Master of Science in Dental Hygiene

Program Director:       Ms. Amy D. Funk, MSDH
                                   Interim Director

The West Virginia University School of Dentistry, Division of Dental Hygiene offers a program of advanced study leading to the degree of Master of Science in Dental Hygiene.  This program requires the completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours through full-time or part-time enrollment.  It is designed to qualify dental hygienists for careers in teaching, administration, research and management.  An option for a joint master’s degree in Dental Hygiene and Public Administration with a Health Care Administration emphasis is also available.

Tuition waivers, assistantships, externships, and scholarships are available.  Each student is allocated research funds to complete the thesis requirements.

Inquiries concerning this program should be directed to the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, School of Dentistry, PO Box 9402, Morgantown, WV  26506-9402; phone: (304) 293-3549.  Applications should be filed by June 15 for admission in the Fall Semester and by October 15 for Spring Semester enrollment.

Click here to download the Application for Graduate Admission form

1. Graduation with a baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene from an accredited dental hygiene program or graduation with a baccalaureate degree in another field of study from an approved institution of higher education while holding a certificate or associate degree in dental hygiene from a program fully accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation.
2. Evidence of scholastic and clinical achievement that would indicate the applicant’s ability to progress in a program of this nature.  Generally, a minimum grade point average 3.0 or above is required.
3. Each applicant must have an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general aptitude test and have taken the exam within the last 5 years.
4. Each applicant must file with the Office of the Associate Dean, all information requested in the graduate application form (i.e., transcripts, letters of reference, National Board scores, licensure).
5. Each applicant must be available for an interview, if requested by the Admissions Committee.
6. Individuals pending acceptance into the WVU School of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene Master of Science Program must consent to and pass a criminal background investigation prior to final acceptance.
7. To become familiar with the West Virginia University School of Dentistry’s policy and procedure for Bloodborne Pathogens and Infectious Diseases.   (click here)

• Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission may gain provisional acceptance into the program.  All provisions of admission must be met, not later than the completion of the 18th credit hour, to be reclassified as a regular student.  A student who fails to meet the provisions of admission or who fails to meet the required grade-point average will be suspended.

1. Completion of a minimum of 36 semester credit hours:  26 basic required credit hours and 10 credit hours in an elective area(s) of dental hygiene specialization.  Elective courses are taught by a number of schools within the University and are categorized into two basic focus areas:  Education/Administration and Special Patient Care.  An individualized program will be devised for each student with a maximum of 6 hours in research leading to an acceptable thesis.  Oral defense of the thesis document will be required.
2. Achievement of a 3.0 GPA or an overall academic average of at least B in all work attempted in the master’s program.  A grade of C or below in one course will require a faculty review of the student’s progress.  A second C or below will result in dismissal from the program.  A student may repeat only one course one time to bring the GPA up to the 3.0 requirement.
3. Removal of all conditions, deficiencies and incomplete grades.  Credit hours for courses in which the grade is lower than C will not count toward satisfying graduate degree requirements.

Basic Requirements
            PUBH 611     Applied Biostatistics in Health                                                      3 cr
            PUBH 630     Policy and the Health System                                                       3 cr
            C&I 689          Cultural Diversity in the Classroom                                             3 cr
            EdP 612         Introduction to Research                                                            3 cr
            DTHY 678     Dental Hygiene Teaching Methods                                               2 cr
            DTHY 679     Dental Hygiene Clinical Evaluation                                                2 cr
            DTHY 680     Critical Issues in Health Care                                                        3 cr
            DTHY 690     Teaching Practicum                                                                     1 cr
            DTHY 691     Leadership and Administration                                                     1 cr
            DTHY 697     Research (Thesis)                                                                        6 cr
                                                                                                                                 26
                                                                                                                                            

Elective Area(s) of Dental Hygiene Specialization
            Dental Hygiene 691 and Dentistry 791 Courses
            Courses taught by the School of:
                        Business and Economics
                        Educational Psychology
                        Medicine (Community Health Promotion) and the
                        Multidisciplinary Students Program
                        Human Resources and Education                                                      ___
                                                                                                                              11

                                                                                                TOTAL                    37

Dentistry (DENT)

691-B. Advanced Topics: Computer Applications in Dentistry.  I. 2 hr.  PR: Consent. Introduction to computing with hands-on experiences in patient record keeping, accounting, insurance handling and work processing, lecture and audiovisual preparation, grading, and research design and analysis.

687. Advanced Topics: Research Methods – II. 1 hr.  PR: ED P 311.  Methods and techniques of research in dentistry.  Major emphasis on conducting oral health surveys, designing experiments and critically analyzing research results and developing a thesis.

690. Teaching Practicum.  I, II. 1-3 hr.  PR: Consent.  Supervised practice in college teaching of dentistry.

Dental Hygiene (DTHY)

680. Dental Hygiene Seminar and Practice 1.  I. 3 hr.  PR: Graduate standing and consent.  Examination of the critical environmental issues affecting the future of health care; particular impact on rural oral health care trends will form major focus.  Dental hygiene clinical practice is also included.  (A one week rural health rotation or 25 hours of community service are required to fulfill the requirements for this course and graduation).

681. Dental Hygiene Seminar and Practice 2.  II. 3 hr.  PR: DTHY 380.  Performance of expanded dental hygiene practice with emphasis on periodontal functions.  Laboratory and clinical performance of these functions are also included.

691. Advanced Topics.  I, II S. 1-6 hrs.  PR: Consent.  Investigation of topics not covered in regularly schedule courses.

697. Research.  I, II, S.  1-15 hrs.  PR: Consent.  Research activities leading to a thesis, problem report, research paper, or equivalent scholarly project.