Diploma in Dental Hygiene

Dental hygienists are health professionals who are educated to prevent dental disease and help people maintain oral health. Here in Dalhousie’s Faculty of Dentistry, you'll benefit from a current, dynamic, scientific, and professional education in a learning environment that is positive and student-centered. Additionally, you'll get to participate in extramural rotations at a variety of sites.

When you study dental hygiene at Dalhousie, you’ll learn about a wide variety of topics in the dental and medical professions. An emphasis is placed on technology, hands-on experience, and the applications you’ll use in your career, such as digital patient health records.

You’ll also learn in state-of-the-art facilities, such as Dalhousie’s dental clinic, that have the most up-to-date equipment available. You’ll leave with the knowledge and skills you need to become a qualified dental hygienist, whether you become part of a team in a private dental office or want to start your own dental hygiene practice.

Applicants must disclose all successful or unsuccessful high school and/or university attendance on the application form.

Before June 1 of the year of expected entry to the DDH program applicants must:

• have completed at least 30 credit hours of university study
• have completed at least six credit hours in introductory biology and six credit hours in an approved writing intensive course.

It is also recommended applicants complete the following:

• three credit hours in introductory chemistry
• vertebrate anatomy
• vertebrate physiology
• a selection of courses from the humanities and social sciences

If the applicant’s first language is not English they must complete an English language proficiency test such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 580 computer-based score of 237 or iBT score of 90 (students must achieve 4.0 on the essay or TOEFL writing test); or IELTS score of 6.5; or MELAB score of 81; or CAEL score of 70; or CanTest score of 4.5.

The application deadline for September entry is 1st April .