The Dental Hygiene Program

The Dental Hygiene Program derives its purposes and functions, which encompass teaching, research and service, from the philosophy, policies, strategic plan and vision of the School of Dentistry, the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University System of Maryland.

For all of these programs and courses, faculty members are committed to creating an educational environment that facilitates the development of ethical professionals who are critical thinkers, capable of realistically assessing their own performance and directing their own professional growth and development during and beyond the educational programs at the University of Maryland. Faculty strive to maintain a quality curriculum continually updated to reflect emerging health care trends and future roles in dental hygiene practice.

The Program promotes oral health for the citizens of Maryland through education, community service and treatment, thereby supporting the university in its vision to achieve excellence in the areas of public service, academics and clinical patient care. The goals, objectives and competency statements that follow provide direction to the faculty and students so that the program and its graduates will be able to make positive contributions to the delivery of oral health care services to the public.

The Dental Hygiene Program strives to:

1. Offer high quality evidence-based educational programs that will enhance the awareness, appreciation and utilization of dental hygienists in health care, research, educational and community settings.
2. Prepare graduates who provide and promote access to high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered dental hygiene care and contribute to the overall health of Marylanders.
3. Serve as resources to health professionals in the region through consultation and conducting innovative continuing education programs.
4. Conduct innovative research that will contribute to the body of knowledge pertinent to dental hygiene education and practice in clinical and community settings.
5. Encourage inter-professional collaboration in research and education to focus on the overall well-being of the patient, while increasing access to care and improving oral health literacy in our state.
6. Prepare graduates who will be leaders in the profession of dental hygiene, are committed to lifelong learning and who promote the values and goals of the profession.

Professional Licensure & Certification Disclosure

School of Dentistry-Entry-Level Dental Hygiene BS Degree

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Entry-Level Dental Hygiene BS Degree curriculum follows the rules of the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) in preparing students for a degree in dental hygiene.  The degree prepares graduates to sit for professional licensure examinations.  The University of Maryland School of Dentistry Entry-Level Dental Hygiene BS Degree curriculum satisfies the educational requirements for graduates to apply for licensure, as well as local anesthesia and nitrous oxide certification in the State of Maryland. The School has not made a determination as to the sufficiency of its program to satisfy professional licensing or certification requirements of any [other] state or jurisdiction.

Students should consult the Board of Dental Examiners in their state to confirm if the degree from UMB meets the criteria for professional licensure in their state. Contact information for the Boards of Dental Examiners can be found at https://www.adha.org/licensure