Division of Dental Hygiene
Information for Prospective Students
Dental hygienists work in a variety of settings including private practice.
Hygienists are licensed, professional members of the healthcare team. They
work to promote, prevent, and maintain oral health in the population. Career
options include, but are not limited to education, sales, health,
management, research and public health.
The dental hygiene program at the University of New Mexico is a
five-semester curriculum with entry into the program in the spring semester
only. Facilities limit each class size to 24 students who are selected
through the Division of Dental Hygiene's admissions process. Student
selection is based upon grades in the pre-professional courses, state
residency, work experience and possibly a personal interview. While out of
state applications are considered, New Mexico state residents are
preferentially considered. New Mexico residents should be prepared to
provide documentation of state residency if requested to do so.
Students accepted into the Dental Hygiene program are responsible for a
number of expenses in addition to tuition, housing, board exams, books and
other usual college expenses.
- A one-time fee of approximately $3,600.00 covers the purchase of the student instrument kit and uniforms.
This expense is due and payable during the first week of classes in the first year of dental hygiene school.
This fee may change without notice.
- Laboratory and clinical fees are $1,750.00 per year. This fee may change without notice.
- Additionally, dental hygiene applicants should be aware that upon graduation from the dental hygiene
program they must take licensing boards in order to practice dental hygiene. The Dental Hygiene National
Board, which tests a candidate's competency in didactic material, costs approximately $130.00. Clinical
proficiency is tested in a separate board examination commonly called the "State Board". New Mexico does
not conduct a separate state board, but instead is part of a regional licensing body called the Western
Regional Examination Board. Although successful completion of this examination enables hygienists to practice
in the states participating the regional board, it is quite costly. Applicants should be aware that this cost
is approximately $1005.00. Please see http://www.wreb.org/ for more information. Also the state of New Mexico
administers a separate jurisprudence exam, which costs $110.00.
- Additionally, miscellaneous expenses such as graduation expenses and professional dues (student
professional association) arise. Such expenses can vary, depending upon the preferences of individual
students. UNM's graduation expenses however, are not optional.
Please note that all fees are estimates and are subject to change from year to year.
