You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here.

Admission

The Faculty of Dentistry offers a multiple admissions approach to the Dental Hygiene Degree Program. The admission options or entry points are:

  1. Entry-to-Practice Admission Option
    The Entry-to-Practice admission option, open to secondary school graduates and applicants with post-secondary education, is the entry point to full-time, four-year studies at UBC that includes development of the knowledge, professionalism, and abilities required to earn the B.D.Sc. degree in Dental Hygiene.
  2. Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Admission Option
    The Dental Hygiene Degree Completion admission option, open to dental hygienists who are graduates of accredited North American Dental Hygiene diploma programs, is the entry point to full or part-time studies leading to the B.D.Sc. degree in Dental Hygiene.
  3. International Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Admission Option
    The International Dental Hygiene Degree Completion admission option, open to dental hygienists who are graduates of non-North American Dental Hygiene programs, is the entry point to full or part-time studies leading to the B.D.Sc. degree in Dental Hygiene.

The University will consider granting transfer credit for all transferable post-secondary courses completed. The Program, in accordance with University regulations about transfer credits, will determine the number of credits that can be applied to the dental hygiene degree.

Note: The possession of a Bachelor of Dental Science degree in Dental Hygiene does not automatically confer the right to practice dental hygiene in any province in Canada. Each province has a regulatory authority that grants the privilege to practice dental hygiene. For more information about the regulatory authority in British Columbia, contact the College of Dental Hygienists of BC.

Aboriginal Applicants

All applicants to UBC, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, are required to meet university general admission and program-specific admission requirements. The Faculty of Dentistry welcomes applications from qualified Aboriginal applicants. Please visit Canadian Aboriginal Applicants for more information.

The Faculty of Dentistry welcomes applications from qualified Aboriginal applicants. Please visit youbc Vancouver for more information.

UBC welcomes applications from qualified international applicants. All applicants must satisfy the UBC English language requirements. ELI verbal communication test results are required.

Admission

1. Entry-to-Practice Admission Option

Admission to the Dental Hygiene Degree Program via the Entry-to-Practice admission option is based upon:

  • academic performance (overall GPA)
  • Personal Profile
  • mandatory in-person interview

Among the factors considered in the application review are demonstrated leadership skills, critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, substantial volunteerism, active participation in extracurricular activities, and knowledge of the dental hygiene profession.

The admission process will consist of two phases:

Phase I

Applicants will be selected for an interview on the basis of academic performance (overall GPA) and the Personal Profile. Applicants not selected for an interview will not be admitted.

Phase II

Applicants selected for an interview will be considered for admission based only on their interview score. Academic performance (overall GPA) and the Personal Profile will not be considered in making offers during Phase II of admission to the program. For information on the format of the interview, please consult the program website.

Successful applicants to the Dental Hygiene Degree Program via the Entry-to-Practice admission option will complete a full-time four-year program that includes didactic and clinical instruction. Upon successful completion of the degree, a student will be eligible to register to practice as a dental hygienist. Students admitted via this admission option will complete their studies at the UBC Vancouver Campus through on-campus, distributed learning, and community outreach instructional delivery. See Entry-to-Practice program courses for details.

See the Faculty's website for the required prerequisite courses and pre-entry information for the Entry-to-Practice admission option.

See Admissions for information on application procedures and UBC admission policies. All applicants must complete the Dental Hygiene Degree Program online personal statement application.

The required non-refundable application fee and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Manager, Admissions, Faculty of Dentistry by specified deadlines. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.

All inquiries relating to admission should be addressed to the Dentistry Admissions Office.

Degree Completion Option

2. Dental Hygiene Degree Completion (category 1 or 2) Admission Option (for dental hygiene diploma graduates)

Admission to the Dental Hygiene Degree Completion admission option is based upon:

  • academic performance (overall GPA)
  • personal statement

An Admissions interview is mandatory. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.

Applicants must meet the Admissions requirements of the University (see you.ubc.ca/vancouver).

There are two categories of students in the Degree Completion option: Category 1 and Category 2, which are detailed in bullets 3.1 and 3.2 respectively. Visit Dentistry to determine eligibility for the appropriate admission category. Students in either category may undertake studies on a full or part-time basis. Part-time students will have up to five years to complete the program.

2.1 Category 1 - Students who have completed 30 credits of university transfer prerequisites.

Graduates of dental hygiene diploma programs accredited by the Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA) with a minimum overall average of 70% are eligible for admission to the fourth year of the Program. Current registration, in good standing, with a regulatory authority where the applicant has practiced most recently and a Canadian National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Examination Certificate or the American National Board Certificate are required. If an applicant is a recent graduate of a dental hygiene diploma program seeking to enter the Dental Hygiene Degree Program directly and has not yet practiced, then a recommendation letter from the director of the dental hygiene diploma program is required.

Applicants seeking to enter Category 1 must have completed 30 credits of university transfer courses including:

  • 6 credits of first-year biology (anatomy and physiology)
  • 6 credits of first-year chemistry
  • 6 credits of first-year English
  • 6 credits of first- or second-year psychology
  • 6 credits of electives (3 credits of statistics preferred)

See Admissions for information on application procedures and UBC admission policies. All applicants must complete the Dental Hygiene Degree Program online personal statement application.

The required non-refundable application fee and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Manager, Admissions, Faculty of Dentistry. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.

All inquiries relating to admission should be addressed to the Dentistry Admissions Office.

Further information about the program coursework can be found in the UBC Calendar and Faculty website.

The Faculty of Dentistry is not accepting applications to the Degree Completion Admission Option-Category 2 at this time.

Graduates of dental hygiene diploma programs accredited by the Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA) with a minimum overall average of 70% are eligible for admission to third year of the Program. Current registration, in good standing, with a regulatory authority where the applicant has practiced most Graduates of dental hygiene diploma programs recently, and a Canadian National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Examination Certificate or the American National Board Certificate are required. If an applicant is a recent graduate of a dental hygiene diploma seeking to enter the Dental Hygiene Program directly and has not yet practiced, then a recommendation letter from the director of the dental hygiene diploma program is required.

Applicants NOT completing the 30 credits of university transfer courses including 6 credits of first-year biology (anatomy and physiology), 6 credits of first-year chemistry, 6 credits of first-year English, 6 credits of first or second-year psychology, and 6 credits of electives are eligible to apply under Category 2.

See Admissions for information on application procedures and UBC admission policies. All applicants must complete the Dental Hygiene Degree Program online personal statement application.

The required non-refundable application fee and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Manager, Admissions, Faculty of Dentistry. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.

All inquiries relating to admission should be addressed to the Dentistry Admissions Office.

Further information about the program coursework can be found in the UBC Calendar and Faculty website.

3. International Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Admission Option

Admission to the International Dental Hygiene Degree Completion admission option is based upon:

  • academic performance (overall GPA)
  • Personal Profile
  • ELI score of 5 or above or its equivalent
  • IELTS scores of at least 6.5 and at least 6 on each component of the exam
  • supporting certification documents

An Admissions interview is mandatory. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.

Graduates of dental hygiene diploma programs that are not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) but who hold the Canadian National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Examination Certificate may be admitted to the third year of the Program. No specific courses at the secondary school level are mandatory. Applicants are required to have, or be eligible to have, current registration, in good standing, with a regulatory authority where the applicant has practiced most recently. If the applicant has not practiced, then a letter of support from an instructor from their dental hygiene program is required.

See Admissions for information on application procedures and UBC admission policies. All applicants must complete the Dental Hygiene Degree Program online personal statement application.

The required non-refundable application fee and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Manager, Admissions, Faculty of Dentistry. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.

All inquiries relating to admission should be addressed to the Dentistry Admissions Office.

Note: Registration to practice in BC is not required for admission to the Program. However, international applicants who wish to practice dental hygiene in British Columbia must satisfy the requirements of the BC College of Oral Health Professionals, the provincial dental hygiene regulatory authority. For information, refer to https://oralhealthbc.ca/.

Further information about the program coursework can be found in the UBC Calendar and Faculty website.

Acceptance

1. Entry-to-Practice Applicants

The Dental Hygiene Degree Program has limited enrolment. Since the number of qualified applicants typically exceeds the number of places available, fulfillment of the minimum requirements is not a guarantee of admission. The Faculty reserves the right of selection of all students for admission to the Program.

Successful applicants must submit a deposit by the date specified in the letter of offer from the Faculty of Dentistry. This deposit is non-refundable and will be applied toward the tuition fees for the first term.

A health record that evidences immunizations (tetanus/diphtheria-toxoid, polio, MMR, chickenpox, and hepatitis B) and a negative TB skin test (if the test is positive, a chest x-ray is required) must be submitted to the UBC Student Health Service. Immunizations are available from your family doctor, community health department, and from the UBC Student Health Service. Being a carrier of any one of the conditions may restrict students' educational opportunity to fulfill requirements for graduation and subsequent practice as a dental hygienist. Counselling is available to individuals who have, or are carriers, of communicable diseases. Applicants should be aware that dental hygiene practice might be very difficult for people with back problems or latex allergies.

Disability may result from practising dental hygiene. Included are exposure to infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis, musculo-skeletal injuries, and the possibility of physical assault. Injury during the Program may preclude a student from continuing and from practising dental hygiene. While the Faculty of Dentistry makes efforts to minimize such risks it does not provide any insurance to protect students from loss of future income. The Faculty recommends that students purchase disability insurance and continue coverage throughout the Program.

For more detailed information please view the website.

2. Degree Completion Applicants

Applicants who meet minimum admission requirements are not guaranteed acceptance. Enrolment is limited. Successful applicants must submit a deposit by the date specified in the letter of offer from the Faculty of Dentistry. This deposit is non-refundable and will be applied towards tuition fees for the first term. If an applicant does not register for the term specified in the offer letter, the acceptance and the deposit will be forfeited.

3. International Degree Completion Applicants

Applicants who meet minimum admission requirements are not guaranteed acceptance. Enrolment is limited. Successful applicants must submit a deposit by the date specified in the letter of offer from the Faculty of Dentistry. This deposit is non-refundable and will be applied towards tuition fees. If an applicant does not register at UBC for the term specified in the offer letter, the acceptance and the deposit will be forfeited.

Readmission

The Faculty of Dentistry reserves the right to readmit students and to stipulate conditions attached to readmission. Readmission to the Program may necessitate repetition of courses previously completed if, in the judgment of the Faculty, curriculum changes, and/or length of interruption are sufficient to render the applicant inadequately prepared to continue studies.

Program Inquiries

All inquiries relating to the Dental Hygiene Degree Program should be addressed to:

Student Services Office
Faculty of Dentistry
The University of British Columbia
278-2199 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Tel: 604.822.9726
Fax: 604.822.8279
Email:dhygadm@dentistry.ubc.ca (Faculty of Dentistry Admissions)

 


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