Welcome to the Dental Hygiene Program

White coats and name tags will be ordered for each student by the department. The white coat order form will be available late spring.

The Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene has stringent clinical attire criteria, which will be reviewed when you arrive for your first day of pre-clinic.

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 American Heart Association CPR/BLS Life Support Provider Course (formerly called Training for Healthcare Providers) is required by all students in order to participate in labs and clinics and must be completed. The deadline for this requirement will be shared late spring.

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 a 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.

The fall 2023 book list will be shared in late spring.