Opportunities for health care professionals are becoming available as a result of the changes in health care delivery formats. To prepare dental hygiene graduates to meet the rapidly changing oral health care environment, the University of Pittsburgh鈥檚 College of General Studies and the School of Dental Medicine offer a course of study that leads to a Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene. This completion degree is intended for those students who have graduated from accredited dental hygiene programs with a certificate or associate鈥檚 degree such as the School of Dental Medicine Associate of Science Dental Hygiene program. The CGS Dental Hygiene BS degree enhances already-completed professional training and provides important exposure to the liberal arts, giving dental hygienists additional career opportunities in business, sales, education, and research.
Requirements
The following program requirements must be met to receive the Bachelor of Science degree:
Students must earn a minimum of 131 credits to complete the Bachelor of Science degree. These 131 credits are comprised of transfer credits and credits completed at Pitt. Of the 131-credit total, 30 credits must be at the 1000 (junior/senior) level. The courses must be completed within five years of enrolling in the program.
Students who are transferring from Pitt's associate degree hygiene program to the College of General Studies (CGS) dental hygiene Bachelor of Science degree program complete 40 credits of CGS general education, dental hygiene track, and elective course work.
At least 30 of the 40 credits must be completed at the University of Pittsburgh in order to fulfill the CGS residency requirement.
Contact Krista Stokes, CGS dental hygiene academic advisor, for information about transferring credits from other institutions or if you completed your dental hygiene certificate at Pitt before 1995.
Dental Hygiene Tracks
As a dental hygiene bachelor鈥檚 degree student at CGS, you may choose one of three concentration tracks. Online course offerings are marked with (Web) or (Hybrid).
Track 1: Health Management (6 credits)
Track 2: Education (6 credits)
Track 3: Research (6 credits)
Expected July 2025
Start date
September 2025
University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Avenue,
PITTSBURGH,
Pennsylvania,
15260, Northeast, United States
Prospective students who have not earned college credits since graduating from high school with a diploma or GED should consult this section for information on admission to the University of Pittsburgh. English Language Scores: A 100 or higher TOEFL composite score with sub-scores of 21 or higher is considered competitive, a 7.0 IELTS with sub-scores of 6.0 or higher, or a 125 or higher Duolingo score. Application Deadlines: April 1: fall term (August); October 1: spring term (January).
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
