Undergraduate Dental Hygiene Program
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Dental Hygiene at Adams School of Dentistry
Adams School of Dentistry is the only university in the state to offer a baccalaureate level dental hygiene program. The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH) is awarded if a student has completed the general education courses traditionally associated with a four-year college degree in addition to the dental hygiene curriculum. For transfer students, these courses may be completed prior to entering the dental hygiene program, in the summer between the first and second year, during the final spring semester or during the first summer session after graduation.
Our Philosophy
The philosophy of the dental hygiene program is to empower students to grow into lifelong learners who are competent in providing patient care to a diverse population in traditional and non-traditional settings. Our aim is to inspire students to become critical thinkers who utilize evidence-based decision-making within the scope of dental hygiene practice. Earning a BSDH provides more career options, including working in public health, teaching and research.
Admissions Information
Learn more about our admissions process, deadlines and requirements for the undergraduate program.
Curriculum, Goals and Competencies
Learn more about the key concepts and takeaways learned while in the undergraduate program.
The goal for me is to work in my small hometown, or a city with a bigger Hispanic population. I want to be the representative for those types of patients.”
Mariana Alcaraz
Tuition and Fees
Dental hygiene students are responsible for undergraduate tuition and fees payable to the UNC-Chapel Hill as well as fees to the Adams School of Dentistry.
Please visit the UNC-Chapel Hill Cashier’s Office for current tuition and fees per semester.
Dental Hygiene Licensure
Upon completion of the dental hygiene program, students will take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam and a practical exam in the state where they will be licensed.
In North Carolina, hygienists take the ADEX Exam from the CDCA-WREB-CITA Testing Agencies.
Fees are subject to change based on testing agency.
Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association
Students are encouraged to join their professional organization the American Dental Association. Membership for students is payable at orientation in August.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prospective students must submit an application the spring semester prior to their intended fall semester start date. There is a priority deadline of January 15th every application cycle.
Current UNC-Chapel Hill Students: You may request and complete an application through your Connect Carolina portal.
Transfer Students: You may submit an application through the Common Application portal making sure to use the transfer student version.
The dental hygiene program admits 28 undergraduate students for each incoming class. We accept one class per academic year. New classes begin matriculation in August of each year.
We are always happy to help clarify our requirements for prospective students. If you’re admitted to Carolina, the Office of Undergraduate Admission will do a course-by-course analysis of all your coursework and give you a complete report before our enrollment deadline. We’re sorry that we’re unable to do this for prospective students until after admission. It’s critical that we apply the most current rules to your situation, and these may change from now until the time in which you decide to apply and enroll.
If you’re interested in estimating just where you stand with the credits you’ve already earned at another institution, you can easily do this by using the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Transfer Equivalency Tables.
At this time, the dental hygiene program does not offer a degree completion program. We encourage you to visit the ADHA website to find a program that fits your needs.
The dental hygiene degree completion program no longer matriculates students for completion of a Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene degree as of 2017.
At this time, the dental hygiene program does not offer any online program options.
No, all prerequisite requirements must be completed by enrollment. All required degrees (AA/AS) must be granted prior to enrollment. Failure to comply may result in rescinding a previous admissions decision.
At this time, there are no time restrictions or expiration dates on prerequisite courses for our program.* Please review the grade recommendation statement for more information.
*This is subject to change based on university and/or accreditation guidelines.
Yes! Applicants will be considered for admissions under a holistic review process. All portions of the application are evaluated and taken into consideration by all members of the admissions committee. No one is automatically admitted or denied because of a single number. The average college GPA of incoming dental hygiene students last year was above a 3.0.
You should contact the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Undergraduate Admissions to obtain information about admission to the university. Your first two years of study will be devoted to completing general education requirements and dental hygiene prerequisites. All prospective students can apply during their sophomore year.
The Dental Hygiene Program will allow students to receive an additional bachelor’s degree.
Even if you have attended college you can still be accepted into the program as long as you satisfy the admissions requirements. If you last attended an institution that was not UNC-Chapel Hill, you would follow the transfer application steps to apply.
No. The UNC-Chapel Hill dental hygiene curriculum requires completion of all courses and does not accept transfer credits from previous dental hygiene coursework or other programs.
Classes and clinics for the dental hygiene program can be scheduled Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Students enroll on average in 15 credit hours per semester. Please refer to our curriculum overview.
Pursuing the Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene requires a full-time enrollment for the four semesters it takes to complete the program. Currently, we do not offer a part-time enrollment option.
Most dental hygiene students find the demands of attending courses and clinics far too rigorous to incorporate full-time employment into their daily schedules. However, it is up to the discretion of each individual student how to allocate their time outside of the dental hygiene program.
Yes. While our program only requires three letters, you may submit additional letters if you believe they are essential in our understanding of you as an applicant and enhance your application.
Letters can discuss the applicant’s character, academic ability and skills that a recommender believes will enhance the overall application of an applicant. They may also provide context for a student detailing extracurricular activity involvement or extenuating circumstances that have made a student stand out to the recommender.
Admissions Decision are released mid- to late-April every application cycle.
Yes, we do have a waitlist. Your admission decision letter will indicate if they have been admitted, denied or waitlisted. Waitlisted students will be notified if a space becomes available in the program. No information is released regarding position on the waitlist or the number of students placed on the waitlist. If spaces do not become available, the waitlist does not carry over to the following term. Waitlisted applicants must submit a new application to be considered for admission for a future term.
All decisions for the dental hygiene program are final. Admissions is a competitive process and not all who apply can be accepted. Denied applicants are welcomed and encouraged to strengthen their application and apply during the next application cycle to be reconsidered for admission.
Yes. You can maintain/complete any previous majors or minors. Most student decide to complete additional majors/minors if they have less than 12 hours remaining. These courses can only be taken during summer sessions or your final semester prior to graduation. All students are required to meet with their assigned Academic Advisor in order to develop a plan.
Yes. All financial aid is processed by the University’s Office of Student Scholarship and Student Aid. The dental hygiene program is still an undergraduate program within the University and financial aid will be processed as such.
No. The Adams School of Dentistry supplies clinical instruments for student use during their time at the school. Students are charged for this service through tuition and fees.