You want to clean and examine patients’ teeth and advise them on proper oral hygiene.
Pathway to Dental Hygiene School
Our Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program is designed as a 2 + 2 program where you will spend 2 years (on average) completing prerequisite coursework (60 credit hours) followed by 2 years at the LSU School of Dentistry in New Orleans (Louisiana Residents Only) or an institution in your home state (Non-Louisiana Residents) for the remainder of your coursework.
1. Designate your “major” at LSU as Pre-Dental Hygiene, which is a pre-professional/non-degree
program at LSU
2. Take the necessary pre-requisite courses outlined by the LSU School of Dentistry.
3. Maintain a high GPA, especially in math- and science-related coursework. The 2019
entering class had an Overall GPA of 3.51.
4. Earn a minimum of 80 hours of dental experience. Summer internships are a great
way to gain this experience!
5. Prep for and take that ACT if you haven’t already taken this exam. The 2019 entering
class had an average ACT of 23.74, and average Science ACT of 24.79.
Estimated Time to Completion
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (B.S.)
- 2 years of undergraduate coursework (60 hours)
- 2 years at LSU School of Dentistry in New Orleans, LA (60 credit hours in Dental Hygiene specific coursework) if you are a Louisiana resident or an institution in your home state.
- Students not selected are encouraged to meet with an advisor to discuss parallel plans of study while considering applying in the following year.
- 4-5 estimated total years of school after high school