Pre-Dental Hygiene
Most dental hygiene programs require 60 semester hours of transferable coursework from an accredited college or university before matriculation. These courses can be very specific and students are encouraged to visit with an advisor as soon as possible if they are considering dental hygiene. All required coursework must be completed with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 with a grade of “C” or better on all specifically required courses.
Recommended courses at Southeastern typically include the following:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ENG 1113 & 1213 | English Composition I & II |
| COMM 1233 or 2133 | Speech |
| STAT 2153 | Statistics |
| HIST 1513 or 1523 | History |
| CHEM 1315 & 1414 | General Chemistry I with Lab |
| BIOL 3614 | Human Physiology |
| BIOL 3624 | Human Anatomy |
| BIOL 2114 | Microbiology |
| BIOL 1133 | Nutrition |
| POSC 1513 | Political Science |
| PSY 1113 | Introduction to Psychology |
| SOC 1113 | Introduction to Sociology |
In addition, three semester hours are needed in each of the following categories: understanding art forms, western civilization, and non-western culture. Additional coursework will also be necessary to reach the required total of 60 hours. Other courses recommended or required by some dental hygiene programs include General Chemistry II with lab and mathematics.
Most schools require that all application materials be submitted no later than January 15th of the year within which admission is sought, but earlier applications are encouraged. Scores on the ACT or SAT are also required by some schools. All dental hygiene programs require observation hours. Consult the specific school website for the exact number.
For additional information, contact the Department of Chemistry, Computer and Physical Sciences or the Department of Biological Sciences.