The Indiana University School
of Dentistry's Dental Hygiene Program offers both an Associate of Science
degree and a Bachelor of Science degree.
Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene
The Associate of Science
program in dental hygiene is a full-time program that is two academic years in
length and is composed of a core curriculum of 27 courses presented over four
semesters and one summer session. All
courses are mandatory. The
curriculum supports attainment of the following list of competencies expected of
a dental hygienist entering the profession.
The graduate will be prepared
to:
|
1. |
apply a professional code of
ethics in all endeavors; |
|
2. |
adhere to state and federal
laws, recommendations, regulations and safety practices in the provision of dental hygiene
care; |
|
3. |
provide dental hygiene care to
promote patient/client health and wellness using critical thinking and problem solving in
the provision of evidenced-based practice; |
|
4. |
assume responsibility for
dental hygiene actions and care based on accepted scientific theories and research as well as the
accepted standard of care; |
|
5. |
continuously perform
self-assessment for life-long learning and professional growth; |
|
6. |
advance the profession through
service activities and affiliations with professional organizations; |
|
7. |
provide quality assurance
mechanisms for health services; |
|
8. |
communicate effectively with
individuals and groups from diverse populations both orally and in writing; |
|
9. |
provide accurate, consistent
and complete documentation for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation
of dental hygiene services; |
|
10. |
provide care to all clients
using an individualized approach that is humane, empathetic and caring; |
|
11. |
provide planned educational
services using appropriate interpersonal communication skills and educational strategies to
promote optimal oral health; |
|
12. |
initiate and assume
responsibility for health promotion, health education and disease prevention activities for diverse
populations; |
|
13. |
systematically collect,
analyze and record data on the general, oral, and psychosocial health status of a variety of
patients/clients using methods consistent with medico-legal principles; |
|
14. |
use critical decision-making
skills to reach conclusions about the patients'/clients' dental hygiene needs based on all available assessment data; |
|
15. |
collaborate with the
patient/client, and/or other health professionals to formulate a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan that
is patient/client-centered and based on current scientific evidence; |
|
16. |
provide specialized treatment
that includes preventive and therapeutic services designed to achieve and maintain oral
health; and |
|
17. |
evaluate the effectiveness of
the implemented clinical, preventive and educational services and modify as needed. |
DH Curriculum 07-08 - AS degree
Admissions
Information
Bachelor of Science program in Public Health
Dental Hygiene
The
Bachelor of Science program in Public Health Dental Hygiene provides an
opportunity for graduate dental hygienists to develop further expertise in
public health methods or dental hygiene
education and includes application of practical experience. It is a
degree-completion program and may be completed on a part-time basis.
Pre-requisites include completion of 90 semester hours, graduation from an
accredited dental hygiene program, satisfactory completion of the National Board
Dental Hygiene Examination, and current licensure as a dental hygienist.
Students in this program complete a total of 32
semester hours of course work, including five courses composing the required
core curriculum. In addition to the core courses, students must complete 9
semester hours of elective coursework in a chosen focus area (e.g., basic
sciences, education, behavioral sciences).
The program's objectives are designed to
provide students with the education and skills to:
|
1. |
perform dental hygiene
services in a variety of settings (e.g. private dental practice, public health
clinics, school systems, institutions and hospitals |
|
2. |
design, implement, and
evaluate effective preventive dental health programs for individuals and for
groups
in such settings as schools, hospitals, institutions and community programs; |
|
3. |
serve as a resource person and
work in cooperation with other health personnel in assessing health care needs
and providing health care services to the public; |
|
4. |
plan, implement, and evaluate
effective teaching methodologies in an educational setting; |
|
5. |
supervise the teaching of
dental hygiene services in a clinical/public health setting; |
|
6. |
prepare for admission to
graduate programs; and |
|
7. |
continue their professional
education and personal growth. |
An application and further information about
the Bachelor of Science program in Public Health Dental Hygiene can be obtained
from the Director of the Dental Hygiene Program. Address communications in
writing to Director, Dental Hygiene Program, Indiana University School of
Dentistry, 1121 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5186.
You may also call the Dental Hygiene office at 317-274-7801 for more information
about the Bachelor of Science degree program.
BS Program Description