Curriculum
The integrated curriculum in dental hygiene at West Virginia University combines the advantages of both liberal arts and the professional aspects of education. This curriculum format has departed from the conventional, but there is a definite conviction that the inclusion of many disciplines provides greater strength to the program. At the completion of requirements, dental hygiene students from WVU are awarded a bachelor of science degree in Dental Hygiene.
The dental hygiene curriculum, constructed in accordance with the standards specified for a school of dental hygiene by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Dental Association, has been fully accredited by this organization since 1965.
The curriculum for the four-year program offers students the advantages of both the liberal arts and the professional aspects of education. A Dental Hygiene major is required to complete a minimum of 31 - 37 general education foundation credit hours. Included in course requirements are courses in dental hygiene, dental science, biomedical sciences, and dental hygiene elective courses. To graduate, students must earn a total of
133-134 credit hours.
To provide students in the Dental and Dental Hygiene Programs with the necessary clinical experience that is required, the School of Dentistry maintains and operates dental clinics in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry.
The WVU School of Dentistry has an excellent reputation for producing outstanding clinicians, and many faculty members as well as graduates are recognized as leaders in dental education and organized dentistry.