AS to BS-DH

About the Program

If you are a licensed dental hygienist (RDH or RDHAP) from an accredited two-year community college dental hygiene program, our B.S. completion degree will broaden your educational experiences.

Increase Your Career Opportunities

We provide an in-depth curriculum, including, but not limited to:

developing a capstone project and developing skills in critical thinking, writing, communication, cultural sensitivity, conducting research, and reporting.
The dental hygiene degree completion program will expand your professional opportunities beyond the private dental office and promote career advancement in management, education, public health, and research.
We prepare dental hygienists to interact effectively with other health professionals in a competent, collaborative, and ethical manner.

Program Accredidation

Foothill College AS to BSDH Completion Program is accredited by Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Program Learning Outcomes

Professionalism

The Foothill College AS to BS-DH graduate will demonstrate their competence in their role as health professionals at the local, state, and national levels. The graduate will possess the ethics, values, skills, and knowledge integral to all aspects of the profession.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The Foothill College AS to BS-DH graduate will be competent in the performance and delivery of oral health promotion and disease prevention services in public health, private practice and alternative settings. The graduate will be able to exercise evidence based practice, critical thinking and communicate effectively in all professional employment settings.

BS-DH Degree Courses

All courses are offered fully online. Students are admitted into the program in Fall and Spring quarters only.

Two Upper Division GE Courses

IDS 300: Research Methods, Statistics & Critical Thinking for Health Professions
HLTH 300: Healthcare across the lifespan

Note: Statistic is highly recommended before taking IDS 300.
IDS300 is a pre-requisite for the Research & Capstone courses. (DH350A, DH350B and DH350C)

Six Core Courses

DH 350A: Dental Hygiene Research & Capstone course I
DH 350B: Dental Hygiene Research & Capstone course II
DH 350C: Dental Hygiene Research & Capstone course III
DH 352: Health Communication & Multicultural Issues
DH 354: Dental Hygiene Healthcare Management
DH 356: Education Theory, Practice & Administration

You have the option to complete this coursework in an accelerated one-year track, taking two classes per quarter, or a two-year track, with a more spread out schedule.

Course Credit for Prior Learning

Foothill College gives credit for prior learning to meet 24 upper division quarter units toward the BS-DH degree:

Active and in good standing Registered Dental Hygiene license- passing of three exams: Discipline-Based Component of the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination, State or Regional Dental Hygiene Clinical Licensing Examination and State Law & Ethics Examination-20 units
BIOL 300 Human Pathophysiology & Pharmacology (upper division GE): passing of the Comprehensive Case-Based Component of the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination-4 units

BS-DH Degree Requirements

The BS-DH degree will require completion of a minimum of 189 quarter units (125 semester units), including general education course work in alignment with CSU or IGETC pattern general education. If you are missing few courses, those can be taken concurrently with the program courses. Statistics course (Math 10) is highly recommended to be taken before applying to the program.

What's next?

Read about the program BS-DH Degree Courses
Choose from a one-year or two-year plan: Program educational plan options
Learn on how to apply for the AS to BS-DH

Foothill College was given approval on February 27, 2018 to participate in the pilot program for the baccalaureate degree by the 13-member California Community Colleges Board of Governors in consultation with representatives from the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems.

On October 6, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 927 into law. As a result, the 15 pilot Baccalaureate Degree Programs at community colleges in California became permanent with the “sunset” provision eliminated from legislation. Under AB 927 and authorized by the State Chancellor's Office, the Dental Hygiene Program at Foothill College offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene and prepares students to take the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination and to qualify for the state or regional Dental Hygiene licensure examination.

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