The MSDH program offers opportunities for licensed dental hygienists who desire a graduate degree and have a baccalaureate degree. Our graduate program prepares graduates to assume roles in various employment environments and provides them with the tools to initiate as well as to adapt to change. Course work is designed to promote advanced communication and interpersonal skills, critical and reflective thinking, evidence-based decision making, problem-solving, technology and information literacy, interprofessional collaboration, scholarly inquiry and application, ethical and professional behavior, and the value of lifelong learning. Graduate education in dental hygiene is imperative for developing a cadre of dental hygiene professionals who lead the profession and assume leadership roles in health care and education, as well as the development of scholars to participate in the generation and dissemination of original research. Dental hygiene graduate education is based on a body of knowledge that is specific to the roles of the dental hygienist. To that end, students with faculty mentorship complete a practicum experience and a research thesis based on their chosen interest.  

Students are required to come to the EWU Spokane campus once, to attend a technology based course one fall semester. All other coursework in this 36 semester credit online program is taught online via Canvas, an online learning management system that allows students to submit assignments, contact the course instructor, collaborate with fellow students, and participate in asynchronous discussions or videoconferences.

Admission Requirements for MSDH Program

1. Cumulative undergraduate GPA ≥3.0.
2. Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene or related area from an accredited dental hygiene program in the U.S. or Canada. (Bachelor of Applied Sciences and Bachelor of Arts are considered on a case-by-case basis)
3. Successful completion of the Dental Hygiene National Board exam or its Canadian equivalent.
4. A current dental hygiene license in the U.S. or Canada.

In addition to the $75 university graduate application fee, there is an additional $50 departmental application fee. Applications to the Department of Dental Hygiene are not considered until they are processed in the EWU Graduate Studies Office and a copy of the transcript evaluation is sent from Graduate Studies to the Department of Dental Hygiene.

Please visit the Dental Hygiene department web page for further information.

Students who successfully earn a Master of Science in Dental Hygiene from EWU should be able to do the following:

• Verify fulfillment of core competencies of the Eastern Washington University Master of Science in dental hygiene degree through completion of an electronic portfolio. Demonstrates the skills needed as a leader in the profession and community.
• Complete a research project using a scholarly inquiry approach to a research topic of their own choosing. 
• Use a global perspective to reflect on their ability to meet their full potential as a graduate dental hygienist.