Curriculum

Associate's Degree Completion Program

The typical curriculum in the ODS 18-month program includes these courses:

• Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice
• Nutrition
• Oral and Dental Anatomy
• General Pathology
• Medical/Dental Emergencies
• Periodontology
• Oral Pathology
• Dental/Ethical Specializations
• Dental Health Education
• Community Dental Health
• Dental Materials
• Pain Management

During the program, students work in teams to plan, implement and evaluate a community health project. Examples of student-selected projects include dental sealant clinics, community-based and school-based education programs, sports injury prevention projects and early childhood caries prevention projects.

Students also have the opportunity to gain experience during the last quarter prior to graduation by working under the supervision of a dentist and adjunct faculty in an off-campus setting.

Bachelor's Degree Completion Program

OIT offers a web-based distance delivery program for qualified students that expands career opportunities in education, business management and intercultural studies for associate's degree graduates. A Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene is awarded upon successful completion of the program.

The bachelor's degree curriculum includes these courses:

• Healthcare Management
• Current Issues
• Discussion Processes
• Technical Communications for the Healthcare Professional
• Research & Ethics
• Personal Finance
• Dental Practice Management
• Emphasis Electives
• Humanities Electives
• Social Science Elective
• Business Elective

Students must choose three courses from one of the following emphases:

• Management: Marketing Management, Personnel Management, Business Law, Labor Relations or another approved course.
• Education: Instructional Methods, Instructional Experience, Elective.
• Public Health: Instructional Methods, Public Health Practicum, Elective.