Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Admission Requirements

PART I: GENERAL UNIVERSITY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

The applicant must be fully admitted to Youngstown State University

PART II: PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Application Process
  • Candidates must apply online by the second Tuesday in September for spring semester admittance. All necessary reports, transcripts and observation hours must be received by this date. No applications will be considered after this deadline.
  • New, transfer, transient, and former YSU students must first apply to the University and indicate Dental Hygiene as their intended major. Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions and high schools attended must be submitted by September
  • Admission rankings are based on a minimum 2.70 GPA in the bolded pre-dental hygiene courses and a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or greater.  
  • All pre-dental hygiene courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better by the end of the Fall Semester prior to admission.
• Pre-Dental Hygiene Required Courses (or equivalents)
  • First-Year Fall Semester  
    • ENGL 1549 or 1550 – Writing 1 (3-4)  
    • CHEM 1510/L – Chemistry for Allied Health Sciences (4)  
    • BIOL 1551/L – Anatomy and Physiology (4)
    • YSU Success Seminar (YSU 1500, YSU 1500S, or HONR 1500) (1-2)
    • Total: 12-13 Credits  
  • First-Year Spring Semester  
    • ENGL 1551 – Writing 2 (3)  
    • BIOL 1552 + Lab – Anatomy and Physiology 2 (4)  
    • BIOL 1560 + Lab – Microbiology for Health Professions (3)
    • PSYC 1560 – General Psychology (3)  
    • MATH 2623 or MATH 2623C– Quantitative Reasoning (3-5) or STAT 2625 or STAT 2625C– Statistical Literacy and Critical Reasoning (4-6)  
    • Total: 16-19 Credits  
  • Second-Year Fall Semester  
    • PHIL 2625 – Introduction to Professional Ethics (3)  
    • SOC 1500 – Introduction to Sociology (3)  
    • Arts and Humanities Elective (3)  
    • General Education Elective (3)
    • CMST 1545 – Communication Foundations (3)  
    • Total: 15 Credits 

PART III: OBSERVATION REQUIREMENT

All prospective students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of observation of a registered dental hygienist in at least two separate dental offices or clinics. Proper professional attire is required. Observation forms are available on the Dental Hygiene website. Completed forms must be mailed to:

Youngstown State University, Dental Hygiene Program  

1 Tressel Way, Youngstown, OH 44555 

PART IV: ADDITIONAL ADMISSION FACTORS

Admission is competitive, and selection is based on:

• Pre-Dental Hygiene GPA
• Cumulative GPA
• Completion of all pre-dental hygiene courses with a “C” or better
• Number of repetitions of bolded pre-dental hygiene courses (Applicants may not exceed two repeated courses within the last five years.)
• Completion of required observation hours 

PART V: Application Process

1. Applicants must submit an Online Request for Review (details on how to submit are provided below). The Review Process will be available beginning April 1, 2025.
2. Only applicants who meet the program admission requirements will receive a link to apply to the program.
3. After submitting the Request for Review, students will receive a response within 10 business days.  This will be sent to their YSU email address only.
4. If a student accepts a slot in the program and fails to attend orientation or meet the program’s requirements, they must restart the application process.

Checklist for Requesting a Review:

• Before submitting a request for review, ensure the following are completed:
• Fully admitted to YSU with student ID number.
• Transcripts submitted to YSU.
• Completed high school algebra, chemistry, and biology (or college equivalents) with a C or higher.
• Current, New, Transfer, Transient, and Former Students Students must apply and compete for conditional acceptance into the dental hygiene program by September 1 for spring semester admittance. Rankings for admission will include a minimum GPA of 2.70 in the PRE-DENTAL HYGIENE COURSES and a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or greater. ALL pre-dental hygiene courses must be completed with a “C” or better by the end of the fall semester of the second year (as outlined below).
• Acknowledge that submitting the request is for review and does not guarantee admission. 

Deadlines to Submit:

Last day to submit a request for review: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 4PM EST

Last day to submit complete application: Tuesday, September 2, 2025 4PM EST

Request Review

PART VI: POST-ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS

Upon receiving admission to the Dental Hygiene Program, and as a condition of admission, students must provide satisfactory evidence of:

• Current CPR/BLS certification
• Completion of a 2-step TB test (administered after acceptance)
• A physical and dental exam  
• Proof of required immunizations and lab titers for Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, and TDAP (Additional immunizations may be required for program completion.) 

For additional information regarding transfer courses, students can visit Transferology, a free web-based resource for evaluating course transfers.

Contact Information:

For program-specific questions and application details, contact Jennifer Myers at  jlmyers09@ysu.edu