B.S. in Dental Hygiene Online
Degree Completion Program

Complete your B.S. degree entirely online

The online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Dental Hygiene degree completion program from The Fones School of Dental Hygiene offers dental hygienists an opportunity to further your education beyond the A.S. degree. You can overcome the obstacle of your work and family schedule and pursue a Bachelor's degree. Take advantage to learn anytime, from anywhere. The online program holds 8-week accelerated dental hygiene classes for adult learners who are able to find the time and discipline to study with qualified faculty in their subject field.

Program Overview
The Fones School of Dental Hygiene (which also offers a B.S.D.H. on campus), established in 1949, was named for Dr. Alfred Civilion Fones, a dentist who was instrumental not only at the University of Bridgeport, but also in the world dental hygiene movement. Accredited since 1953, the Fones program is in full accordance with the principles established by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education. Graduates are eligible for National, Regional, and State examinations. For more information on the Univeristy of Bridgeport's accreditations & memberships, click here.  A career in dental hygiene offers multiple career opportunities in a variety of settings. The following have been identified by the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) as emerging fields for dental hygienists. The ADHA acknowledges that a Bachelor's degree enhances the hygienist's ability to succeed in these fields:

• Educator
• Researcher
• Administrator/Manager
• Advocate
• Clinician
• Public Health Dental Hygiene

Why Get A B.S. in Dental Hygiene?
Here are some articles describing the trends in dental hygiene education, and the value of a BS in Dental Hygiene:

Back To School: Earning a bachelor’s degree can lead to many career opportunities outside of clinical dental hygiene practice

Trends in Dental Hygiene Education

Profiles of dental hygienists working in unique settings

A Chance Encounter (profile of a UB student)

Admission Requirements
To be admitted into to the program, students are required to hold:

• An Associate Degree or Certificate in Dental Hygiene from an institution that is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, or from an institution that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada

A maximum of 72 credits may be transferred from two-year colleges and 90 credits from four-year institutions. Students are required to complete their last 30 credit hours through the University of Bridgeport program (all required courses can be done entirely online).

To apply online, visit our Getting Started page.

Program Requirements
The baccalaureate degree program consists of 120 credit hours:

• transfer credits from previous academic experience (60-90 credit hours),
• general education courses (40 credit hours),
• dental hygiene courses (19 credit hours),
• and elective courses (12 credit hours).

View our online course schedule

With 60-90 transfer credits, students may be able to achieve a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene in two years. The following courses are required for a B.S. in Dental Hygiene:

Instructional Format
The B.S. in Dental Hygiene is offered entirely online. The courses are designed to be learner-centered in terms of scheduling, duration, learning materials, assignments, and interaction between faculty and students and among students. The online interaction is designed to encourage thoughtful and well-prepared discussions based on both the student's command of the coursework and their personal dental hygiene experience.

Online courses leading to the B.S. in Dental Hygiene follow an accelerated 8-week format, allowing students to earn their degree at a full-time pace while still maintaining their professional work schedule. Courses are conducted entirely online and can be accessed at anytime from anywhere. Interaction with professors and other students is done through email and an online discussion board. See more information in How Online Learning Works.

Dental Hygiene bachelor courses have specific requirements listed in their syllabi.

• DHYG 302 is a pre-requisite for DHYG 304, DHYG 305 and DHYG 306.
• Students will be responsible for video-taping their final project presentations in DHYG 302, DHYG 304, DHYG 305 and DHYG 306 courses utilizing VHS tape or DVD formats.
• Students need to arrange for an internship site for DHYG 304 during the semester prior to taking the course. The BSDH Online Program Director can provide additional information.

Online Orientation
All students are required to participate in an Online Orientation prior to beginning the program. During the Orientation students are given instructions on how to navigate the Blackboard course management system, strategies for being a successful online student, and access to other University resources, including the Wahlstrom Library's electronic databases. Successful completion of the Orientation is required of all new students in the online program.

Tuition & Fees 2008-09: Tuition:  $435 per credit Registration Fee: $75 per semester Graduation Fee: $110 Audit: $800 per course Financial aid: Financial aid is available to those students who qualify Apply for financial aid online (School code: 001416)

 

For More Information

To receive an information packet about the online B.S. in Dental Hygiene, or to apply online for acceptance into the program, please click on one of the buttons below:

 

Questions?

Office of Distance Education Email: ubonline@bridgeport.edu Phone: 800-470-7307 Fax: 203-576-4537 Mail: Office of Distance Education University of Bridgeport 126 Park Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06604

Program Coordinator: Wendy Garcia, RDH, MSEd Email: wendyg@bridgeport.edu Phone: (203) 576-4141 Mail: Fones School of Dental Hygiene Warner Hall, Room 417 60 Lafayette Street Bridgeport, CT 06604