Pre-Dental Hygiene
Start your journey to becoming a dental hygienist.
Take Prerequisites Courses.
University of Nebraska Lincoln offers the classes you need to apply for a dental hygiene program. See the list below for a brief overview of required prerequisite courses.
Get Experience.
Start building your shadowing and volunteer hours to be a more competitive dental hygiene school applicant. Don’t forget to keep track of your hours!
Talk to an Advisor Each Semester.
There’s a lot of coordination and planning that needs to happen to make sure you do everything you need before professional school. The Explore Center’s advisors are here to help you navigate this journey. Meet with an advisor today to get a personalized 2-year pre-dental hygiene plan!
Pre- Dental Hygiene Roadmap at UNL
Dental Hygiene Prerequisite Classes
Depending on the school you plan to attend, you may need additional prerequisite courses. Meet with an advisor for more information.
Typical Dental Hygiene School Requirements
General Chemistry – 2 semesters
Biology – 1 semester
Microbiology – 1 semester
Physiology – 1 semester
Anatomy – 1 semester
Nutrition – 1 semester
Communication – 1 semester
Psychology – 1 semester
Sociology – 1 semester
English – 2 semesters
12-hour series – 3-4 courses
Humanities – 2 courses
Social & Behavioral Sciences & Culture – 1 semester
What to Take at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Some classes require prerequisites. Meet with an Explore Center Advisor for help planning your courses at UNL and to discuss your 12-hour series course options.
General Chemistry – CHEM 109A/L & 110A/L
Biology – BIOS 101/101L, 110/110L, or LIFE 120/120L
Microbiology – BIOS 111
Physiology – BIOS 213/213L
Anatomy – BIOS 214
Nutrition – NUTR 250
Communication – COMM 209 or 286
Psychology – PSYC 181
Sociology – SOCI 101
English – ENGL 150, 151, 254, or 354
12-hour series – 3-4 courses with the same prefix. See advisor for more info
Humanities – Any English Literature, Philosophy, Music History, Classics, Art History, Theatre, or Drawing
Social & Behavioral Sciences & Culture – Any Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, or Geography
Suggested Sequencing
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
The above courses are entrance requirements for UNMC’s Dental Hygiene program. Students who are considering other dental hygiene programs are encouraged to contact those schools directly for a list of entrance requirements.
Other Notes:
- Math Requirement: Students need to be calculus ready to enroll in Chemistry (place into Math 106 on the Math Placement Exam or complete MATH 102 or 103)
- UNMC Transfer Credit policies: Due to the professional nature of the UNMC Dental Hygiene Program, admission preference will be given to students completing prerequisites post high school graduation. Since the sciences form the foundation of UNMC’s Dental Hygiene Curriculum, science prerequisites should be completed during college and within 5 years of application to the program. The Dental Hygiene Program advisor should be consulted for specific details. All official transcripts from postsecondary institutions will be examined by UNMC’s Dental Hygiene program, and credit will be awarded according to UNMC policy. Usually, credit from any accredited institution of higher learning is accepted for transfer if successfully completed with a course grade of C or above. For two- and four-year institutions, transfer credit will be determined by the standards set forth in the “Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions” published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offices.
Extracurricular Involvement and Activities:
Pursuing Pre-Dental Hygiene requires more than just coursework. Your extracurricular activities, employment, and healthcare experiences like shadowing and volunteering will contribute greatly to your success in this field. See a pre-health advisor in the Explore Center to plan extracurricular activities that will prepare you for this program.
Application and Admission
Application: See UNMC’s dental hygiene program information for application procedures and deadlines at: https://www.unmc.edu/dentistry/programs/hygiene/index.html. If you are considering another school, you will need to review their application procedures and deadlines through their website or by contacting the school directly.
Entrance Exam: The Admission Test for Dental Hygiene is required by some schools, including UNMC and in most cases must be completed by Oct. 31. See https://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/admission-test-for-dental-hygiene for further information.