Dental Hygiene Program
• Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH)
• Post- Degree Certificate in Dental Hygiene
• Degree- Completion Program (RDH to BSDH)
• Masters in Dental Hygiene (MSDH)
Prerequisite Guide
REVISED APRIL 2023
Page 1
Admission Requirements
Dental Hygiene Bachelor’s Program
Admission to The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Dental Hygiene program
requires satisfactory completion of the following prerequisites courses from an accredited school.
A grade of at least C must be earned in each of the required courses while maintaining a
minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.
All undergraduate course requirements listed in the table below must have been completed at a
regionally accredited US or Canadian university/college. Foreign coursework will not count
towards meeting any of the prerequisites, even if transfer credit has been given for them by a US
or Canadian school.
SPECIAL NOTES
*Laboratory time is required.
**The following are recommended elective courses to enrich the student's dental hygiene
education to the fullest: foreign language, research design, and statistics.
The TOEFL test is required if the applicant did not attend high school in the United States.
Prerequisites for Bachelor’s Degree Program
Communications
English
Speech
Mathematics
College Math or higher
Natural Sciences
Human Anatomy & Physiology I
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
Chemistry
Microbiology
Humanities & Visual and Performing Arts
Literature, Philosophy, Modern or Classical Language, Cultural
Language, Cultural Studies
Arts, Dance, Music, Drama, Theatre
Social and Behavioral Science
Psychology
Sociology
U.S. History
American Government
Computer Science
Nutrition
Electives
Total Semester
Hours
Page 2
The following WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED for Computer Science: Workforce Courses (POFI, ITSC)
*****All applicants are required to take the Acuity Insights*****
DENTAL HYGIENE BACHELOR’S PROGRAM COURSES
RECOMMENDED FOR TRANSFER AS PREREQUISITES
TEXAS COMMON COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM – To help students transfer from one
institution to another, Texas community colleges have voluntarily adopted a single numbering
system for their courses. The Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) is a
uniform set of four-character abbreviations for academic disciplines and four- digit course
numbers. The first digit of the number reflects the academic level (0 for sub freshman, 1 for
freshman, and 2 for sophomore) and the second digit reflects the
semester hour credit value of a course.
USE OF TRANSFER CREDIT TOWARD PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS - The Office of
the Registrar evaluates courses from other institutions for prerequisite requirements.
Questions concerning degree/graduation requirements and applicability of transfer credit
toward satisfaction of prerequisite requirements should be directed to:
The Office of the Registrar
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
P. O. Box 20036
Houston, TX 77225
Telephone: (713)500-3361
Students who transfer to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will
follow the catalog rules in effect at the time they enter UTHSC-H. This guide is based on
prerequisite and degree requirements published in the UTHSC-H School of Dentistry
catalog. UTHSC-H is not responsible when or if a community college changes the content
of a course or assigns a common number to a course that is substantially different in
content from courses carrying the same TCCNS designation at other participating
community colleges. The guide is produced by the UTHSC-H Office of the Registrar, in
consultation with the Office of Dean at the School of Dentistry.
SPECIAL NOTES
**** All Applicants must take the Acuity Insights ***
•
A maximum of 62 hours will be accepted toward the Baccalaureate prerequisites
from community/junior/senior colleges.
•
Grade point average for admission is based on all hours completed with grades of A,
B, C, D, F, WF. Transfer credit is not granted for remedial courses or courses in which
grades of D or F are earned, or for developmental courses.
•
Successful completion of all portions of the TSI is a prerequisite for admissions.
•
Admission to the Dental Hygiene program is competitive; applicants who meet the
prerequisite requirements are considered for admission, but acceptance depends
upon available space and the applicant's qualifications compared to the total
applicant pool.
•
Admission offers are for the Fall Semester only.
•
The TOEFL test is required if the applicant did not attend high school in the United
States.
Page 3
Texas Community College Students to the
DENTAL HYGIENE BACHELOR’S PROGRAM
Total credit = 62 semester hours
Courses are expressed in TCCNS numbers and department
abbreviations.
ENGLISH - 6 semester hours of English Composition chosen from one of the following
courses:
ENGL 1301
ENGL 1302
ENGL 1312
ENGL 1313
ENGL 2307
ENGL 2308
ENGL 2311
ENGL 2314
ENGL 2315
If an applicant already possess a bachelor's degree, 6 semester hours of the English
requirement may be satisfied with the following literature courses:
ENGL 2322
ENGL 2323
ENGL 2326
ENGL 2331
UNITED STATES & TEXAS GOVERNMENT - 6 semester hours chosen from one of the
following:
GOVT 2301 and GOVT 2302 ; or GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306
GOVT 2301 and GOVT 2305 ; or GOVT 2301 and GOVT 2306
Note: It is strongly recommended that applicants complete both required courses at one
institution. Combinations of (GOVT 2302 and GOVT 2305) or (GOVT 2302 and GOVT 2306)
do not satisfy the legislative requirement.
UNITED STATES HISTORY - 6 semester hours, 3 of which may be Texas History, chosen
from the following combinations:
HIST 1301 & 1302; or
HIST 1301 & (2301 or 2302 or 2303); or
HIST 1302 & (2301 or 2302 or 2303).
SPEECH - 3 semester hours of Speech chosen from one of the following:
SPCH 1311, SPCH 1315, SPCH 1318, SPCH 1321, SPCH 2333
MICROBIOLOGY - 4 semester hours of (including lab) chosen from one of the following
combinations:
BIOL 2320 & 2120; or
BIOL 2320 & 2121; or
BIOL 2321 & 2121; or
BIOL 2321 & 2120; or
BIOL 2420;or
BIOL 2421
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY - 8 semester hours (including lab) chosen from one of the
following:
BIOL 2401 & 2402; or
BIOL 2401 & 2302, & 2102; or
BIOL 2301 & 2101, & 2402; or
BIOL 2301 & 2101, 2302, & 2102; or
BIOL 2304, 2101, 2102, & 2305
Page 4
CHEMISTRY - 4 semester hours (including lab) chosen from the following combinations:
CHEM 1305 & 1105; or
CHEM 1306 & 1106; or
CHEM 1307 & 1107; or
CHEM 1311 & 1111; or
CHEM 1312 & 1112; or
CHEM 1405; or
CHEM 1406; or
CHEM 1407; or
CHEM 1408; or
CHEM 1411; or
CHEM 1412; or
CHEM 1413; or
CHEM 1414; or
CHEM 2301 & 2101; or
CHEM 2302 & 2102; or
CHEM 2401; or
CHEM 2402; or
CHEM 2323 or 2423 & CHEM 2123 or 2223: or
CHEM 2325 or 2425 & CHEM 2125 or 2225; or
Other College level Chemistry Lecture and companion Lab totaling 4 SH
MATH - 3 semester hours of college level MATH or higher
SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES - 6 semester hours
PYSCHOLOGY - 3 semester hours
PSYC 2301
SOCIOLOGY - 3 semester hours
SOCI 1301
COMPUTER SCIENCE - 3 hours chosen from the COSC or BCIS courses
POFI or ITSC Courses WILL NOT BECONSIDERED
HUMANITIES & Visual and Performing Arts - 6 semester hours
3 semester hours chosen from the following courses: Literature, Philosophy, Modern or
Classical Language, Cultural Language, & Cultural Studies
and
3 semester hours chosen from the following courses: Arts, Dance, Music, Drama, and
Theatre
NUTRITION - 3 semester hours
3 semester hours chosen from the following courses:
BIOL 1322
BIOL 1323
ELECTIVES - 4 semester hours
Recommended elective courses to enrich the student's dental hygiene education to the
fullest: foreign language, research design, and statistics
Page 5
Admission Requirements
Dental Hygiene
Post–Degree Certificate Program
Admission to The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Dental Hygiene post-degree
certificate program requires that you must have an associate’s degree or higher in order to
apply into the program. In addition, it requires satisfactory completion of the following
prerequisites courses from an accredited school. A grade of at least C must be earned in each of
the required courses while maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.
All undergraduate course requirements listed in the table below must have been completed at a
regionally accredited US or Canadian university/college. Foreign coursework will not count
towards meeting any of the prerequisites, even if transfer credit has been given for them by a US
or Canadian school.
Prerequisites for
Post–Degree Certificate Program
English Composition I
3 semester hours
Fundamentals of Speech
3 semester hours
General Psychology
3 semester hours
Sociology
3 semester hours
Human Anatomy & Physiology I
4 semester hours *
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
4 semester hours *
Chemistry
4 semester hours *
Microbiology
4 semester hours *
Nutrition
3 semester hours
Computer Science
3 semester hours
SPECIAL NOTES
*Laboratory time is required.
The TOEFL test is required if the applicant did not attend high school in the United States.
The following WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED for Computer Science Workforce Courses (POFI, ITSC)
*****All applicants are required to take the Acuity Insights****
Page 6
DENTAL HYGIENE
POST–DEGREE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
COURSES RECOMMENDED FOR TRANSFER AS PREREQUISITES
TEXAS COMMON COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM - To help students transfer from one
institution to another, Texas community colleges have voluntarily adopted a single numbering
system for their courses. The Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) is a uniform
set of four-character abbreviations for academic disciplines and four-digit course numbers. The
first digit of the number reflects the academic level (0 for sub freshman, 1 for
freshman, and 2 for sophomore) and the second digit reflects the semester-hour credit value of a
course.
USE OF TRANSFER CREDIT TOWARD PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS - The Office
of the
Registrar evaluates courses from other institutions for prerequisite requirements. Questions
concerning degree/graduation requirements and applicability of transfer credit toward satisfaction
of prerequisite requirements should be directed to:
The Office of the Registrar
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
P. O. Box 20036
Houston, TX 77225
Telephone: (713)500-3361
Students who transfer to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will follow the
catalog rules in effect at the time they enter UTHSC-H. This guide is based on prerequisite and
degree requirements published in the UTHSC-H School of Dentistry catalog. UTHSC-H is not
responsible when or if a community college changes the content of a course or assigns a common
number to a course that is substantially different in content from courses carrying the same
TCCNS designation at other participating community colleges. The guide is produced by the
UTHSC-H Office of the Registrar, in consultation with the Office of Dean at The School of
Dentistry.
SPECIAL NOTES
**** All Applicants must take the Acuity Insights ****
•
A maximum of 34 hours will be accepted toward the certificate prerequisites from
community/junior/senior colleges.
•
Grade point average for admission is based on all hours completed with grades of A, B, C,
D, F, WF. Transfer credit is not granted for courses in which grades of D or F are earned,
or for developmental courses.
•
Successful completion of all portions of the TSI is a prerequisite for admissions.
•
Admission to the Dental Hygiene program is competitive; applicants who meet the
prerequisite requirements are considered for admission, but acceptance depends upon available
space and the applicant's qualifications compared to the total applicant pool.
•
Admission offers are for the Fall Semester only.
•
The TOEFL test is required if the applicant did not attend high school in the United
States.
Page 7
Texas Community College Students to the
DENTAL HYGIENE
POST–DEGREE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Total credit = 34 semester hours
Courses are expressed in TCCNS numbers and department
abbreviations.
ENGLISH - 3 semester hours of English Composition chosen from one of the following
courses:
ENGL 1301
ENGL 1302
SPEECH - 3 semester hours of Speech chosen from one of the following:
SPCH 1311
SPCH 1315
SPCH 1318
SPCH 1321
SPCH 2333
SOCIAL SCIENCES - 6 semester hours of Psychology and Sociology:
PSYC 2301
SOCI 1301
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY - 8 semester hours (including lab) chosen from one of the
following combinations:
BIOL 2401 & 2402; or
BIOL 2401 & 2302, & 2102; or
BIOL 2301 & 2101, & 2402; or
BIOL 2301 & 2101, 2302, & 2102; or
BIOL 2304, 2101, 2102, & 2305
MICROBIOLOGY - 4 semester hours of (including lab) chosen from one of the following
combinations:
BIOL 2320 & 2120; or
BIOL 2321 & 2121; or
BIOL 2420
CHEMISTRY - 4 semester hours of CHEMISTRY (including lab) chosen from the following
combinations:
CHEM 1305 & 1105; or
CHEM 1306 & 1106; or
CHEM 1307 & 1107; or
CHEM 1311 & 1111; or
CHEM 1312 & 1112; or
CHEM 1405; or
CHEM 1406; or
CHEM 1407; or
CHEM 1408; or
CHEM 1411; or
CHEM 1412; or
CHEM 1413; or
CHEM 1414; or
CHEM 2301 & 2101; or
CHEM 2302 & 2102; or
CHEM 2401; or
CHEM 2402; or
CHEM 2323 or 2423 & CHEM 2123 or 2223: or
CHEM 2325 or 2425 & CHEM 2125 or 2225; or
Other College level Chemistry Lecture and companion Lab totaling 4 SH
Nutrition – 3 semester hours of NUTITION chosen from the following:
BIOL 1322; or
BIOL 1323
Computer Science – 3 hours chosen from the COSC or BCIS courses
POFI or ITSC Courses WILL NOT BECONSIDERED
Page 8
RDH TO BS DEGREE PROGRAM
The online Degree-Completion Program is currently designed for dental hygienists who graduated with
a Certificate in Dental Hygiene or Associate's Degree in Dental Hygiene. Twenty-three credit hours of
coursework will be offered on-line, which will allow the students to work or continue working while
enrolled. An additional 7 credit hours of practicum on-campus coursework will be required and can be
completed at UTSD or at an approved dental hygiene campus of the student’s choosing.
Applicants must complete the 62 hours of prerequisite courses required of those seeking a Bachelor of
Science degree. Completing these prerequisite courses will also satisfy the core curriculum in Texas.
Prerequisites for Bachelor’s Degree Program
Communications
English
Speech
Mathematics
College Math or higher
Natural Sciences
Human Anatomy & Physiology I
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
Chemistry
Microbiology
Humanities & Visual and Performing Arts
Literature, Philosophy, Modern or Classical Language, Cultural
Language, Cultural Studies
Arts, Dance, Music, Drama, Theatre
Social and Behavioral Science
Psychology
Sociology
U.S. History
American Government
Computer Science
Nutrition
Electives
Total Semester
Hours
Page 9
Admission Requirements
Dental Hygiene Master’s Program
Admissions Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree (in any field) from a regionally accredited university or college
• Certificate or associate degree in dental hygiene from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene
program
• GPA of 3.0 or higher in your dental hygiene coursework
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (recommended)
• State license to practice dental hygiene
• Applicants outside of Texas MUST reside in a participating National Council for State
Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) state to be accepted into our program. To
see if your state participates, or to get more information, please visit NC-SARA.
DEGREE PLAN
Prefix & Number
Required Courses
SCH
Format
FALL 1
DHMS 6501
Graduate Seminar in Education I
3
Online
DHMS 6502
Introduction to Educational Research
3
Online
SPRING 1
DHMS 6503
Academic Leadership & Communication
3
Online
DHMS 6506
Clinical Teaching
3
Online
SUMMER 1
DBPG 5352
DHMS 6505
Biostatistics for Dental Professionals
Graduate Seminar in Education II
2
3
Online
Online
FALL 2
*DHMS 6507
Clinical Teaching Practicum
4
Online
*DHMS 6508
Graduate Seminar in Education III
3
Online
SPRING 2
*DHMS 6509
Education Practicum
4
Online/ Campus
*DHMS 6510
Capstone
4
Online
SUMMER 2
DHMS 6511
Capstone Extension
1
Online
* The semester these courses are taken will vary according to the dental hygiene program where the
practicum is completed.
Application Deadlines
The application process opens November 1st and closes June 1st for entry in August of the same
year. Applicants will be notified of their standing by July 1.
Application Requirements
Applications will be processed upon receipt of the following:
• All official college transcripts
• One letter of recommendation from your dental hygiene program faculty or employer using
the institutional form.
• Print and fill out your portion of the form and give it to the person writing the recommendation.
The person completing the recommendation should send the completed recommendation
form to the registrar. The official university form must be submitted.