Dental Hygiene (B.S.)

61 Major Hours, 120 Degree Hours

Admission Requirements:

Application for admission to the USD Dental Hygiene professional program is required. Applications are scored based on GPA, ACT composite score, recommendations, and an interview; up to 36 students are selected annually. Application materials are due by February 1 prior to the fall semester of the year for which a student is applying.

Application materials may be found on the Department website at www.usd.edu/dh. They include an application form, Technical Standards form, 3 recommendation forms, ACT composite score, dental office observation/experience, and transcripts.

Pre-admission Requirements, Including Department Specified General Education Requirements (50 hours)

Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to admission into the professional curriculum. These courses may be taken at other institutions; however, it is important to obtain approval from the Department Chairperson prior to taking these courses off campus in order to ensure their transferability. Students should apply for admission into the program by February 1 prior to the fall semester of the year they desire entry. Students must consult department advisors for assistance with their schedules. An asterisk (*) denotes courses that will be used in scoring application.

• CHEM 106 - Chemistry Survey (C) [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• CHEM 106L - Chemistry Survey Laboratory (C) [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• CHEM 107 - Organic and Biochemistry Survey (C) [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• CHEM 107L - Organic and Biochemistry Survey Laboratory (C) [SGR#6, HSDC] *

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• Select one of the following:

• CMST 101 - Foundations of Communication (C) [SGR #2, HSDC] *
• CMST 215 - Public Speaking (C) [SGR #2, HSDC] *

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• ENGL 101 - Composition I (C) [SGR #1, HSDC] *
• Mathematics (C) [SGR #5 ]*
• MICR 230 - Basic Microbiology *
• MICR 232 - Basic Microbiology Lab *
• PHGY 220 - Human Anatomy and Integrated Physiology I [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• PHGY 220L - Human Anatomy and Integrated Physiology Laboratory I [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• PHGY 230 - Human Anatomy and Integrated Physiology II [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• PHGY 230L - Human Anatomy and Integrated Physiology II Laboratory [SGR #6, HSDC] *
• PSYC 101 - General Psychology (C) [SGR #3, HSDC] *
• SOC 100 - Introduction to Sociology (C) [SGR #3, HSDC] *
• Additional Mathematics 3cr - any math course, any STAT course, BADM 220-Business Statistics, CSC 105-Intro to Computers, PSYC 371-Statistics in Psychological Research, SOC 309-Statistics Research Methods, or TET 200-Basic Skills in Technology
• Professional Interest Electives - 12 credits required; Suggested disciplines from which to choose classes: Addiction Counseling and Prevention, Business, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Communication Studies, Educational Psychology, Foreign Language, Health, Health Sciences, Health Services Administration, Psychology, Sociology, Speech Communication.

General Education requirements (9 hours)

• Arts and Humanities fulfilling SGR Goal #4  (6 cr.)-3 credit hours must be in Fine Arts and 3 credit hours must be in Humanities.
• Advanced Composition Course in addition to ENGL 101, SGR Goal #1  (3 cr.)

Departmental Requirements (61 hours)

• DHYG 310 - Pharmacology
• DHYG 313 - Embryology/Histology
• DHYG 316 - Periodontology I
• DHYG 316L - Periodontology I Laboratory
• DHYG 318 - Medical and Dental Emergencies
• DHYG 321 - Dental Materials I
• DHYG 321L - Dental Materials I Laboratory
• DHYG 327 - Principles of Radiography
• DHYG 327L - Principles of Radiography Laboratory
• DHYG 330 - Clinical Skills Development I
• DHYG 330L - Clinical Skills Development I Laboratory
• DHYG 331 - Dental Anatomy
• DHYG 333 - Radiography Practicum
• DHYG 336 - Clinical Skills Development II
• DHYG 336L - Clinical Skills Development II Clinical Laboratory
• DHYG 350 - Oral Local Anesthesiology
• DHYG 350L - Oral Local Anesthesiology Lab
• DHYG 351 - Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation
• DHYG 351L - Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation Lab
• DHYG 396 - Dental Practice Management and Field Experience (C) (4 cr hrs required)
• DHYG 411 - Ethics/Jurisprudence and DH Leadership
• DHYG 415 - Nutrition
• DHYG 422 - Dental Materials II
• DHYG 422L - Dental Materials II Laboratory
• DHYG 431 - Dental Hygiene Practicum I
• DHYG 431L - Dental Hygiene Practicum I Clinical Lab
• DHYG 433 - Dental Health Education and the Community
• DHYG 435 - Dental Hygiene Practicum II
• DHYG 435L - Dental Hygiene Practicum II Clinical Lab
• DHYG 437 - Periodontology II
• DHYG 440 - Oral Pathology

Four-Year Program Guides and Costs

USD encourages students to take 15 credits per semester or 30 credits within the year in order to graduate in 4 years. To help students complete their academic degree program in four years, we provide a sample academic plan. Please work with your academic advisor to confirm your plan.

• Dental Hygiene, B.S. 4-year plan guide

Courses or Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification

The educational curriculum for your academic program may or may not meet educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification in states other than South Dakota. If you are planning to apply for licensure/certification in a state other than South Dakota after completion of your program, please review that state and your program on USD’s Licensure-Track Programs webpage.  Licensure-Track Programs

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference the USD’s State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization