Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene

Support community wellness through oral care. The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Program at Northern Arizona University has been recognized nationally for excellence in educating dental hygiene professionals since its establishment in 1973. It remains the only program in Arizona that awards a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene upon successful completion. This rigorous two-year program includes four 16-week semesters, a 6-week summer session, and a 2-week summer externship. All courses are offered exclusively at NAU's Flagstaff Mountain Campus. Before admission, students must complete approximately two years of prerequisite coursework. Once accepted into the program, students benefit from training and clinical experience in our on-site Dental Hygiene Clinic and at clinical sites throughout the state of Arizona. Details on admission, prerequisites, and selection criteria can be found in the NAU Academic Catalog. The application to the Dental Hygiene Program is available annually from January 1 – 31. Submit your application.

Official transcripts from all secondary (high school) and post-secondary (college/university) education to your application for the admission evaluation (including vocational and ESL transcripts).Require a minimum 2.5 grade-point average (GPA) on a 4-point scale for first-year and transfer students without an associate degree.Admission requirementsIndividual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.Preprofessional Requirements (54 units)The following must be completed to be eligible to enter the major.BIO 181, BIO 201, BIO 201L, BIO 202, BIO 202L, BIO 205, BIO 205L, BIO 320 (18 units)CHM 130 or CHM 151 (4 units)CHM 130L or CHM 151L (1 unit)DH 380 (3 units)ENG 105 (4 units)NTS 135 or any Human Nutrition course approved by advisor (3 units)PSY 101 (3 units)SOC 101 or SW 220 (3 units)STA 270 (3 units)Arts and Humanities General Studies (9 units)*American Institutions General Studies (3 units)**Of the 12 required General Studies units, at least 6 units must be Inclusive Perspective course units; 3 units Global, 3 units Indigenous Peoples.Students completing their Mathematics Foundations at NAU should take STA 270.Note that the prerequisite for STA 270 is a Math Placement Test Result of MTHPLACE 40+, ALEKS 40+; PLACE 46+. Students not receiving those test results must take MAT 114 or higher with a Grade of 'C' or better to meet the prerequisites for STA 270.All preprofessional requirement courses, General Studies courses, Foundation courses, and Inclusive Perspective courses must be completed with a Grade of 'C' or better, a science GPA of 2.5 or higher (including BIO 181, BIO 201/BIO 201L, BIO 202/BIO 202L, BIO 205/BIO 205L, BIO 320, NTS 135, and CHM 130/CHM 130L or CHM 151/CHM 151L), and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher before entering the program. However, students may apply to the program once 40 units of the preprofessional requirements are completed.Students are required to complete the dental hygiene milestone, which is acceptance into the dental hygiene program.