UNM Online

Learning Goals

The mission of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine's Division of Dental Hygiene in Albuquerque educates future dental hygienists on improving health by providing academic and clinical training. Students will finish the program as highly qualified dental hygiene professionals who provide the highest quality oral health care services to the community, advance the art and science of dental hygiene via research and other scholarly activities and sponsor services that validate the programs of the university.

Program Goals

• Expand career opportunities for registered dental hygienists
• Refine the professional skills sets of the dental hygienists
• Prepare dental hygienists for graduate studies

For more detailed information see brochure.

Admissions

Tuition and Fees

Total cost per credit hour is $431.66 and is comprised of $394.80 base tuition + $36.86 upper division course premium. There is a student technology fee charged each semester. It is $150 in the Fall, $150 in the Spring, and $20 in the Summer. There may be additional costs, depending on the class. Additional costs are often for textbooks, supplemental course materials, and proctoring fees.

To complete an undergraduate degree, students are required to fulfill general education and college-specific requirements.

Admission Requirements

• Completion of a certificate or associate degree program in dental hygiene that has been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and a regional accreditation agency, or a letter of approval from the director of a CODA and regionally accredited New Mexico community college program, if simultaneously enrolled in one of these programs.
• A satisfactory grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• A copy of a current American Dental Hygienist license

Application Checklist

• Application to the University of New Mexico.
  • There is a $25 fee associated with this application.
  • Official transcripts of all prior college courses undertaken submitted to UNM.
• Application to the Division of Dental Hygiene
  • Official transcripts of all prior college courses undertaken submitted to the Division of Dental Hygiene (upload a copy to the application link, or put a placeholder of unofficial transcripts and send official transcripts to dentalhygiene@salud.unm.edu).
  • A copy of national board score.
  • A copy of a current American Dental Hygienist license.
• A $125 application fee to the Division of Dental Hygiene payable online
  • Interview with the Program Director (Once applications have been submitted, students are contacted to schedule this interview.)
  • All applications are reviewed once all required procedures are complete. Applications submitted without pieces will be incomplete and will not be considered.

Application Deadlines

• Fall 1st 8-week Term:  July 31
• Fall 2nd 8-week Term:  September 30
• Spring 1st 8-week Term: November 30
• Spring 2nd 8-week Term:  January 31
• Summer 8-week Term:  April 30

To begin the application process for any Accelerated Online Program, use the Albuquerque Campus Application. In the Academics section, you will be prompted to select your Intended Field of Study. For this program, select:  Dental Hygiene - Online.

Degree Requirements

Degree Information

To graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree from UNM, a student must complete a minimum of 128 credit hours. Fifteen of these hours must be completed after 92 hours have been earned. Thirty of these hours must be completed at UNM. UNM requires 31 hours distributed between seven areas to complete the UNM General Education requirements. Current dental hygienists will transfer in many of these requirements,  An academic advisor will be happy to review your academic history to determine which courses you may need to complete at UNM.  The university also requires completion of a 3 credit hour U.S. and Global Diversity and Inclusion requirement. Students may transfer coursework from other accredited institutions to fulfill these requirements.   

For additional requirements for the RDH to BSDH degree completion program, please refer to the UNM Catalog.

About the Program

The RDH to BSDH post-licensure degree completion program expands the basic skills and knowledge acquired in an Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program.  This program is available to selected students who have received an Associate Degree or a Certificate in Dental Hygiene from a school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and a regional accreditation agency.

This program requires the successful completion of 12 credit hours of core 400-level upper-division courses and 12 to 24 credit hours of electives. It offers an innovative, personalized curriculum that is designed to graduate dental hygienists with advanced skills.

Dental Hygiene Required Courses

Dental Hygiene Elective Courses

Additional credit hours are selected to meet the interests of the individual student and to fulfill graduation requirements. UNM offers many exciting educational avenues to explore and students have the opportunity to design a curriculum according to personal career interests.

NOTE: The University of New Mexico cannot confirm whether this program leads to licensure or advanced certification in your home state. Prior to applying for admission, contact your state dental board to assure that, upon completion of the program, you are qualified to obtain a license or other form of certification if desired. If you need assistance contacting the licensing agency in your state, contact UNM Online at (866) 869-6040.