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Dental Hygiene Major, Bachelor of Science (BS)

The Dental Hygiene program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. It is the only traditional Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program in Washington state.

Dental hygiene graduates are eligible to take national, regional, and state licensing examinations. Successful completion of the examinations enable baccalaureate dental hygienists to seek employment in private dental practices, health clinics, school programs, public health programs, hospitals, nursing homes, industrial clinics, college dental hygiene programs, corporations, and research. The demand for dental hygienists has significantly increased in the last two-three years and EWU dental hygiene graduates have an excellent placement record in Spokane and nationwide.

Completion of the dental hygiene curriculum requires a minimum of four full academic years of study. The first two years focus on a broad spectrum of courses, including university breadth area core requirements (BACR), competencies, and proficiencies, as well as dental hygiene prerequisite basic science courses that prepare students for the dental hygiene major. Once admitted to the program, students combine previous knowledge from general education courses and basic science courses into dental hygiene lecture and clinical coursework over a two-year period that includes five semesters.

This two-year professional segment includes emphasis on dental sciences, community dental health, health research theory and clinical practice in traditional and expanded functions. Students treat dental patients under direct faculty supervision at the 46-chair Dental Hygiene clinic on the EWU Spokane campus, hospital-based clinic, pediatric office and local community clinics. While in the program, dental hygiene students must participate as operators and patients for each other, to deliver and receive injections of local anesthetic, and administer/receive nitrous oxide sedation for dental hygiene learning experiences. 

General Admissions Requirements for Dental Hygiene Program

Access the Dental Hygiene Department website for current information on prerequisite coursework requirements and application procedures for admission to the program. Students interested in majoring in dental hygiene should contact the dental hygiene department early in their university program. Because enrollment is limited and the admission process is competitive, applicants who are admitted to the university and have successfully completed the prerequisite coursework may not be accepted to the Dental Hygiene program.

Prior to Acceptance into the Dental Hygiene Program, all students must:
  • apply for admission to EWU and pay admission fees;
  • attend one dental hygiene information session prior to applying to the dental hygiene program;
  • complete all required Dental Hygiene program admission prerequisite courses and dental hygiene program admission requirements;
  • complete the supplemental EWU Dental Hygiene application;
  • apply to the EWU Dental Hygiene Program and pay the Dental Hygiene program application fee;
  • have a Social Security Number SS# prior to entry into the program. Students without a SS# prior to fall entry are dismissed;
  • have current immunizations records for Hepatitis B, mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and varicella; NO EXCEPTIONS;
  • provide proof of seroconversion or presence of anti-HBs antibody;
  • submit proof of a QT Gold TB blood test prior to the fall entry into the program;
  • meet the essential functions required of a dental hygienist; 
  • be willing to treat all patients assigned realizing the potential exists for transmission of bloodborne and other infectious diseases during patient care services;
  • hold a current Health Care Provider CPR Certification;
  • pass a state and federal background check; prior criminal convictions may prohibit a graduate from obtaining a license to practice dental hygiene.
  • seek advice from a medical professional specializing in allergies if they suspect they may have a latex allergy.
Admissions Requirements for Transfer Students

Students transferring from either four-year institutions or community colleges must first apply for admission to the university through the EWU Admissions Office which evaluates transfer coursework and upon request sends a copy of the transcript evaluation to the Dental Hygiene Program.

Transcripts And Inquiries Should Be Directed to Lorie Speer, Chair of the BSDH Program.

Visit the Dental Hygiene department web page for further information.

Each required prerequisite course must be completed with a grade ≥C+.
Program applicants may retake two of the five priority prerequisite sciences courses one time (BIOL 232, BIOL 233, CHEM 161, CHEM 162, FNDT 356).

Required Prerequisites prior to admission to Dental Hygiene–quarter system
BIOL 232HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS5
BIOL 233HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS5
BIOL 234HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS5
BIOL 235ELEMENTARY MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY5
CHEM 161
161L
GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
5
CHEM 162
162L
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
5
CHEM 163
163L
BIOCHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
and BIOCHEMISTRY LAB FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
5
ENGL 201COLLEGE COMPOSITION: ANALYSIS, RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION5
FNDT 356NUTRITION5
PSYC 100GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY5
SOCI 263SOCIAL PROBLEMS5
or SOCI 101 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Choose one course from the following4
INTRODUCTION TO SPEECH COMMUNICATION
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
INTERVIEWING
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
GLOBAL COMMUNICATION
Total Credits59
Major Requirements for Dental Hygiene
Year One–fall semester17-18
HEAD AND NECK ANATOMY
DENTAL ANATOMY
HISTOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY
RADIOLOGY
PRE-CLINIC
DISEASE PREVENTION STRATEGIES
LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Year One–spring semester15
PHARMACOLOGY
PERIODONTOLOGY I
MANAGEMENT OF MEDICALLY COMPROMISED
CLINIC I
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY I
Year One–summer semester8
PAIN MANAGEMENT
CLINIC II
Year Two–fall semester18
GENERAL AND ORAL PATHOLOGY
SPECIAL POPULATIONS
PERIODONTOLOGY II
CLINIC III
DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH
RESEARCH
CLINICAL EDUCATION STRATEGIES
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY II
Year Two–spring semester16
CLINIC IV
STRATEGIES IN RISK AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
EXPERIENCES IN DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY III
PRINCIPLES OF ADVOCACY AND ETHICS
DENTAL HYGIENE CAPSTONE
Total Credits74-75

Plan of Study

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CHEM 161
161L (Natural Science BACR 1)
5CHEM 162
162L (Natural Science BACR 2)
5CHEM 163
163L
5
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015FNDT 3565
MATH 1075PSYC 100 (Social Science BACR 1)5Humanities & Arts BACR 115
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
BIOL 2325BIOL 2335BIOL 2345
SOCI 263 (Global Studies - graduation requirement)5Communication Studies Elective25BIOL 2355
Social Science BACR 215Humanities & Arts 215Diversity - graduation requirement15
 15 15 15
Total Credits 90
Third Year
Fall SemesterCreditsSpring SemesterCreditsSummer SemesterCredits
DNHY 300S2DNHY 320S2DNHY 421S3
DNHY 301S2DNHY 321S2DNHY 450S5
DNHY 302S2DNHY 341S2 
DNHY 310S3DNHY 350S5 
DNHY 330S5DNHY 380S4 
DNHY 360S2  
DNHY 477S1-2  
 17-18 15 8
Fourth Year
Fall SemesterCreditsSpring SemesterCredits 
DNHY 430S2DNHY 452S5 
DNHY 441S1DNHY 454S2 
DNHY 442S2DNHY 461S1 
DNHY 451S5DNHY 481S3 
DNHY 460S2DNHY 484S2 
DNHY 470S2DNHY 490S (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)3 
DNHY 475S1  
DNHY 480S3  
 18 16 
Total Credits 74-75
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Choose one CMST course from the approved list.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)
  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BS in Dental Hygiene from EWU should be able to:
  • assess the role of the dental hygienist on an interprofessional health care team;
  • create an electronic portfolio that validates successful attainment of the Eastern Washington University Dental Hygiene Core Competencies for Entry into the Profession of Dental Hygiene; 
  • demonstrate clinical competence through successful completion of all clinical requirements;
  • develop programs that promote the health and well-being of a diverse society;
  • integrate principles of leadership and advocacy in the professional roles of the dental hygienist;
  • synthesize theoretical, experiential, and empirical knowledge from dental hygiene, scientific, and humanistic disciplines into the professional roles of the dental hygienist.