Academic Experience | Dental Hygiene (AS and BS)

Associate of Science Degree

Preparing you for success as an oral health professional

The three-year associate's degree in dental hygiene includes a solid foundation in basic biology, chemistry, and anatomy; plus a wide range of career-specific courses covering subjects such as dental ethics, periodontology, and oral pathology. Practical skills are emphasized in patient communication, preventive oral care, dental radiology, pharmacology, and local anesthesia.

The associate's degree is a “1 plus 2” program, requiring three years of study; one year of dental hygiene prerequisite courses and two years of a full-time prescribed dental hygiene curriculum. Students learn all aspects of dental hygiene through didactic, laboratory and clinical experiences in our state-of-the-art dental clinic.

First Year

Prerequisite Courses

Before entering the associate's or bachelor's degree program, all students must complete one year of prerequisite courses. These may be taken as a full-time student at Regis (Intended Dental Hygiene/IDH) or may be transferred from another college. Upon successful completion of the prerequisite courses, students are strongly encouraged to apply for acceptance into one of the 36 slots in the dental hygiene program. They should consult with their advisor. The associate's program gives priority to students who have successfully completed the prerequisites courses at Regis College.

Second and Third Year

Two years of dental hygiene coursework is required. Graduates of the associate's program will be eligible to take the national and state examination boards required for licensure at the end of their third year at Regis College.

Bachelor of Science Degree

The Regis College Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene is a “1 plus 2 plus 1” program, requiring four years of study including one year dental hygiene prerequisites courses, two years of dental hygiene study and Regis core courses, and a fourth year completing the curriculum for the bachelor's degree. During the fourth year, students specialize in their area of interest, selecting from either dental hygiene education or business. Many of the courses may be taken online, allowing students to work as a clinical dental hygienist while completing their degree. Specializations provide preparation for specialized careers in sales/marketing, healthcare, dental hygiene education, research, and as well-rounded clinicians.

Bachelor's Degree Completion

Registered dental hygienists with an associate's degree can come to Regis College and complete the fourth year curriculum to obtain their bachelor's degree. This flexible curriculum allows students to continue working in the dental hygiene field while completing their degree.

Coming to the degree completion program has allowed me to fulfill my lifelong dream of combining teaching and dental hygiene.
Jacqulene Domegan, RDH, BSDH–Education Specialization

Dental Hygiene Career Options

Graduates of the Regis College dental hygiene program enter the workforce with outstanding job skills, developed through many hours of hands-on practice in our state-of-the-art dental clinic. A dental hygiene associate's degree can lead to jobs with a diverse group of employers, including:

private dental practices
group practices
specialty practices
public health agencies
hospitals
nursing homes
health clinics
prisons
federal agencies such as military institutions
schools

Experiential Learning

Both our associate's and bachelor's degrees offer all the instruction you need to be qualified to take your board examinations and for dental hygiene licensure. You will get many hours of hands-on, face-to-face dental hygiene instruction from experienced dental hygienists. In our state-of-the-art dental clinic, you will learn to use industry-standard technology including digital radiographs and laboratory facilities while practicing your dental hygiene skills. You will begin on typodonts or simulated oral structures and progress to practicing on patients in our clinic. Students of the Regis dental hygiene program work in numerous diverse clinical settings.