Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
Build on your dental hygiene experience and expand your opportunities with an online bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
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Program Highlights · Curriculum & Tracks · Degree Requirements · Career Outlook · Admissions & Aid · Contact
Continue Your Dental Hygiene Education
The Pitt Dental Hygiene B.S. is a degree-completion program for dental hygienists who want to build on their professional education and experience and earn a bachelor's degree.
Since 1996, Pitt's Dental Hygiene program has evolved to meet the needs of practicing hygienists and working adults. Today, the program offers a flexible way to complete a bachelor's degree while continuing to work.
Program Highlights
Minimum credits required to complete the Dental Hygiene bachelor's degree.
Complete coursework asynchronously online, with no required campus-based classes.
Complete the program full time in as few as three terms or choose part-time study.
Complete required practicum experiences at a site in your local community.
What You Can Do With This Degree
As the dental hygiene profession expands, so does the need for practitioners with advanced education. The Pitt Dental Hygiene BS Degree Completion Program prepares graduates for emerging roles in a variety of settings.
Corporate & Industry
Explore opportunities with dental product companies, professional organizations, sales, consulting, and other industry settings.
Education
Prepare for roles in dental hygiene education, curriculum development, faculty support, and professional training.
Public Health
Apply your expertise to community-based programs, public health initiatives, advocacy, and efforts to improve access to oral health care.
Health Informatics
Build skills for working with healthcare data, technology, and information systems to support better patient care and health outcomes.
Tailor Your Degree to Your Goals
Choose from four concentrations designed to help you build expertise aligned with your career interests. Shape your degree around your goals while joining a community of dental hygiene professionals committed to advancing oral health and improving access to care through leadership, education, and service.
Allied Health Education
Health Management
Community Engagement, Outreach & Leadership
Inter-professional Health Informatics
Explore the Curriculum
Explore the 33-credit online curriculum, including concentration pathways, general education requirements, and sample program maps for full-time and part-time study.
Admissions & Financial Aid
The Dental Hygiene B.S. Degree Completion Program is designed for licensed dental hygienists who have graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)-accredited associate degree program in dental hygiene. Admission is competitive, and applicants must meet the following criteria.
CODA-Accredited Degree
Graduate of a CODA-accredited associate degree program in dental hygiene
Current License
Hold a current dental hygiene license
Minimum 3.0 GPA
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
Degree Requirements
- Completion of 131 total credits, including accepted transfer credits and Pitt coursework
- At least 30 credits at the 1000 level completed at Pitt
- Completion of all specialization, general education, and elective requirements
- Students transferring from Pitt's Associate in Dental Hygiene program complete 40 credits of CGS coursework
- All courses must be completed within five years of enrollment
Transfer Credits
Students who completed a dental hygiene certificate at Pitt before 1995, or who earned an associate degree from another institution, should contact Krista Stokes, CGS dental hygiene academic advisor, for a transfer credit evaluation.
Financial Aid
Financial aid may be available to eligible students. Explore financial aid options and resources to help plan for the cost of your education.
Explore Financial AidReady to Learn More?
Connect with our team to learn more about the Dental Hygiene B.S. Degree Completion Program, ask application questions, or explore how the program can support your career goals.
Program Faculty
Meet the faculty who bring their expertise and professional experience to the Dental Hygiene B.S. Degree Completion Program.
Academic Advising
Get help with program questions, degree planning, and navigating your path to completion.
Krista Stokes
CGS Academic Advisor
krista.stokes@pitt.edu
Dental Hygiene Opportunities at Pitt
Get involved with the Pitt Dental Medicine community through student organizations and professional activities that support connection, leadership, and career development.