Master of Science in Dental Hygiene
Curriculum Overview
The core courses advance the theory and practice of dental hygiene and prepare students in research methodology to apply during the thesis process and future work.
In addition to the core curriculum, graduates complete an area of emphasis in Dental Hygiene Education or Rural and Community Oral Health. Two required dental hygiene courses in the emphasis area, coupled with a practicum experience and a related elective course, provide a strong basis for advanced study and thesis work.
The entire program consists of approximately 36 credits. Requirements include 9 courses in the core curriculum, 4 courses in an emphasis area and 6 elective credits. In addition to the core curriculum, graduates complete an area of emphasis in dental hygiene education or rural and community oral health. Two required dental hygiene courses in the emphasis area, coupled with a practicum experience and a related elective course provide a strong basis for advanced study and thesis work. Students also complete a minimum of 6 credits of electives selected to enhance their breadth of knowledge.
Tentative Course Requirements
| Core Courses | ||
| DENT 6605 | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 cr |
| DENT 6610 | Special Care Populations | 2 cr |
| DENT 6615 | Progressive Dental Hygiene Theory | 3 cr |
| DENT 6616 | Progressive Dental Hygiene Practice | 1-2 cr |
| DENT 6618 | Leadership Strategies to Improve Health Care | 3 cr |
| DENT 6648 | Lit Analysis & Synthesis * | 2 cr |
| DENT 6649 | Dental Hygiene Research Methodology | 2 cr |
| DENT 6650 | Thesis | 4 cr |
*Prereq: Undergraduate statistics or biostatistics course. A minimum of "C" grade is required |
||
| Dental Hygiene Education Emphasis | ||
| DENT 6620 | Advanced Educational Theory and Methods | 3 cr |
| DENT 6621 | Dental Hygiene Clinical Instruction and Admin. | 3 cr |
| DENT 6625 | Dental Hygiene Education Practicum | 2-4 cr |
| Elective Course in emphasis Area (Program Director approval required) | 3 cr | |
| Rural and Community Oral Health Emphasis | ||
| DENT 6630 | Community and Rural Health Programs | 3 cr |
| DENT 6631 | Management Strategies for Dental Hygiene Care | 3 cr |
| DENT 6635 | Rural and Community Health Practicum | 2-4 cr |
| Elective Course in emphasis area (Program Director approval required) | 3 cr | |
| Elective Course Requirements (Program Director approval required) | 6 cr |
|
Full-time/Part-time Curriculum Sequence Options
Dental Hygiene Graduate Courses
DENT 5598P Professional Development Topics. Variable credit. May be repeated. A course for practicing professionals aimed at the development and improvement of skills. May be applied to graduate degrees under special circumstances. Graded S/U.
DENT 6605 Program Development and Evaluation 3 credits. An overview of general principles of teaching, learning and evaluation in academic and community oral health programs. Emphasis on assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of programs.
DENT 6610 Special Care Populations 2 credits. Concepts related to providing oral health care for special care populations. Emphasis on assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care for individuals with transient or lifelong physical, mental, medical or social health needs.
DENT 6615 Progressive Dental Hygiene Theory 3 credits. Critical analysis of the dental hygiene process of care related to advanced preventive and therapeutic interventions to various population groups, technology, and outcomes.
DENT 6616 Progressive Dental Hygiene Practice I 1 credit. This clinical
course provides students with experiential learning
opportunities to enhance self-assessment and peer/student evaluation
in clinical dental hygiene. Formative assessment techniques are
applied to the process of dental hygiene care: assessment, diagnosis,
care planning, implementation and evaluation. An individualized
professional development plan will be constructed for each student
based upon faculty, self, and peer assessments as well as career
goals. May be repeated for up to 2 credits. PREREQ: DENT6615 AND PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. Graded S/U.
DENT 6617 Progressive Dental Hygiene Practice II 1 credit. Clinical application of advanced dental hygiene care with the use of state-of-the-art technology throughout the process of dental hygiene care. PREREQ: DENT6616 AND PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. Graded S/U.
DENT 6618 Leadership Strategies to Improve Health Care 3 credits. Application of leadership theory and models to professional issues, policy development, advocacy, coalition building, strategic planning, communication, conflict resolution and professional advancement.
DENT 6620 Advanced Educational Theory and Methods 3 credits. Study of theory, principles, and research related to the faculty role in active teaching and learning, development of ethical reasoning, critical thinking and reflective judgment, development of curricular frameworks, outcomes and competencies, and course delivery methods. PREREQ: DENT 605 OR DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL.
DENT 6621 Dental Hygiene Clinical Instruction and Administration 3 credits. Study of theory and practices of clinical instruction, clinical supervision, as they relate to psychomotor skill development, competency-based evaluation systems, student mentoring and remediation. Examination of organizational and administrative philosophy and practice in curriculum planning, implementation, and evaluation based on professional accreditation standards. PREREQ: DENT 6620 OR DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL.
DENT 6625 Dental Hygiene Education Practicum 2-4 credits. Individualized experience to apply principles and theories in dental hygiene education. Approval required for practicum sites. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. PREREQ: DENT 6616 and 6620, OR DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL. Graded S/U.
DENT 6630 Rural and Community Health Programs 3 credits. Study of theories, epidemiology, cultural competence, and trends impacting rural and community healthcare programs. Emphasizes needs assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion/disease prevention programs and service-learning opportunities. PREREQ OR COREQ: DENT 6605 OR DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL.
DENT 6631 Management Strategies for Health Care 3 credits. Study of organizational leadership and management theory in a variety of healthcare delivery settings. Includes planning, organization, decision making, financial management, delivery of care, insurance and reimbursement practices. PREREQ: DENT 6605 OR DENT 6630 OR DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL.
DENT 6635 Rural and Community Health Practicum 2-4 credits. Individualized service-learning experience designed to apply theories in rural and community health to improve access to care. Approval required for practicum sites. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. PREREQ: DENT 6616 and 6630 OR DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL. Graded S/U.
DENT 6640 Independent Study in Dental Hygiene 2-3 credits. Specific problems selected on the basis of interest and preparation. Individualized student effort under the guidance of the instructor. May be repeated up to 6 credits.
DENT 6648 Literature Analysis & Synthesis 2 credits. Introduction to the research process and the use of scientific literature to define a theoretical basis for future research. Requires gathering evidence, searching databases, analyzing and synthesizing literature to write a literature review.PREREQ: UNDERGRADUATE or GRADUATE STATISTICS OR BIOSTATISTICS COURSE.
DENT 6649 Dental Hygiene Research Methodology 2 credits. Application of principles of problem and research question formulation, sampling, design and methods, reliability and validity, and applied statistics in dental hygiene. Requires preparation of a research proposal..PREREQ: DENT6649.
DENT 6650 Thesis 1-6 credits. Research project under supervision of academic faculty member. May be repeated. Minimum of 3 credits required. Graded S/U. PREREQ or COREQ WITH PERMISSION OF PROGRAM
DIRECTOR: DENT 6649.
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