University of The Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

No standardized test is required for this program.

All prerequisites must be equivalent or similar to Pacific’s required courses. Pacific currently has identified equivalencies with many other institutions. To view the articulation agreements we have with other institutions, please use our online database of articulated courses (ROAR) at go.pacific.edu/roar.
Transfer applicants who attended universities outside of the United States must submit an accepted evaluation of their academic records. Coursework in progress at the time of application is acceptable. If accepted, all pre-requisites must be completed prior to the January start date of the dental hygiene program. 

COURSES                                                                                                                SEMESTER

CHEM 25 General Chemistry w/laboratory (5 Units) *                                                   1

* The important general principles, theories and concepts of chemistry are studied, including fundamentals of chemistry and equilibrium.                  

CHEM 27 General Chemistry w/laboratory (5 Units) *                                                   1

* More important general principles, theories, and concepts of chemistry are studied including  organic chemistry and biochemistry.

BIOL 145 Microbiology w/laboratory (5 Units)                                                              1

BIOL 170 Anatomy w/laboratory (5 Units)                                                                     1

BIOL 180 Physiology w/laboratory (5 Units)                                                                  1

BIOL 61 Principles of Biology w/laboratory (5 Units) *                                                  1

* This course is a lecture and laboratory introduction to human cellular and molecular biology, cellular energetics, genetics, and evolution.

MATH 35 or 37 Introduction to Statistics                                                                       1

PSYCH 31 Introduction to Psychology                                                                           1

SOC 31 Introduction to Sociology                                                                                 1

ENGL 25 Writing Composition                                                                                       1

COMM 27 Public Speaking                                                                                            1

ONE COURSE GE: World Perspectives/Ethics *                                                               1

ONE COURSE GE: Artistic Process/Creations *                                                               1

For applicants with a baccalaureate degree, the GE course requirements are waived.

For applicants with international college degrees or credits, please review our International Transfer Credit Internation Transfer Credit Instructions [EH1]  to learn more about course articulations before applying. 

Letter of Recommendations: Two letters of recommendation are required and requested from a professional in the dental field, professor, or manager/supervisor.

Admission to the Dental Hygiene Program is competitive and based on merit. Students may apply either as a freshman student, doing prerequisite coursework at Pacific, or as a transfer student, completing prerequisites at another institution. After review of the completed application, the Office of Admissions will invite qualified candidates to participate in interviews on campus. In addition to a personal interview, applicants are invited to take part in orientation and financial aid seminars, meet informally with current students, and tour the campus. Admission will be based on the combination of application information and interview.

GPA: Special emphasis is placed on coursework selected, the grades achieved in those courses, and the cumulative grade point average. A minimum overall GPA of 3.0 is required to apply. 

Personal Statement: A personal statement will be required when submitting the application.

Extracurricular Activities: Other factors considered (but not required) in selecting the class include community service and involvement and volunteer activities.