The 10 Best Dental Hygiene Schools & Programs in the US

3. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC

The dental hygiene programs at the University of North Carolina’s Adams School of Dentistry include a BSDH degree and a 22-month MSDH degree. In fact, the school was the first dental college in North Carolina. And it’s the only place in the state where students can get a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. 

At the University of North Carolina, dental hygiene students are exposed to a range of patient care experiences and dental specialties like geriatric and pediatric, periodontics, and more. The School of Dentistry has four student-led clinics that offer free services to members of the community, so students benefit from practical learning. 

Plus, the school’s ACT curriculum (advocate, clinician, thinker) encourages students to go beyond learning the basics of the practice. But instead, it supports the development of lifelong learning and critical-thinking skills.

2. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) 

NOTE: USC is closing the dental hygiene program

The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, located at the University of Southern California-Los Angeles, will be graduating its last class of dental hygiene students in 2021. Previously, students could pursue a BSDH from the school, which began in 1926. However, the School of Dentistry continues to offer DDS, PhD, and master’s programs in a range of specialties like digital dentistry, biomaterials, and tissue engineering. 

The school partners with outside organizations to train school nurses, give screenings to low-income children, and provide free services to the underserved. For example, the USC Mobile Dental Clinic for children is actually the largest of its kind in all of the United States, with only the U.S. military having a more prominent mobile clinic And the programs have a far reach, too, being located as far south as the Mexican border and stretching north to Bakersfield. These outreach programs also give students opportunities to work with diverse populations and strengthen their skills in public education.

1. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)

The University of Michigan’s School of Dentistry was once again named the top dental school in the US by the QS World University Rankings, an honor it has held for seven straight years. The school offers BSDH and MSDH degrees and generally attracts students who are looking to become leaders in the field. 

Basically, the bachelor’s program gives students a broad-based education. Not only do they gain skills in dental hygiene, but they also study social and behavioral sciences. The U-M faculty believe that this combination is the best way to prepare future leaders