Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Completion Program – Online

MPath – Marian’s engaging online education platform

Online Dental Hygiene Completion Program

Marian University’s 100% online Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene completion program prepares students to advance their career. With Wisconsin’s first dental hygiene bachelor’s completion program, students who already hold an associate degree in dental hygiene from an accredited school can finish in about 16 months. Marian’s online BS in Dental Hygiene focuses on each student as an independent learner and draws on expertise as a top-notch liberal arts university to provide an online degree program that will prepare you for success.

Important Program Features:

  • 100% Online 
  • MPath 7-Week Accelerated   
  • FIRST dental hygiene bachelor’s completion program in Wisconsin
  • Requirements: Associate degree in dental hygiene from an accredited institution and current dental hygiene license  
  • Graduate in as little as 16 months 
  • Applicants may transfer in up to 90 credits
  • Out-of-state DH are encouraged to apply

Complete Your Bachelor’s in Dental Hygiene in About 16 Months. Learn More!

Learn More, Do More

If you’ve already earned your Associate Degree and license in Dental Hygiene, Marian University’s Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree completion program will help you take your career to the next level, preparing you for jobs as an in-demand professional with the skills to lead in a growing healthcare field.

A BS Dental Hygiene completion program creates opportunities for careers in clinical instruction, sales, public health, and management along with the opportunity to further your education with a master’s degree if you choose. The BLS projects 11% growth in the field through 2028 with a median pay of more than $74,000/year. The benefits of earning your bachelor’s degree include increased salary, promotion, and a pathway to qualify for diverse roles in the oral health field.

Why Earn a Bachelor’s in Dental Hygiene?

The advanced skills taught in Marian’s degree completion program prepare you to do more – for your career and for your patients. Graduates advance through an exploration of topics like community DH practice, management of oral healthcare delivery, health equity in diverse populations, research in DH practice, and leading and managing healthcare teams.

The 4-credit capstone practicum offers students the opportunity to work with other agencies and professionals. Examples of capstone projects include designing a course for a two-year dental hygiene program and developing and presenting oral health materials for non-oral health professionals.

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MPath Online Program Schedule: 7-Week Accelerated

The online BS in Dental Hygiene completion program is one of the Marian University MPath undergraduate programs offered in a 7-Week Accelerated format. With 100% online classes and 6 possible starts per year, the 7-Week Accelerated program provides a high-quality online degree with the flexibility that today’s adult learners are seeking. The flexible coursework design and ability to focus on fewer topics at once is custom made for working dental hygienists who are ready to take their education and career to the next level.

Complete Your Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene at Marian University

Listen to Pam Entorf, Dental Hygiene Instructor, as she describes why earning a bachelor’s degree is the best thing a dental hygienist can do for his/her career. Students enrolling in the online completion program can transfer in up to 90 credits, saving time from having to retake courses. Your bachelor’s is the segue from being a clinical dental hygienist to the next level of professionalism. You have a lot more options available to you building on your clinical dental hygiene experience. A bachelor’s will allow you to expand your education, advance your professional knowledge, and move into careers in corporate management or sales. The combination of a bachelor’s degree and Wisconsin Act 20 legislation, enables you to impact the dental health of those in all communities and even allow you to open your own practice! With your bachelor’s degree, you have so many more options open to you, especially in public health or administration.

Also hear from two graduates on how the 7-week courses, in the MPath online accelerated format, helped them stay focused and engaged and allowed them to still hold full time jobs. They share how the curriculum has improved their chance for a career as a dental therapist and built their confidence in communication, leadership, and problem-solving. One course teaches students how to develop programs for people who have minimal access to care, such as a safety net clinic. “A bachelor’s degree helped me see a brighter future for me and my family.”

“Earn your bachelor’s degree, it will be worth it. I know that by continuing my education, I am setting myself up for a better future. I will increase the potential for new career opportunities and prevent career burnout. The seven-week long courses, while challenging, are allowing me to get done with my BS quicker than the traditional 16-week courses. Working full-time does not allow for a ton of time outside of work to do school, so I like that I am able to take fewer classes at a time and focus on them while still being able to work.

I am working two jobs and going to school. You can do this!”

Megan Laurent – BS Dental Hygiene Completion Student

“I chose Marian University because it is a prestigious university, and it is the first in Wisconsin to offer a BS in Dental Hygiene degree! I like that each course is seven weeks long and online. I can stay engaged and focus on assignments around my busy lifestyle. Instructors are available when I have a question through a phone call, email, and even meeting through Zoom.

My future is wide open as my bachelor’s will allow me to work in public health, pursue leadership roles, be an educator, be part of research organizations, and more.”

Carina Mino-Mickelson – BS Dental Hygiene Completion Student

Online BS in Dental Hygiene Curriculum

BS Dental Hygiene completion students can complete their degree in as few as 16 months. The 100% online courses combined with flexible schedules and a highly respected program allow you to pursue a top-of-the-line degree while you continue to work as a dental hygienist. The program enables students to be competent at a baccalaureate level to foster the expanded roles of the dental hygienist in community settings beyond private practice. Students are prepared with relevant and current dental hygiene practices.

There is NO clinical component as students are required to have completed that at the associate level before starting their degree completion program.

Academic Bulletin
FACULTY DIRECTORY

General Education Courses

As a bachelor’s level student, you are required to take about 30 credits of general education courses as part of the 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree.  Gen eds are required regardless of your major.

All students take 10.5 to 17 credits in these areas:

  • Mathematical Reasoning
  • Argumentative and Research Writing
  • Introduction to Christian Theology
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Introduction to Ethical Reasoning

Core Courses

Dental Hygiene completion majors will take courses covering topics such as:

  • Research
  • Diverse populations
  • Oral healthcare delivery
  • Community practice
  • Leading and managing teams

Marian University and Wisconsin Technical Colleges have an articulation agreement that allows graduates of a dental hygiene associate degree program at a Wisconsin Technical College to receive 42 bachelor’s level credits for their dental hygiene courses in addition to receiving credits for their general education courses.

A bachelor’s degree requires 120 credit hours, but the typical Wisconsin Technical College graduate needs about ONLY 50-51 CREDIT HOURS to complete this bachelor’s degree. Applicants from outside of Wisconsin will have their transcripts evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) supports all aspects of formal dental hygiene education and intends to establish the baccalaureate degree as the minimum entry-level education for dental hygiene practice in the future and to develop the theoretical base for dental hygiene practice.