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Dental Hygiene Major

Our four-year program opens the door to many career options, from providing clinical care to research to public administration.

Overview

What is Dental Hygiene at WVU like?

Description

Dental hygiene is an exciting profession with many rewarding and challenging career opportunities that include clinical/patient care, administration, education, research and sales/marketing. Dental hygienists are employed in diverse settings, such as private dental practices, clinics, hospitals, geriatric and special needs homes, correctional facilities, public health departments, school systems, allied dental education programs, national, state and local government agencies, and private/business industry.

As a licensed health professional and oral health educator, the dental hygienist has an important role in the overall health and welfare of the public. Dental hygienists are an integral part of the dental team, providing direct patient care based on the prevention of disease.

The educational background of a dental hygienist provides the knowledge, attitudes and skill necessary to be successful in a wide variety of careers.

At a Glance

Admission Requirements
Careers and Employers
Cost and Aid
Courses and Plan of Study
Fast Facts
Related Pathways

College/School:
School of Dentistry
Division:
Department:
Department of Dental Hygiene
Degree Designation:
BS
Degree Program:
Dental Hygiene
Program:
Dental Hygiene

Next Steps

Interested in this major? Here are some suggested next steps:

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Fast Facts

What makes Dental Hygiene at WVU unique?

Academic
Facility
Go First
Other

Eight-week Rural Site Externship provides experience in rural dental practice.
Students design and implement a two-year research project, culminating in a formal presentation of their research during the WVU School of Dentistry Alumni Day.
Facilities include an advanced simulation laboratory where students become familiarized with and acquire the skills needed before working with actual patients.
First integrated dental hygiene program in the country. The integrated liberal arts and professional curriculum has been a model for other programs throughout the nation.
Many Dentistry faculty members and graduates are recognized leaders in dental education and organized dentistry.
WVU Board of Governors Program of Excellence.
WVU School of Dentistry is West Virginia's only dental school. Over 80 percent of West Virginia dentists are graduates of our DDS program.

Living-Learning Communities (LLCs)

Live, study and pursue outside-the-classroom learning in a residence hall community that shares your interests:

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU. Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Careers

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Possible Careers

Wondering what you can do with a degree from WVU's Dental Hygiene major? Check out these ideas from WVU Career Services and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). A median salary is the midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

Bright Outlook
Green Occupation
Requires a Graduate Degree

Dental Hygienists

Clean teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.
Possible job titles for this career include: Dental Hygienist.
$87,530Median Salary

Learn More

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Employers

Graduates from this major have gone to work at:

Courses

What are the courses like in Dental Hygiene at WVU?

Plan of Study

Check out a program overview, learning goals, course descriptions and suggested plan of study for WVU's Dental Hygiene major.

View the Plan of Study

Cost and Aid

How much does Dental Hygiene at WVU cost? And how can you save?

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

View Tuition and Fees

Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

Find Scholarships

Net Price Calculator

Estimate your cost of attendance and eligibility for financial aid and scholarships at any WVU System campus.

Visit the Net Price Calculator

Ways to Save

Here is a way for you to save on the cost of attending WVU in addition to university scholarships.

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Dental Hygiene at WVU?

To be admitted to WVU's Dental Hygiene major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements. They also must meet the following admission requirement. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.

Requirements for direct admission to the Dental Hygiene program:

GPA: 3.70
ACT Composite: 24
ACT Math: 20
SAT EBRW and Math: 1180
SAT Math: 520

Related Pathways

What majors share similar career interests with this major at WVU?

Healthcare
Learn to prevent, diagnose and treat medical conditions – or work in research, technology and other roles in health and wellness organizations.

Learn More

Next Steps

I like this major. What are the next steps?

Apply Now

Your first step to becoming a Mountaineer is applying for admission. Our online application makes the process as convenient as possible.

Request Information

Want to know more about Dental Hygiene at WVU? Fill out the Request Information form to receive more information about the program and life at WVU.

Visit WVU

It's the next-best thing to being here – you can virtually tour residence halls and the WVU Morgantown Campus.

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