Dental Hygiene - Idaho State University

Dental Hygiene from Idaho State University is a Campus Bachelor Dentistry degree that prepares you for a Healthcare career. Philosophy, Mission and Goals The fundamental philosophy of the Idaho State University Department of Dental Hygiene is threefold. First, its members are committed to excellence in all academic endeavors. Second, the program is progressive in instituting ongoing change to prepare for the future of dental hygiene. The program also places priority on basing these changes on evaluation findings while maintaining essential traditional values. Third, as a component of the university's primary emphasis area, the program serves statewide and regional needs by providing access to quality education in the discipline as well as meeting the employment demands and oral health needs of the public. The primary mission of the Idaho State University Dental Hygiene program is to: facilitate the development of dental hygienists who are able to fulfill the multiple roles of professional dental hygienists; award baccalaureate degrees in the discipline with a vision toward granting graduate degrees; contribute to the science of dental hygiene and the advancement of related knowledge through applied qualitative and quantitative research; promote the health and well being of the public by providing clinical dental hygiene care and community service; participate as an integral, active, and contributing entity of the institution through university service. Pursuant to the broad philosophy and mission statement, the Department of Dental Hygiene seeks to positively impact the education of its students and the delivery of dental hygiene services to the public by fulfilling the following interrelated goals: Goal 1. To comprehensively prepare dental hygiene graduates who possess the knowledge, values, ethics, and skills to provide optimal dental hygiene care through demonstrated competence as defined by the "Department of Dental Hygiene Competency Document." Goal 2. To offer a baccalaureate dental hygiene program sufficient in scope and depth to prepare graduates with a broad general education and high quality professional education that fosters their ability to adapt to the future, provide leadership in dental hygiene, and enroll in graduate level education. Goal 3. To create knowledge through faculty research programs that are of sufficient depth to contribute to the art and science of dental hygiene , to dental hygiene practice and to the delivery of improved health care in Idaho and the nation. Goal 4. To foster professional behaviors consistent with legal and ethical expectations essential to the dental hygiene profession and the public through professional activities, continuing education programs, and community service. Goal 5. To remain responsive to program expansion according to the needs of Idaho and the western region of the United States, as well as to the future of the dental hygiene profession. Goal 6. To operate and maintain the on-campus clinical facility to provide quality oral health care while fulfilling the program's educational mission. Program Description The Department of Dental Hygiene awards a Bachelor of Science degree. Students apply to the professional curriculum after completing prerequisite courses in science and general education. The professional program is two years in length. Prerequisites can be completed at the institution of the student's choice. The Department of Dental Hygiene has formal articulation agreements with every state college/university in Idaho. The program is designed to foster student growth, promote development of critical and ethical judgment, and encourage life-long learning. The curriculum includes didactic, laboratory and clinical instruction sufficient to graduate competent clinicians who are capable of practicing contemporary dental hygiene procedures. Students are educated to clinical competency in both traditional and advanced procedures, with emphasis placed on preventive, therapeutic, and non-surgical services essential for providing total patient care to the public. As a result, graduates possess an increased understanding of dentistry and dental hygiene, expanded capabilities as members of the oral health team, and greater career mobility. Graduates of the Idaho State University-Boise: dental hygiene program also are prepared to pursue graduate studies in dental hygiene or related areas. The dental hygiene program is fully accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. Employment Opportunities Upon completion of the dental hygiene curriculum, graduates are qualified to take the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination and licensure exams in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and abroad. Graduates are eligible for positions in private dental offices, public health programs, school health programs, dental hygiene education and research. In addition, the dental hygiene program provides instruction and experience in advanced procedures to broaden capabilities for clinical practice. View more details on Idaho State University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Dentistry courses.