Pre-Dental Hygiene Roadmap
Start your journey to becoming a dental hygienist.
Dental hygienists work with dentists to provide preventative oral health care. They are health care professionals who are licensed to provide oral health services such as teeth cleaning, plaque removal, and oral hygiene education. They are an integral part of the dental care team and often develop oral hygiene treatment plans for patients based on clinical evidence.
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 Literature, Philosophy, Music/Music History, History, Religious Studies, Dance, Photography, Classics, Art History, Theater, or Drawing
Social & Behavioral Sciences & Culture – Any Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Geography, Gerontology, Child Youth and Family Studies, Ethnic Studies, or Women and Gender Studies
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: No science courses will be accepted if taken as dual credit in high school. The UNMC Dental Hygiene Program advisor should be consulted for all questions about non-UNL classes.
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.