Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024

Dental Hygiene, Bachelor of Science (524P, 524)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/alliedhealth


Program Coordinator

Joseph W. Evans, joseph.evans@wku.edu, (270) 745-6274

Program Accreditation

Commission on Dental Accreditation (Program of Dental Hygiene).

Allied health is defined as all the professional, technical and supportive workers in patient care, public health and health research. Allied health professions encompass a wide distribution of personnel with various levels of health education and training, which enables them to function as a member of the health care team.

Programs of Dental Hygiene


Students with an interest in the program of dental hygiene may contact the dental hygiene program coordinator. When planning a program of study in this program, each student should be aware of the University’s academic requirements and regulations contained in this catalog in the chapter “Academic Information.” Specific attention should be given to the subsections in the chapter entitled (a) Academic Programs, (b) Colonnade Program Requirements and (c) Academic Requirements and Regulations. Students should be aware that this academic program might require additional scholastic regulations and standards not specified in the catalog. To obtain a copy of these regulations, students should contact the program office.

Enrollment in the program of dental hygiene is limited and special admission information and other special rules, standards and requirements should be obtained directly from the program office (Academic Complex, Room 236G) or from the program website (https://www.wku.edu/dentalhygiene/).

The baccalaureate degree curriculum is designed to prepare dental hygienists with a background for teaching, for organization and management, for research, as well as for clinical dental hygiene.

The educational experience offered prepares the graduate hygienist to effectively carry out the duties as prescribed by licensure. Hygienists are prepared for varied career opportunities, which include the following settings: general dentistry practice, specialty practices, public health, military installations, hospitals or clinics, research facilities or public school dental hygiene.

Although 14 hours of Colonnade courses (including Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology) are prerequisites, most beginning dental hygiene students will have successfully completed one or more years of college.

Program Requirements (66-78 hours)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

For admission to the program, students must complete the following prerequisites.

Prerequisites for Admission in to the Major

BIOL 131Human Anatomy and Physiology4
BIOL 207General Microbiology3
BIOL 208General Microbiology Laboratory1
ENG 100Introduction to College Writing3
PSY/PSYS 100Introduction to Psychology3
Total Hours14

Program Requirements

Core Courses
DH 201Dental Radiology I2
DH 204Periodontics3
DH 206Dental Pharmacology3
DH 210Dental Materials and Expanded Functions in Restorative Dentistry I2
DH 212Oral Anatomy3
DH 222Preventive Dental Hygiene Care2
DH 226Dental Materials and Expanded Functions in Restorative Dentistry II2
DH 230Oral Histology and Embryology3
DH 270Pre-Clinical Dental Hygiene3
DH 271Clinical Dental Hygiene I4
DH 302Dental Radiology II2
DH 303Community Dental Health4
DH 304Advanced Periodontology4
DH 307General and Oral Pathology3
DH 309Pain Control in Dentistry4
DH 323Research Methods3
DH 324Practice Management and Ethics3
DH 370Clinical Dental Hygiene II5
DH 371Clinical Dental Hygiene III5
Total Hours60

Additional Courses for both tracks

COMM 145Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Communication3
HMD 211Human Nutrition3
SOCL 100Introductory Sociology3
CHEM 109Chemistry for the Health Sciences4
Total Hours13

Education Track

A degree in dental hygiene with education track requires 126 semester hours, including 78 hours in the major, and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. The curriculum may be completed in eight semesters and one summer term within four years. 

FACS 381Methods and Materials in Family and Consumer Sciences Education3
DH 330Clinical Teaching I4
DH 340Clinical Teaching II4
DH 350Clinical Teaching III4
PH 383Biostatistics in the Health Sciences3
Total Hours18

Without Education Track

A degree in dental hygiene without education track requires 120 semester hours, including 66-67 hours in the major, and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. The curriculum may be completed in eight semesters and one summer term within four years.  

Select 6-7 hours from the following:6-7
Biochemistry for the Health Sciences
Leadership Communication
Advanced Public Speaking
Persuasion
Interpersonal Communication
Small Group Communication
Organizational Communication
Gender Communication
Health Communication
Health Care Organization and Management
International Comparisons of Health Care Systems
Public and Community Health
Biostatistics in the Health Sciences
Introduction to Epidemiology
Folklore and Medicine
Women’s Health
Community Organization for Health Education
Educational Psychology: Development and Learning
Social Psychology
Aging in Society
Technology, Work and Society
Diversity in American Society
Occupations and Professions
Total Hours6-7

Finish in Four Plans

Education Track

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENG 1003COMM 1453 
PSY 100 or PSYS 1003BIOL 207
BIOL 208
4 
MATH 1093HIST 101 or HIST 1023 
BIOL 1314CHEM 1094 
SOCL 100 (or World Language Requirement)3  
 16 14 
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
DH 2222DH 2714DH 3094
DH 2703DH 2303 
DH 2123DH 2063 
DH 2102DH 2262 
DH 2012DH 2043 
HMD 2113  
 15 15 4
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
DH 3705DH 3044 
DH 3022DH 3715 
DH 3034DH 3233 
DH 3073DH 3243 
SOCL 100 - if not previously takenFACS 3813 
 14 18 
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENG 2003ENG 3003 
DH 3304DH 3404 
PH 3833DH 3504 
Colonnade - Social & Cultural3Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3 
Colonnade - Local to Global3  
 16 14 
Total Hours 126

Without Education Track

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENG 1003COMM 1453 
PSY 100 or PSYS 1003BIOL 207
BIOL 208
4 
MATH 1093HIST 101 or HIST 1023 
BIOL 1314CHEM 1094 
SOCL 100 (or World Language Requirement)3  
 16 14 
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
DH 2222DH 2714DH 3094
DH 2703DH 2303 
DH 2123DH 2063 
DH 2102DH 2262 
DH 2012DH 2043 
HMD 2113  
 15 15 4
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
DH 3705DH 3044 
DH 3022DH 3715 
DH 3034DH 3233 
DH 3073DH 3243 
SOCL 100 - if not previously taken or Major/Minor/Elective3  
 17 15 
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
ENG 2003ENG 3003 
Colonnade - Social & Cultural3Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3 
Colonnade - Local to Global3Major/Minor/Elective3 
Major/Minor/Elective3Major/Minor/Elective3 
 12 12 
Total Hours 120