Fones School of Dental Hygiene Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
BS Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
As the world’s first recognized school of Dental Hygiene, the Fones School is the premier place to pursue your studies.
Opportunity awaits with a BS in Dental Hygiene
Two tracks toward your bachelor’s degree
Whether you already hold an associate degree in Dental Hygiene or are entering the field for the first time, achieving your bachelor’s begins an exciting new chapter in your career journey! In addition to a higher earning potential, dental hygienists with bachelor’s degrees enjoy opportunities across public and private dental care settings.
Track 01
Beginning as a Pre-Dental Hygiene student
When you begin your UB journey as a Pre-Dental Hygiene student, you embark on a 4-year* path to professional success. Starting with the fundamentals, you will deepen your knowledge in mathematics, science, and other essential subject areas.
After successfully finishing your first year of studies, you can apply for full admission to the BS in Dental Hygiene program. Time to completion may vary by student.
Track 02
Starting with your AS in Dental Hygiene
At UB, licensed dental hygienists with an AS in the field can take a 2-year* track to their BS degree.
You can complete your BS in Dental Hygiene on ground, taking advantage of UB’s state-of-the-art Dental Hygiene Clinic, OR complete your BS 100% online. Haven’t completed your associate degree? Don’t sweat it! When you apply to the Fones School of Dental Hygiene, you can transfer up to 90 credits from an accredited program!
Minors
Choose a minor area of study
Achieving your bachelor’s degree gives you the freedom to choose a minor such as Psychology, Human Services, or Education.
Furthermore, earning your BS helps refine sought-after soft skills like communication, collaboration, and teamwork — opening doors to leadership and advancement opportunities in your career.
Student voices
Student voices
“My experience at UB was one for the books. It was a great experience with lasting memories and a degree that has and will continue to elevate me to greater heights. UB will always have a special place in my heart — the lasting friendships I developed and the knowledge I acquired by a wonderful teaching staff that truly cared about their students’ success.”
Study at the world’s first school of dental hygiene
With expert instruction, state-of-the-art equipment, and hands-on opportunities at our on-site clinic, you will hone the knowledge and skills employers look for.
Dental and dental hygiene professionals recognize the name of the Fones School as standing for excellence in the education it provides to future dental hygienists and, most notably, for its outreach and public health services, which are considered innovative and models for other dental hygiene schools across the country.
Admission
What you need to apply
Application materials
- Completed University of Bridgeport application
- Fones School of Dental Hygiene supplemental application
- Transcripts from any colleges/universities attended
- Proof of high school completion or its equivalent
- Personal statement
- 2 Recommender Forms (PDF)
Academic requirements
- Cumulative G.P.A of 2.7 or higher
- Successful completion of required pre-requisites within 7 years with a C or better
- English Composition, Intermediate Algebra, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2
- While this program is not open to international students, we invite you to explore other opportunities at UB. See our full list of academic programs.
Become a confident, career-ready dental hygienist at UB!
Curriculum
What you will study
In completing the bachelor’s degree, students enroll in DHYG 302 Instructional Strategies for the Health Professional and DHYG 304 Dental Hygiene Internship. These two courses create opportunities for innovative experiences while being mentored for practical experience beyond clinical practice.
Clinical practice
Hands-on opportunities at UB’s on-site Dental Hygiene Clinic with state-of-the-art equipment.
Instructional strategies
These two courses prepare the student for and lead them into an internship experience in education or community locations.
Dental hygiene internship
The internship allows you to apply your studies in a professional setting that aligns best with your goals. Under the guidance of the course instructor, you will select a field site in an alternative practice setting (not private practice). With the help of the site’s primary mentor, you will set goals and objectives that allow you to become an integral member of the organization and provide you with 50 hours of direct observation, participation, and supervised teaching or fieldwork.
Scientific inquiry
Apply scientific inquiry to foster critical thinking and reflective reasoning in all initiatives.
Service learning and internships
Care for the community while you learn
The community service component of the Fones School is renowned among dental hygiene programs. Its purpose is to continue the community outreach philosophy of Dr. Alfred C. Fones, applying the theories and concepts of public health when providing oral health care to community populations. The Fones students and faculty provide oral health education, screenings, preventive services, and referrals to more than 9,000 people annually in Southwestern Connecticut and adjacent regions.
Clinical treatment sites
Fones Dental Hygiene Health Center, the Integrative Clinic in UB Clinics, Yale-New Haven Hospital Hamden Dental Center, Norwalk Hospital Dental Clinic, Southwest Community Health Center, and Jettie S. Tisdale Elementary School.
Community education
Public/private K-12 school children, Head Start/Day Care/Nursery School children, pregnant adolescents, mentally, physically and/or emotionally challenged populations, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters, nursing homes, senior centers, and adult day care centers.
Internship affiliations
Stratford, CT Health Department; Porter and Chester Institute, CT; Norwalk Hospital Dental Clinic, Norwalk, CT; Community Health Centers, CT; Middlesex County College, Edison, NJ; North Hampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA; Centrix Dental, Inc., Shelton, CT; Open Door Family Medical Center, Ossining, NY.
Areas of focus
Student teaching in dental hygiene and dental assisting programs, community and hospital health clinics, dental product companies, local health departments, and dental research companies.
Learning outcomes and careers
Where a bachelor’s degree takes you
A career in dental hygiene offers multiple employment opportunities in a variety of settings. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) acknowledges that completion of a bachelor’s degree enhances the hygienist’s ability to succeed in the following fields.
Continue to the MS in Dental Hygiene
Our bachelor’s degree-completion program prepares you to advance your career options even further through studies in UB’s Master of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program. UB also offers continuing education for hygienists maintaining credits for licensure.
Course catalog
Every course, in full
View all courses offered and read full course descriptions in our online course catalog system.
General education requirements
16 courses
49 credits
General education requirements
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIOL 106 | Elementary Microbiology |
| BIOL 106L | Elementary Microbiology Lab |
| BIOL 113 | Intro Anatomy and Physiology I |
| BIOL 113L | Intro Anatomy and Phys I Lab |
| BIOL 114 | Introductory Anatomy and Physiology II |
| BIOL 114L | Intro Anatomy & Phys II Lab |
| CHEM 113 | Introductory Chemistry |
| CHEM 113L | Introductory Chemistry (Laboratory) |
| CAPS 390 | Senior Seminar |
| ENGL 101 | Academic Writing |
| FYS 101 | First Year Seminar |
| MATH 103 | Introduction to Algebra and Statistics |
| PSYC 103 | Introduction to Psychology |
| SOC 101 | Principles of Sociology |
| HUSV 201 | Introduction to Counseling |
| MKTG 205 | Principles of Marketing |
First and second semester
First and second semester
- General Education Requirements
Third semester
4 courses
Third semester
Fourth semester
5 courses
Fourth semester
Summer I session
2 courses
Summer I session
Fifth semester
4 courses
Fifth semester
Sixth semester
3 courses
Sixth semester
Seventh semester
2 courses
Seventh semester
Eighth semester
2 courses
Eighth semester
Electives
Related programs
Start your application
Financial aid is available, and we accept applications on a rolling basis