify the textbooks you need to obtain for individual courses within the Student Self-Service portal or by contacting the course faculty directly.

The MCPHS bookstore on the Boston campus is able to sell and rent textbooks to students. Shipping is free to students ordering course material.Students matriculating in fall 2024 will receive their booklist in the summer.