Admissions Requirements
The comprehensive Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene provides students with a solid clinical foundation to become licensed oral health care professionals in a variety of employment settings. The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH) clinical entry-level program provides you the skills and confidence to step into a leadership role and work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals. You'll receive a solid clinical foundation to be able to solve complex problems in a traditional private practice setting. But we'll also cover career opportunities in research and teaching.
Admission Requirements
The admissions process for the dental hygiene clinical entry-level program is selective. We consider several factors when reviewing applications:
- Satisfactory completion of approximately two years of college (53 credit hours) with a minimum 2.75 cumulative and science prerequisite GPA (average BSDH applicant GPA is 3.5 for cumulative 3.4 in science)
- 60 hours of dental hygiene shadowing
- 60 hours of community services
- Three-five leadership experiences
- 500-word personal character statement
- The names and email addresses for three references. Your references will be sent instructions for how to upload their letters of recommendation
Dental hygiene prerequisites
Prerequisites must be completed before starting in the dental hygiene program, but applicants can be in-progress to complete the prerequisites at the time of application. Prerequisites must be complete by the end of the Spring Semester preceding entry into the program.
- Completion of the UMKC General Education requirement (satisfied by UMKC Essentials, Missouri Core 42 or the completion of an associate or bachelor's degree)
- BIO 102, 108 or 109 – Intro to Biology (3-5 credit hours)
- CHEM 211 & 211L– College Chemistry I (4-6 credit hours)
- Biology 112 – Microbiology and Living (3 credit hours)
- HLSC 120 (Anatomy and Physiology I) (4 credit hours)
- HLSC 160 (Anatomy and Physiology II) (4 credit hours)
- MATH 110 – Precalculus Algebra (3 credit hours)
- COMM-ST 110 – Fundamentals of Effective Speaking or COMM-ST 140 Introduction to Communication (3 credit hours)
- SOCIOL 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 credit hours)
- PSYCH 210 General Psychology (3 credit hours)
Attending a local community college?
Plan your transfer into the program by using our transfer guides.
How to Apply
The UMKC application is open from August 1-December 1. You must submit your application before the December 1 deadline to be considered for Fall entry.
On the UMKC application:
- Select application type as "Undergraduate" for the year you want to start, then "Transfer"
- On the Academic Information page, select the "Dental Hygiene BSDH – Want to Be a Dental Hygienist" as your major
- Submit additional application materials through the application portal
Additional application materials:
- 500-word personal character statement
- The names and email addresses for three references. Your references will be sent instructions for how to upload their letters of recommendation. One letter must be from an academic professional and one letter from a dental professional.
- Application fee, if applicable
For other questions see our FAQ
Admissions timeline
August 1: Application opens
December 1: Application closes
Early January: Interviews
Early February: Decisions
August: Coursework begins