Requirements to be Considered for Admission

1.) Submit a completed Utah College of Dental Hygiene applicationd, including the $50 application fee.

2.) You must submit official, mailed & sealed, transcripts from your high school and all colleges or universities attended.

3.) Have successfully completed prerequisite courses from an accredited college or university as listed above. The applicant will have a total minimum of thirty-three (33) semester hours of the required prerequisite coursework. A UCDH administrator must approve all prerequisite transfer credits. When application is made with courses in progress, a mid-semester progress report is required from the course director. It is the responsibility of the student to submit official transcripts for courses taken after the application deadline.

4.) Maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with a grade of C or better on all specifically required courses. Courses with a grade of less than C will not be considered for prerequisite requirements. GPA minimum applies to prerequisite categories individually;
- All grades earned for science courses must add together and exceed 2.5 on a GPA scale.
- All grades earned for general education courses must add together and exceed 2.5 on a GPA scale.

5). The selection process consists of two parts. Part one includes submission of a completed application. If an applicant's GPA and credentials are competitive, the applicant may be invited to part two of the selection process, which is a personal interview at the College (interviews can also be done via video call).  Invitation for interview does not ensure acceptance of any kind within the program, but serves as only a part of the overall acceptance process conducted by the College.  All interviews are subject to cancelation or rescheduling at our discretion.

6.) If English is a second language for the applicant, a standardized test such as the TOEFL may be required. A minimum score of 250 must be submitted.

Prerequisite Details

Admissions are competitive based upon specific written criteria, procedures, and policies. Students must enter the program with the following college or university coursework either completed or in progress. All courses must be of sufficient depth, scope, sequence of instruction, quality and emphasis to reflect the objectives and philosophy of higher education, and may only be transferred from an approved accredited institution at the post-secondary college-level.

- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 is necessary in both the science courses and the general education courses individually, in order to qualify for being admittance to the program. 

- Only courses with a grade of C or better will be considered as meeting the prerequisite requirement. Even if your GPA is higher than a 2.5, you will need to retake any class with a C- or below. 

- A foundational grade point average (FGPA) is computed using an applicant's best grades in the courses listed above.  The FGPA is used in the selection process. For more information on prerequisites, click here.

Factors that influence Admission

Both objective and subjective factors are used in the selection process to determine an applicants' potential for successfully completing the program without compromising the established standards of ethical, academic, and clinical performance expected of all students and graduates of UCDH. These include the following:

-  Completed, in progress, or appropriately scheduled prerequisite work.  Due to the nature of the program, prerequisite work must be either completed, in progress, or scheduled for completion  prior to entry into the BSDH program. Students with completed prerequisite work will be given priority in the selection process.

- Overall quality of prior educational experiences and grades based on where each course was completed.  Tier One educational institutions (those with doctoral degree programs) are considered as the highest quality experience.

- Content of application information and the care with which the materials have been completed.

- Familiarity with the dental hygiene profession through personal experience or family dental involvement.  This requirement at a minimum can be established through documented shadowing of a dental hygienist, during his or her workday, for a minimum of 40 hours.

- Evidence of a desire to provide oral healthcare to the underserved and/or rural/unserved areas or to become a dental hygiene educator.

- Apparent critical thinking skills and a positive respectful attitude as the applicant communicates and articulates ideas and expresses opinions during the application process with the Admissions/Records Office, college empoyees and students, and during the interview process.

- Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, general focus, and overall content of the written essay completed at the time of interview

- Ability to benefit from the educational program.

- Other appropriate life experiences may be considered. However, all decisions regarding applications, petitions, submissions, interactions, or  special circumstances relating to applicants (or their application process) reside with the Admissions Committee.

*Note: The Utah College of Dental Hygiene at Careers Unlimited L.L.C. is a private institution.  Admissions requirements may change or be amended on a semi-annual/annual basis in response to requirements or recommendations submitted by the College's Board of Directors, Program Advisory Committee, College Administration, or any/all applicable governement or oversite agencies. These may include but are not limited to: Accreditation Bodies/Agencies, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, Regulatory Agencies (Federal, State, or Regional), and other local or applicable authorities.  Please contact the Admissions/Records office if you have questions regarding the transfer of credits.