Pre-dental hygiene students at PSU are those who wish to become dental hygienists, which is a licensed health care provider. Career paths include either a Bachelor of Science (such as offered at Pacific University or Oregon Institute of Technology) or an Associate of Science (such as offered at Lane Community College, Mt. Hood Community College, Portland Community College and the ODS College of Dental Sciences).
Pre-Dental Hygiene Recommended Course List
Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
- Introductory Chemistry + labs (3 term sequence, Fall start only)*: CH104+107, CH105+108, 106+109 (15 credits)- MTH95 is a prerequisite for this course
- *CH 104/107 will be offered every fall term; CH 105/108 will only be offered in winter 2024; CH 106/109 will only be offered in spring 2025.
- Note: While Pacific University only requires 1 term all other Oregon programs require the full year.
- Elementary Microbiology + lab: BI 234 Elementary Microbiology (4 credits) & BI 235 Microbiology Lab (2 credits)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology + labs (3 term sequence, Fall start only): BI301, 302, 303 (12 credits)- BI207 is a prerequisite for this course
- Introductory College Mathematics (MTH111Z) or higher level (4 credits)
Social Science:
- PSY 201Z OR PSY 202Z Into to Psychology I,II (formerly called PSY 200 Natural Science, PSY 204 Psych as a Social Science) (4 credits)
- Introduction to Sociology: SOC200 (4 credits)
Communication:
- College Writing: WR121Z (4 credits)
- Public Speaking (COMM111Z) (4 credits)
Humanities:
- 12 credits from any of the following departments; ENG, HST, WLL, COMM, PHL, MUS, ART, TA, WS
Nutrition:
- Nutrition (CH250) OR Nutrition for Health (PHE325) (4 credits)
Spanish:
- First Year Spanish I (SPAN101) or higher level (4 credits) required by Pacific University but can be waived by their program if applicant is fluent.
Medical Terminology:
- 1 course required by Pacific University but not offered at PSU- check with local community colleges
Additional Admission Requirements for Pacific University's Dental Hygiene Program include:
- Minimum number of credits required prior to beginning the dental hygiene program is 72 quarter credit hours.
- Minimum of 20 hours of dental observation is required – Prefer some hours be in a public health setting (example: public dental clinic, dental school clinic, dental hygiene school clinic, or mobile dental van). If you are currently working in the dental health field this requirement can be waived.
Note: Completion of the preparatory courses does not guarantee acceptance into a Dental Hygiene program. Admission is limited and competitive. Most professional programs require that an A, B, or C be earned in all required preparatory courses, and most students accepted by professional schools have an average overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.