For Students Interested in Becoming Dental Hygienists
Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals who provide educational, clinical, research, administrative and therapeutic services supporting total health through the promotion of optimum oral health. A well-rounded background in the sciences, speech, nutrition and the social and behavioral sciences is recommended.
UNMC’s Dental Hygiene Program at the College of Dentistry in Lincoln requires a minimum of two years of prerequisites at an accredited institution of higher learning. If admitted to the dental hygiene program at UNMC, students will complete an additional two years there and receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene from UNMC. Students are strongly encouraged to choose a major of interest and pursue that, alongside the pre-dental hygiene curriculum.
- Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5, but the average GPA for entering classes has been 3.5.
- No grade below “C” will be accepted.
- AP credit is not accepted for any pre-dental hygiene course.
- Prior to high school graduation, any courses taken at a high school for college credit will not be accepted to fulfill any dental hygiene prerequisite.