The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree requires two academic years of predental hygiene courses followed by two additional years of enrollment in the Dental Hygiene Program. Courses in the dental hygiene educational program are principally scientific and clinical. This curriculum offers educational, communicative and clinical skills necessary for the dental hygiene student to become a member of the dental health team.

Dental hygiene students learn to provide educational and clinical services for patients, including dental health education and disease prevention procedures, obtaining and recording patients' medical and dental histories, scaling and polishing teeth, recording conditions of patients' mouths and teeth, exposing and processing dental X-ray films, nutritional counseling, applying certain topical agents such as fluoride and pit and fissure sealants for prevention of dental caries.

The four-year dental hygiene program provides necessary instruction in expanded functions now required of dental hygienists practicing in California. The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.

Admission

Admission to the school is granted through the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs which receives and processes all applications, evaluates credentials and mails letters of acceptance to applicants who qualify for entrance. Because of the university's selective admissions policy and limited enrollment, only those applicants are accepted who present evidence of intellectual promise and strong personal qualifications, including good moral character and sound health. Prior to enrollment, accepted students must provide evidence of sound health and meet the school's health requirements. (Before registration, the Student Health Service form, signed by the applicant's attending physician, must be filed with the Student Health Center.) Admission to the university in all cases is determined by the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs and appropriate selection committees.

Application forms may be obtained by mail or in person from the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs. A nonrefundable fee of $55 must be sent with the completed application.

Credentials for admission must include complete records of all previous college or university work. The student must request the registrar of each school attended to forward one official transcript of record directly to the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs. These should include the program of studies in which the applicant is currently registered. The university does not initiate requests for these credentials.

Applications for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene should be filed well in advance of January 31 of the year in which the student wishes to be admitted. The program begins in September. Applicants for admission are requested to file their applications before they have completed one full year of college predental work or pre-hygiene class.

Although students may transfer to USC at any time and begin prerequisite course work, the dental hygiene curriculum begins in the junior year. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the dental hygiene program.

Two applications are required, one for the USC Undergraduate Admission Office and one for the School of Dentistry. See the Admission section (USCweb).

Admission Requirements

Fifty students are admitted each year for the curriculum which leads to the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

The Committee on Admissions examines credentials and bases its decision on the objective evaluation of these factors: preprofessional training, evidence of scholarship, dental hygiene aptitude test rating and personal evaluation of the student.

Minimum entrance requirements include: graduation from an accredited secondary school with a minimum of 60 semester units completed at an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada. To be considered for admission, candidates must include the following courses in the required 60 units:

• General Biology/Anatomy -- One year is required. (Must include at least one course in general human anatomy.)
• General Chemistry with Lab -- One year is required.
• Expository Writing -- Course work equivalent to Composition II at another institution is required.
• Introduction to Sociology -- One semester is required.
• General Psychology -- One semester is required.
• Public Speaking -- One semester is required.

General Education Requirements

The university's general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing and diversity requirements, which are described in the General Education program (www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/general_studies/GE/).

All students who (1) enter the dental hygiene program in the School of Dentistry as juniors in the summer of 1997 or later; or (2) begin college elsewhere in the summer of 1997 or later; or (3) began college earlier but transfer to USC in the summer of 2000 or later, must satisfy the requirements of the new general education program. Other students whose schedules permit are encouraged to follow the new program as well.

It is recommended that one semester of organic chemistry be completed in addition to the other chemistry requirements. It is also recommended that the courses taken to complete the 60-unit requirement be chosen from courses which will satisfy the general education requirements.

The following courses are not transferable as part of the 60-unit minimum: dental assisting, dental technology, secretarial science (typing, shorthand, etc.), or other technically or vocationally related courses. Appropriate scores on the Allied Health Professions Admission Test are also required. This test must be taken no later than February of the year of application for admission. Test scores more than two years old may not be accepted. Applicants should check with the Dental Admissions Office. For more information on the Allied Health Professions Admission Test write to the Psychological Corporation Project, 624/AHPAT, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, Texas 78204-2498.

All entrance requirements must be completed by June 15 preceding the September of admission, and complete final credentials must be on file in the Office of Admission and Student Affairs by July 31 preceding enrollment. Notification of acceptance will be sent by the Office of Admission and Student Affairs after May 1.

Orientation

Students who have been accepted into the program and who have reserved their place in the class by paying the appropriate tuition deposit will be forwarded orientation materials by July 31.

Orientation is traditionally scheduled during the week before the first week of classes. The purpose of the program is to acquaint incoming students with the School of Dentistry, its policies, programs, faculty and facilities. Incoming students receive financial counseling and purchase their initial equipment issue as part of orientation activities.

Eligibility for Degree

A student is eligible for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene after attaining the qualitative and quantitative level expected in the dental hygiene curriculum. This specifically includes: no unreconciled marks of "F", "IW", "ICW", "N", or "NCr"; no conditions existing at the termination of the final trimester that would result in academic probation, clinical probation or academic disqualification. In addition, each student must have demonstrated the characteristics expected of a health professional and have fulfilled the financial and other obligations required for graduation.

The Post-Certificate Dental Hygiene Program provides the opportunity for dental hygienists who hold a certificate or associate degree to earn a Bachelor of Science degree within the discipline of dental hygiene. Specific emphasis will be placed on advanced periodontal education and clinical teaching skills.

The main objective of the program is to broaden the associate or certificate degree holder's career options. Graduates of the program will be prepared to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in a variety of health care, research, community and educational settings.

The four-year dental hygiene program provides necessary instruction in expanded functions now required of dental hygienists practicing in California. The program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.

Admission

Admission to the school is granted through the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs, which receives and processes all applications, evaluates credentials and mails letters of acceptance to applicants who qualify for entrance. Because of the university's selective admissions policy and limited enrollment, only those applicants are accepted who present evidence of intellectual promise and strong personal qualifications, including good moral character and sound health. (Before registration, the Student Health Service form, signed by the applicant's attending physician, must be filed with the Student Health Center.) Admission to the university in all cases is determined by the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs and appropriate selection committees.

Application forms may be obtained by mail or in person from the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs. A fee of $55 must be sent with the completed application. The fee is not refundable.

Credentials for admission must include complete records of all previous college or university work. The student must request the registrar of each school attended to forward one official transcript of record directly to the Office of Dental Admissions and Student Affairs. These should include the program of studies in which the applicant is currently registered. The university does not undertake to collect these credentials.

Applications for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene should be filed well in advance of June 15 of the year in which the student wishes to be admitted. The program begins in September.

Admission Requirements

1. A minimum overall 3.0 GPA and a minimum 3.0 GPA in dental hygiene course work is recommended.
2. A minimum score of 80 on the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination is recommended.
3. Completion of a two-year accredited dental hygiene program is required.
4. Licensure in at least one state is highly recommended.
5. Interviews are required for admission and invitations are extended to those candidates in whom the committee on admissions has a serious interest. (6) A personal statement is required.
6. Three reference forms are required, one from the director, one from a clinical instructor and one from a basic science instructor of the dental hygiene program attended.
7. Consideration is given to personal maturity and professional motivation. Students selected must be committed to scholarly pursuits and have career goals compatible with the basic objectives of the post-certificate program. One class will be admitted in the fall trimester only. Applications must be submitted no later than June 15. Applicants currently enrolled in the last year of a dental hygiene program may apply for admission.

Lower Division Requirements

• A minimum of 60 semester units and completion of the following courses are required for admission to the program (an Associate Arts Degree/Certificate in dental hygiene from an accredited school in the United States or Canada generally fulfills these requirements).
• General Biology or Zoology with Lab -- One year or a minimum of six semester hours is required. Anatomy, physiology or microbiology may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
• General Chemistry with Lab -- One year or a minimum of six semester hours is required. Organic chemistry may not be used to fulfill this requirement, but may be applied toward elective credit.
• Composition -- One year or a minimum of six semester hours is required. Literature courses may not be used to fulfill this requirement, but may be applied toward elective credit.
• Introduction to Sociology -- One semester or a minimum of three semester hours is required.
• General Psychology -- One semester or a minimum of three semester hours is required.
• Public Speaking -- One semester or a minimum of three semester hours is required.
• Required Elective Credit -- An additional 33 units of credit are required.
• Liberal Arts -- At least 12 of these units must be in the liberal arts area (literature, the arts, social sciences, history, biological or physical sciences, etc.).
• Dental Hygiene Course Work -- A minimum of 21 units in previous dental hygiene course work may be accepted.

Orientation

Orientation is traditionally scheduled during the week prior to the first week of classes. The purpose of the program is to acquaint incoming students with the School of Dentistry, its policies, programs, faculty and facilities. Incoming students receive financial counseling and purchase their initial equipment issue as part of orientation activities.

The Advanced Placement D.D.S. program allows the outstanding student who has completed a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene to waive several courses in order to complete the doctoral dental degree in 150 units rather than the 185 units for the regular program.

Ademission Requirements

1. bachelor's degree from the USC dental hygiene program completed within five years of the projected date of entry into the doctoral dental program;
2. a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) in the dental hygiene program and a minimum "C" grade in each of the courses waived;
3. two letters of evaluation from faculty in the dental hygiene program.