Program Overview

Are you an associate’s degree-holding dental hygienist working in a hygiene practice? Are you looking for new career options or considering the pursuit of a master’s degree in the future? Then the BS in Dental Hygiene Completion program might be the right fit for you. With the convenience of online coursework, students can take courses toward their bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene while continuing to work full-time.

If you are interested in advancing your career opportunities at an accelerated pace and already know that you wish to pursue a master’s degree after graduating from the completion program, check out the nation’s first and only AD to MS in Dental Hygiene Bridge program here at MCPHS Online! In the same amount of time it would take an undergraduate student to complete a bachelor’s degree completion program in dental hygiene, you could be well on your way to finishing your master’s without ever needing to complete a BS degree program first. If this interests you, visit our AD to MS in Dental Hygiene Bridge program page today!

Innovative Programs

All professional courses are offered entirely online with one required visit to campus for orientation. Using the latest in online technology, some classes will occasionally include live web conferences. A schedule for these sessions is published at the beginning of the semester so that you can plan accordingly.

Careers

With a degree from MCPHS Online, you will advance beyond a career in clinical practice and be able to find employment and leadership roles in state- and community-based public health administration, dental professional education, dental industry marketing and product development, research, and public and private health agencies and organizations.

Prerequisites

For admission to the program, an applicant must have:

• Graduated from dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation
• Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in dental hygiene program courses
• Completed one year of work experience in health care (i.e., dental assistant, nurse’s aide, social worker, etc.)
• Successfully completed the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination
• A license to practice dental hygiene or eligibility for licensure in at least one jurisdiction in the U.S. or Canada
• Achieved a minimum score of 79 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Completed the application for admission
• Current employment in dental hygiene is recommended but not required

Additionally, prior completion of the required pre-professional courses listed below as well as general electives is preferred although not required. Courses already completed that meet MCPHS transfer credit policies will be accepted for transfer credit.

The remaining requirements beyond those transferred during the admission process must be completed at MCPHS Online unless approved in advance by the Admission Office. After matriculation to MCPHS Online, courses will need approved by the Academic Resource Center.

*Suggested classes that may be taken to satisfy these distribution courses include:

• Communication Studies: Speech Communication, Interpersonal Communication
• Behavioral Science: Any upper level psychology course
• Social Science: History, Political Science, Government, American Studies, Geography, Anthropology, Economics
• Humanities: Literature, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Ethics, Religious Studies, Select Fine Arts, Advanced Level Languages

Curriculum

Upon admission to the program, students who are registered dental hygienists who have completed a regionally accredited institution will be awarded credit for prior dental hygiene professional course work completed in their associate degree up to a maximum of 44 credit hours.

1. Pre-Professional (Arts and Sciences) Core Courses

Prior completion of the pre-professional coursework below is preferred prior to admission although not required. Coursework not accepted in transfer from the list below will need to be completed at MCPHS Online or at another institution with prior approval from the Academic Resource Center.

 

2. Professional Courses

The following MCPHS courses comprise the professional phase of the curriculum (30 semester hours) and must be completed at MCPHS. This total comes from the required 21 semester hours from the required professional component and nine credits from the professional electives.

Required Professional Component

 

Professional Electives (choose 9 semester hours)

3. General Electives

The general electives (6 semester hours) may be additional professional electives or other courses (for example, Anatomy & Physiology II, Basic Chemistry II, languages, pre-calculus, etc.) that meet MCPHS transfer credit policies.

Please note: The required minimum number of credits to complete baccalaureate in dental hygiene is 120 semester hours as outlined below.

Tuition & Fees

Students enrolled in all undergraduate degree programs at MCPHS Online during the 2012–2013 academic year will pay $650/credit hour.

There are no fees for MCPHS Online students in the 2012–2013 academic year.

Financial Aid

An education is an investment. And we don’t think you’ll find a better return on your investment than by earning your degree from MCPHS. Our Office of Student Financial Services (SFS) is available to guide students through the process of securing funding to cover education costs. A dedicated staff member will help you apply for financial aid, review all sources of funding available to you and assist you with completing the paperwork necessary for disbursement.

For more information, contact Student Financial Services at 603.314.1729.

Next Steps

If you are applying for admission to MCPHS Online for 2012, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The MCPHS college code for the FAFSA is 002165. You do not need to be accepted at the College in order to apply.

Admission

Once your application is received, the Admission Office will notify you of any missing items that we require for your application to be considered complete. We review all files on a "rolling basis" and will make a decision once all application materials are received.

Priority Filing Date

The priority filing date for this program is June 1 each year for a fall semester start. We continue to review applications until all available seats in the program have been filled. MCPHS Online is now accepting applications for a fall 2012 start.

Additional Links

• Application Requirements
• Recommendation Form

Questions?

Feel free to call 617.879.5022 or e-mail us with any questions you have about the application process.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

• Will I have to travel to MCPHS during the program?
• Is there a minimum grade point average (GPA) for admission?
• Are international students eligible for admission?
• What is expected of the online student?

 

Will I have to travel to MCPHS during the program?

We created the completion program for practicing professionals and those with family oblications

• Recognizing this one visit to campus is required for orientation only.
• Most coursework is online, although you may need to work on some course projects in your community or participate in previously scheduled web conferences.

Back to top

 

Is there a minimum grade point average (GPA) for admission?

An applicant must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in dental hygiene courses earned in an accredited dental hygiene program. There is no GPA requirement for other course credits earned.

1. Prior degree or certificate.  Up to 40 credits will be awarded to students for professional coursework completed through an associate degree or certificate in an allied health discipline through a programmatically or regionally accredited institution.
2. Arts and Sciences courses.  The designated Arts and Sciences courses (34-43 semester credits) must be met. Arts and Sciences coursework not available online must be completed prior to matriculation.
3. Health Sciences Core.  The Health Sciences Core must be completed through MCPHS.
4. Health Sciences Concentration.  Online degree completion students may complete the general or management. Dental hygienists may complete the oral health concentration. The Health Sciences Concentration must be completed through MCPHS and not at another institution.
5. General electives.  Students complete between 9 and 18 semester hours of general electives to reach the minimum 122 s.h. required for the degree. General electives are eligible for transfer credit.

Back to top

 

Are international students eligible for admission?

Canadian students are automatically qualified because of dental hygiene program accreditation. We consider applicants from other countries individually, based on the equivalency of dental hygiene education/practice experience and English language abilities.

Back to top

 

What is expected of the online student?

The student should anticipate spending about three hours per credit hour each week on learning activities. Faculty expects each student to access the course website no less than three times per week. For more information regarding the online education experience, we encourage you to visit our general FAQs section.

Back to top