Dental Hygiene - BS

The Caruth School of Dental Hygiene is dedicated to delivering the most innovative techniques for educating future dental hygienists, as well as provide respectful public clinical services with the utmost integrity and ethical standards. Caruth fosters a sense of community, embraces a diverse group of students and faculty, and supports personal growth. Caruth School of Dental Hygiene is committed to being a national leader in dental hygiene education and with that our school takes pride in the students who choose to maintain a high level of diligence, are dedicated, and achieve success within our program. 

The goals of the Dental Hygiene Program are:

  • The curricular program will support student competency and prepare them for dental hygiene practice.
  • The Dental Hygiene program facilitates student learning.
  • The Dental Hygiene faculty will demonstrate participation in teaching, service and scholarly activity.
  • The Dental Hygiene students will provide quality care to patients.

Dental hygiene offers an excellent opportunity to serve the community. The services of a dental hygienist are offered in private dental practices and clinics, public health agencies, school systems, hospitals, nursing homes and corporate health facilities. Dental hygienists also teach in dental and dental hygiene programs and participate in health research. The baccalaureate degree offered through the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene by Texas A&M University College of Dentistry satisfies the educational requirement for eligibility for state licensure. Graduates are provided with diverse experiences to prepare for a variety of employment settings and to pursue graduate education.

Registered dental hygienists assess a patient's oral condition in order to offer patient-specific preventive and educational services. In addition to providing tailored treatment plans, dental hygienists motivate their patients to understand and improve their current oral conditions. A major role of a dental hygienist is to perform periodontal therapy which includes evaluating the current state of the oral cavity through periodontal charting and providing treatment based upon the health of the gingival tissues and surrounding periodontium.

Dental Hygiene is an exciting career choice for anyone interested in promoting oral health. A dental hygienist is a licensed preventive oral health professional who provides educational, clinical and therapeutic services supporting total health through the promotion of optimal oral health.

This program in dental hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "approved without reporting requirements." The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678.  The Commission's web address is https://coda.ada.org/en.

The length of the program is two years. Application deadline is January 5 of the year of anticipated entrance into the program with a start term in the Fall. 

The BS in Dental Hygiene is offered in Dallas, Texas.