Master of Science in Dental Hygiene, Online

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, an applicant must have: • graduated from a dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation, • earned a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in dental hygiene program courses, • completed one year of work experience in healthcare (e.g., as a dental assistant, nurse’s aide, social worker), • successfully completed the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination • obtained a license to practice dental hygiene or eligibility for licensure in at least one jurisdiction in the United States or Canada, • achieved a minimum score of 79 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), • completed the application for admission, and • current employment in dental hygiene (recommended but not required).

Master of Science in Dental Hygiene (Online)

Program Director Dr. Linda Boyd The Master of Science degree offered by the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene is a part-time, 36-credit-hour, postbaccalaureate, online master’s degree program culminating in a thesis. The program, specifically designed for practicing dental hygienists, uses computer-assisted distance learning and minimal on-campus class meetings.

The purpose of this program is to prepare qualified dental hygiene professionals for careers and leadership roles in state and community-based public health administration, dental professional education, dental industry marketing and product development, research, and public and private health agencies and organizations.

Program Admission and Degree Requirements

For admission to the Master of Science in Dental Hygiene program, an applicant must have: • graduated from an accredited dental hygiene program; • earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or completed the MCPHS Master of Science Degree Bridge program for associate degree dental hygienists; • completed one year of work experience in healthcare; * • achieved a minimum score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as detailed in the current MCPHS University catalog; • completed the application for admission to an online program as described in the current MCPHS University catalog, and • attended the on-campus Orientation session.

The Master of Science in Dental Hygiene degree will be conferred upon the dental hygiene graduate student who has mastered the advanced professional knowledge and who: • successfully completes the 36 credit hours of required courses listed in the program curriculum; • maintains a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for all courses completed at MCPHS; • presents and successfully defends an approved thesis to the student’s Thesis Committee; and • completes all requirements for the MSDH degree within a period of six years.

The Master’s thesis is the final academic experience of the program. Each student will demonstrate attainment of program competencies; apply knowledge, skills, and values acquired in the program to a specific problem or issue; and independently demonstrate mastery and integration of curriculum concepts and methods. The topic, developed with guidance from the student’s Thesis Committee, will be related to oral health or dental hygiene education. The student will present the study and results to professional colleagues.

Curriculum: Master of Science in Dental Hygiene (Online)

COURSE TITLE

DHY 701 Essentials of Public Health

DHY 703 Program Planning and Evaluation DHY 706 Health Education and Health Behavior

DHY 714 Research Methodology and Statistics DHY 722 Health Policy and Finance DHY 827 Administration and Management DHY 830 Evidence-Based Literature Review CREDIT HOURS

3

3 3

3 3 3

3