The University of New Mexico, Division of Dental Hygiene is organizationally housed within the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine. It is unique, in that the UNM Dental Hygiene Program is the only dental hygiene program in the United States, housed within a Medical School. This creates unique opportunities for interdisciplinary education and practice for dental hygiene students.
The Division of Dental Hygiene offers various services. The Division has an entry level Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene, a degree completion program for dental hygienists wishing to complete their Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene and a Master of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene. Moreover, the Division offers a full-service dental clinic for the public and the Continuing Dental Education program for dental professionals.
The Mission of the Division of Dental Hygiene is to educate dental hygienists through the transmission of dental science knowledge acquired from research and patient care; to improve the health of the people of New Mexico through academic and clinical training of highly qualified dental hygiene professionals; to provide the highest quality oral health care services to the community; to advance the art and science of dental hygiene via research and other scholarly/creative activities; to provide, sponsor and/or participate in activities and services that validate the educational programs of the University as integral and vital parts of the entire health care spectrum.
More information on the mission, goals and competencies.
