General Program Information
Box 70690
Phone: (423) 439-4497
Accredited by:
Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education
The dental hygienist works with the dental team in the prevention and control of dental disease and has the opportunity to work in diverse settings. In addition to the private dental office, dental hygienists may work in such practice settings as: federal, state, and local health departments, hospitals, nursing homes, school systems, educational programs for dental hygiene and dental assisting students, private business/industry, correctional facilities, private and public centers for pediatric, geriatric, and other individuals/groups with special needs, and health maintenance organizations.
The dental hygienist, a recognized member of the dental team, is devoted to helping patients prevent dental disease and maintain good oral health. The responsibilities of a licensed dental hygienist in Tennessee include scaling and polishing teeth, applying topical fluoride agents, placing pit and fissure sealants, providing nutritional counseling, exposing and processing dental radiographs, and educating the patient in the proper care of their teeth and supporting structures.
Practice and Licensure: For licensure, most states require dental hygiene graduates to pass both the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination and a licensing examination prescribed by the individual state board of examiners. Most states require dental hygienists to practice under the supervision of a licensed dentist.
The Dental Hygiene program offers a Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.).
Program Admission: All students applying to the program must meet the requirements for the specific degree programs listed in this catalog. All applicants must first apply and be admitted to the university. This admittance, however, does not assure acceptance to the dental hygiene program.
Applications for the university should be addressed to:
East Tennessee State University
Office of Admissions
Box 70731
Johnson City, TN 37614
A separate program application must be received by March 1 for consideration by the admissions committee. Students may secure academic advisement prior to admission by contacting the Dental Hygiene Admissions Chair.
Requests for the application forms should be addressed to:
East Tennessee State University
College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences
Admissions Chair, Dental Hygiene
Box 70690
Johnson City, TN 37614
You may also obtain the information by calling (423) 439-4497 or visiting the dental hygiene web site: www.etsu.edu/crhs/dental.
Requests for the B.S. online degree completion program for practicing dental hygienists may also be obtained from the above address, phone number, and/or web site address.
Expenses: In addition to the usual registration and tuition, students are required to purchase such personal items as uniforms, dental instruments, specialized textbooks, laboratory materials, and a dental hygiene pin. Expenditures for these items, which are the personal property of the student, are approximately $2,000. Most of this additional expense occurs during the first year of study.
Retention - Progression Policy: Dental Hygiene students will be allowed to progress in the dental hygiene curriculum as all dental hygiene courses and basic science courses (Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and Chemistry) are completed with a grade of C or better. Progression status will be evaluated at the close of each semester. Students receiving less than a 2.0 in any of the classes listed above will be placed on probation. A student on probation who receives a second grade of less than 2.0 in one of the classes listed above will not be permitted to progress in the dental hygiene curriculum. Students earning failing grades in any dental hygiene course will be reviewed by the faculty to determine feasibility of progression. Following the faculty review of student performance, an individual plan for curriculum completion will be presented for consideration for any student affected.
Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) in Dental Hygiene
The B.S. degree consists of 67 credit hours of dental hygiene core classes and a minimum of 53 credit hours of general education core and prerequisite classes for a total of 120 credit hours. All courses offered in the dental hygiene core curriculum must be taken in sequence. The general education core classes may be taken prior to entry into the program. Because of the rigors of the curriculum, students are encouraged to complete all general education core classes prior to applying to the dental hygiene program.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the ETSU Dental Hygiene program requires that the applicant be admitted to the university before the application to the
professional program can be considered. If the applicant is in the process of applying to the university, he/she may receive conditional acceptance until the final university admission is received. If the applicant is a former ETSU student, he/she must apply and be readmitted to the university. Admission to the B.S. program requires the following information be submitted:
- evidence of admission to the university,
- completed program application form, and
- official college transcripts from all institutions attended.
The program must receive all information by March 1. Upon receipt of this information, the Admission’s Chair will review all aspects of the applicant’s record to determine if the applicant will be considered for an interview. Entry into the B.S. program requires completion of all of the first-year classes listed in the curriculum. The equivalent courses at another institution will be accepted if the university accepts them as transfer credit.
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