Dental Hygiene Schools and Programs
Dental Hygiene Programs Overview
If a career with a competitive salary and faster-than-average job growth sounds appealing, check out the field of dental hygiene. Dental hygienists can enter the workforce with as little as a certificate or associate degree, and may choose to work their way up to a master’s or doctoral degree in dentistry. In addition to cleaning teeth and examining patients for signs of oral disease, dental hygienists also educate patients to improve and maintain their oral health.
In this guide, learn more about the path to becoming a dental hygienist and get tips on which features to look for in a dental hygiene program below. This page includes a breakdown of the different types of hygiene schools and courses, and includes a list of the best dental hygiene programs in the country.
Best Dental Hygiene Programs
With new dental hygiene programs popping up all over the nation, it can be hard for students to know which schools offer the best options. Take a look at the list below, which ranks the best schools in the nation based on a variety of factors, and describes some of the top choices to give prospective students a look at top programs at-a-glance.
Idaho State University
- Pocatello, ID
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$5,928
- Out-of-state$22,224
- In-State$7,982
- Out-of-state$24,278
- Retention Rate64%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled12,402
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment52%
- AccreditationYes
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
- Kirkland, WA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$2,875
- Out-of-state$7,812
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention RateN/A
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled3,620
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment21%
- AccreditationYes
University of Maine at Augusta
- Augusta, ME
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,170
- Out-of-state$17,340
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention Rate61%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled4,361
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment76%
- AccreditationYes
College of Southern Nevada
- Las Vegas, NV
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$3,083
- Out-of-state$10,273
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention RateN/A
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled33,942
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment46%
- AccreditationYes
University of Southern Indiana
- Evansville, IN
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,986
- Out-of-state$19,296
- In-State$9,486
- Out-of-state$18,528
- Retention Rate67%
- Acceptance Rate93%
- Students Enrolled10,705
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment54%
- AccreditationYes
West Liberty University
- West Liberty, WV
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,990
- Out-of-state$15,930
- In-State$6,300
- Out-of-state$8,112
- Retention Rate71%
- Acceptance Rate71%
- Students Enrolled2,496
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment40%
- AccreditationYes
University of Bridgeport
- Bridgeport, CT
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$31,920
- Out-of-state$31,920
- In-State$18,612
- Out-of-state$18,612
- Retention Rate69%
- Acceptance Rate55%
- Students Enrolled5,089
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment36%
- AccreditationYes
University of Alaska Anchorage
- Anchorage, AK
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$6,804
- Out-of-state$26,152
- In-State$11,286
- Out-of-state$23,738
- Retention Rate66%
- Acceptance Rate83%
- Students Enrolled12,766
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment57%
- AccreditationYes
University of Wyoming
- Laramie, WY
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$3,336
- Out-of-state$13,392
- In-State$4,878
- Out-of-state$14,598
- Retention Rate76%
- Acceptance Rate96%
- Students Enrolled12,249
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment41%
- AccreditationYes
Missouri Southern State University
- Joplin, MO
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,289
- Out-of-state$14,578
- In-State$6,300
- Out-of-state$6,300
- Retention Rate65%
- Acceptance Rate94%
- Students Enrolled5,604
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment51%
- AccreditationYes
Weber State University
- Ogden, UT
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$4,990
- Out-of-state$14,973
- In-State$7,476
- Out-of-state$16,656
- Retention Rate66%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled29,644
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment35%
- AccreditationYes
Utah Valley University
- Orem, UT
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$5,122
- Out-of-state$15,872
- In-State$9,513
- Out-of-state$25,391
- Retention Rate65%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled41,728
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment32%
- AccreditationYes
St. Petersburg College
- Clearwater, FL
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$1,943
- Out-of-state$7,774
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention RateN/A
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled28,853
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment59%
- AccreditationYes
University of New England
- Biddeford, ME
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$37,390
- Out-of-state$37,390
- In-State$23,498
- Out-of-state$23,498
- Retention Rate81%
- Acceptance Rate84%
- Students Enrolled7,483
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment47%
- AccreditationYes
University of Detroit Mercy
- Detroit, MI
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$28,840
- Out-of-state$28,840
- In-State$29,268
- Out-of-state$29,268
- Retention Rate82%
- Acceptance Rate77%
- Students Enrolled5,080
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment20%
- AccreditationYes
West Virginia University
- Morgantown, WV
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$8,976
- Out-of-state$25,320
- In-State$10,134
- Out-of-state$26,154
- Retention Rate79%
- Acceptance Rate84%
- Students Enrolled26,839
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment34%
- AccreditationYes
Ferris State University
- Big Rapids, MI
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$12,376
- Out-of-state$12,376
- In-State$7,608
- Out-of-state$7,608
- Retention Rate76%
- Acceptance Rate87%
- Students Enrolled12,472
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment29%
- AccreditationYes
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Fort Smith, AR
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$4,104
- Out-of-state$11,376
- In-State$7,092
- Out-of-state$11,394
- Retention Rate65%
- Acceptance RateN/A
- Students Enrolled6,265
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment55%
- AccreditationYes
University of South Dakota
- Vermillion, SD
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,697
- Out-of-state$11,172
- In-State$6,062
- Out-of-state$11,656
- Retention Rate78%
- Acceptance Rate86%
- Students Enrolled9,920
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment50%
- AccreditationYes
University of New Haven
- West Haven, CT
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$39,000
- Out-of-state$39,000
- In-State$16,920
- Out-of-state$16,920
- Retention Rate77%
- Acceptance Rate83%
- Students Enrolled6,793
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment28%
- AccreditationYes
Dental Hygiene Learning Center
Dental Hygiene Financial Aid & Scholarships
Thinking about how to pay for dental hygiene school? This list of scholarship, financial aid and loan repayment opportunities pinpoints programs for dental hygiene students specifically
Career Advancement in Dental Hygiene
Whether coming from another field or getting your first degree, learn how and what dental hygienists are doing to advance their careers.