BS in Dental Hygiene (BSDH) Professional Entry-Level

In TWU's Dental Hygiene program, you will be trained by experienced TWU faculty in our on-site Dental Hygiene Clinic, which provides low-cost teeth cleanings, X-rays, oral cancer screenings, teeth whitening and a variety of other services to the community. You will be supervised by licensed, experienced dental hygienists and dentists.

Dental hygiene students have the potential to be exposed to bloodborne pathogens. Refer to the TWU bloodborne pathogen policy.

Department of Communication Sciences & Oral Health has several scholarships available only to dental hygiene students. Visit the dental hygiene scholarship opportunities site for information on specific scholarship and how to apply.

TWU's student chapter of American Dental Hygienists Association works to bring you opportunities to hear speakers on topics of professional interest, participate in service projects, attend state and national organization events and hold social activities with peers and faculty.

Applications for the Professional Entry-Level Program are accepted each year between Nov. 1 and Jan. 10 for summer entry. Applicants who are not current TWU students are strongly encouraged to apply to TWU by mid-December to be able to meet the program application deadline.

An applicant must have a cumulative college GPA of at least 3.0.

The foundational courses listed below MUST be completed before applying to the Dental Hygiene Professional Entry Program. Grades in these courses, including grades in repeated attempts, will be used to calculate a foundational GPA that will be used in the selection process. 

• English Composition I 
• English Composition II 
• Anatomy & Physiology I (or Anatomy I) + Lab 
• Anatomy & Physiology II (or Physiology I) + Lab 
• Microbiology + Lab 
• Nutrition 
• Statistics

Students must complete all prerequisite and core coursework prior to the first summer semester in the professional-entry program.

The foundational science courses and chemistry must have been completed within the past five years.

The Health Education System Inc. (HESI A2) test is required within 12 months of applying. We also encourage applicants to have shadowing hours, but that is not a requirement for admission into the program.

Current TWU students should meet with their academic advisor each semester to ensure that they are on track. More information can be found on our website and in the undergraduate catalog. If you still have questions, email csohadmissions@twu.edu.

To complete the program application between November 1 and January 10, applicants must first create their TWU Pioneer Portal account and be logged in to their TWU Google Drive account using their TWU email address and Pioneer Portal password.

The program typically receives over 140 applicants each year. Approximately 60 applicants are offered an interview, and 32 students are admitted each year.

The average foundational GPA of applicants initially offered admission to the program is 3.79 with a range of 3.44 to 4.0.

When you apply to TWU, we will evaluate your academic achievement and preparation, as well as your standardized test scores. Admission to TWU is valid for four terms, unless you have attended another higher education institution.

Check out the links below for specific admissions information:

• How to apply
• Freshman Student Admissions
• Transfer Student Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Other Types of Undergraduate Admissions

Questions about the admissions process? Contact the Office of Admissions Processing.

Office of Admissions
Texas Woman’s University
P.O. Box 425649
Denton, TX 76204-5649
oap@twu.edu
940-898-3076 or 1-866-809-6130 ext. 3076

Effective November 11, 2023: The HESI exam is not offered at the TWU Testing Center.  Students must register for an in-person proctored examination via the HESI admission test portal.

Effective October 4, 2023: Applicants must have completed the Health Education System Inc. (HESI A2) admission test within 12 months prior to applying with a minimum cumulative score of 75.  The HESI exam covers general knowledge needed for our program and will be available from August 1^st to December 15^th of each application period. The exam may be taken up to two times.

----------------------

All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.

The program admits once a year and begins in the summer semester. Applications are only accepted between Nov. 1 and Jan. 10.

Requirements

• Completion of the Health Education System Inc. (HESI A2) admission test within 12 months of applying.
• A cumulative college GPA of at least 3.0
• Good academic standing with the college or university last attended
• Completion of required foundational coursework with a C or higher before applying to the program. Foundational coursework consists of:
  • Anatomy I or A&P I (including lab)
  • Physiology I or A&P II (including lab)
  • Microbiology (including lab)
  • Nutrition
  • Statistics
  • English Composition I and II
• Completion of anatomy & physiology, microbiology, and chemistry within the past five years.
• Completion of 57 credit hours of undergraduate coursework before entering the program in the summer semester. Specific required courses are listed in the Degree Requirements and include all the courses listed under the Texas Core Curriculum and Other Requirements sections.
• Knowledge of professional ethics and the dental hygienist’s role in healthcare.
  • This requirement may be met through individual research, study and/or completing DH 1101.

Students who do not meet these requirements will not be considered for admission into the Professional Entry-Level Program.

How to Apply

• Take the Health Education System, Inc. (HESI A2) Admission Exam within 12 months of applying to the program.
• Apply to TWU by Dec. 1 to meet the program application deadline (if not currently attending)
  • Submit all transcripts (except TWU transcripts) to Admissions Processing to be fully accepted into the university.
  • Program applications will not be considered until copies of all transcripts have been received and reviewed by the Office of Admissions Processing, which may take several weeks.
  • Acceptance to TWU does not guarantee admission to the dental hygiene program.
• After acceptance to TWU, complete the online Professional Entry-Level Program Application
  • The program admits once a year and begins in the summer semester.
  • Program applications are only accepted between Nov. 1 and Jan. 10.
  • Applicants enrolled in courses at a college other than TWU during the fall application semester must submit an official transcript that includes those fall grades to the Office of Admissions Processing by Jan. 10.
  • To access the program application, students must be fully accepted to the university, have their Pioneer Portal account set up, and be logged in to the TWU Google Drive account. For technical questions, contact the TWU Service Desk.
• A copy of the HESI A2 score report and the following information from college transcripts will be needed to complete the program application:
  • Course names and dates for all foundational prerequisite and Texas core curriculum courses.
  • Names of all colleges and universities previously attended and the dates attended.

About the Selection Process

• A foundational grade point average (FGPA) is computed using an applicant’s grades in the foundational courses. Both the cumulative GPA and the foundational GPA will be considered in making selections, along with the HESI exam score.
  • The foundational GPA will average grades from all attempts within a specified time frame for each foundational course.
• Competitive applicants will be invited for a personal interview with a selection committee.
  • Invitation to an interview does not guarantee a place in the program but serves as part of the selection process.
  • All expenses of the interview are the responsibility of the applicant.
  • Notification of interview invitation will be made by mid-February.
  • Knowledge of the role that professional dental hygienists play in healthcare, specifically oral healthcare, and awareness of the professional code of ethics of dental hygiene are critical during the interview process. Information regarding the professional code of ethics of dental hygiene can be located here: American Dental Hygienists' Code of Ethics.
• All required core and prerequisite courses must be completed prior to entry into the program in the summer semester.

Note: Selected students join a cohort for the professional-entry program, starting in the summer.