Dental Hygiene Program

Application Submission Process

Dental Hygiene admissions is now OPEN. The application will close January 25, 2025 .

Easy, Online submission

The application process for the Dental Hygiene Program at Utah Tech University will be submitted and processed through Slate. In Slate you will be able to provide and submit all of the Required Materials necessary for your application process. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact dentalhygiene@utahtech.edu.

How to Apply

ALL applicants must be admitted into Utah Tech University, before you can apply to the Dental Hygiene Program.

Application for Fall 2025 in now OPEN . The application period will close on January 25, 2025.

Applications for admission to the Dental Hygiene program are only accepted during the open submission periods.

Start Application Process

Fall 2025 Application is now OPEN. The application period will close on January 25, 2025.

Applications for admission to the Dental Hygiene program are only accepted during the open submission periods.

Are you reapplying for the Program?
If you are Reapplying for the Dental Hygiene Program at Utah Tech University you will be required to submit a NEW application through the application portal. We are unable to reuse any documents from any previous applications.

Each applicant must submit ALL required documents for each admission cycle.

Be a current Utah Tech University Student

In order to be considered for the Dental Hygiene program, you must be a CURRENT UT student. You will be unable to fulfill the application without a current UT Student ID number. Any forged or made-up information may result in application disqualification for the Dental Hygiene program.

Application Fee

For 2025 Admissions, the following fees will be required for each application.
The payment process is taken care of during the application process.

  • $50 for first-time applicants
  • $25 for re-applicants

 

***If you are accepted into the program, you will be expected to sign an acceptance letter along with a $500 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. (deposit will be applied to your tuition at the start of your first semester)***

Final Grades, Transcripts and Overall GPA

Students applying to the Dental Hygiene Program will be required to provide their official transcripts and data from DegreeWorks to assure academic preparedness for the inherent learning demands of rigorous curriculum.

ALL graded attempts for each course must be listed

Number of attempts will be verified using transcripts.

Official transcripts from all non-UT coursework must be submitted to records@utahtech.edu for transfer evaluation as soon as science courses are completed or by the application deadline, whichever is sooner.

ALL science courses must be COMPLETE and GRADED

COURSE AGE: If any prerequisite science course is 5 years or older at the time of application, the applicant must demonstrate academic readiness by passing HESI Exam

Most General Education (GE) courses should be complete

  • Upon admission, all GE Courses must be completed.

CONFIDENTIAL EVALUATION / RECOMMENDATION

Two confidential recommendations must be completed each application cycle.

    • One from Employment Supervisor (from the last five years)
      • Any employment experience is acceptable; dental employment not required
    • One from an Unrelated Adult the applicant has known for at least 2 years

 

All recommendations will be filled out through SLATE while going through the application process.

HSRT (Health Science Reasoning Test)

The Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT) is a cognitive exam that “measures high-stakes reasoning and decision-making processes. The HSRT is specifically calibrated for trainees in undergraduate and graduate health sciences educational programs. Scores on this instrument have been found to predict successful professional licensure and high clinical performance ratings. More instructions will be provided during the application process in Slate.

Results of the HSRT

 

  • 40 Questions (multiple choice)
  • 50 Minutes maximum

Proctored Test Required

$50 (approximate cost)

Proctor Request form

UT Professional Testing Center

We have updated our Dental Experience Verification form with new requirements, please be aware of these changes.

Dental Experience Verification Form

All applicants must have experience with intra-oral procedures by In-Office observation, Online Observation or Dental Assisting. All required hours must be with adult patients. For any questions please contact dentalhygiene@utahtech.edu.

During the application process you will have the option to fill out this form digitally , or you can upload a physical copy.

Directions: You are required to select and provide verification for ONE of the options listed below along with a 200 word Essay telling us:

How the procedures you’ve observed prepared you for your education in Dental Hygiene

  • 200 Paid Dental Assisting Hours
  • 25 Active IN-OFFICE Observation Hours,
  • 25 ONLINE Observation Hours
  • Partial IN-OFFICE and ONLINE Observation

Download Experience Verification Form

Writing Prompts

Within the application you will be required to provide a response to 3 prompts.
The writing will be performed within the application portal.

Admission Timeline

Admission Finalized

Admissions criteria will be finalized each year by May 1st

Admission Cycle

Required application forms will be updated for the next admissions cycle and available by June 1st

 

Application Opens

Electronic applications will open each year by November 1st

FAQs

Avoid “Pass” and/or “No Credit” Grade Options

For the purposes of admission to our academic program, the UT Department of Dental Hygiene only accepts traditional letter grades for prerequisite courses. Students who earn a “P” or “NC” in any program prerequisite must retake the course for a letter grade. Contact our program advisor for more information.

Can I get any extra points on my application?

There are no “extra” points available Each application is scored according to the documents properly submitted in the current application cycle.

Documents submitted in any previous application cycle will not complete current cycle application requirements.

How are applications scored?

Similar to the previous scoring, eligible applicants will be scored using criteria weighted from highest importance (#1) to less important (#5):

  1. Science GPA (averaged)
  2. Overall GPA
  3. HSRT Exam
  4. Proctored Writing Sample
  5. All Other Application Requirements
    • The other required documents will be considered for scoring as deemed necessary by the Admissions Committee.

When will I find out if I’m accepted to the program?

Official notification on program admissions will be sent via Utah Tech email in early March.

Reapplication to the Dental Hygiene Program

If you are Reapplying for the Dental Hygiene Program at Utah Tech University you will be required to submit a NEW application through Slate. We are unable to reuse any documents from any previous application(s). Each applicant must submit ALL of the required documents for each new admission cycle. If you have any additional questions, please contact the Health Science Advisor, Cindy Clark

What is HSRT exam?

The HSRT examines a person’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills similar to real clinical situations. There is no published study guide, but Insight Assessment offers some sample questions and suggests ways to get ready for a critical thinking test. This test is a required material for your application to the Dental Hygiene program and must be completed.

Did the Dental Observation Verification Form Change?

Yes, we have recently changed the required hours along with asking for a 2oo word essay on what you learned from observation. Please see the Dental Observations Verification Form for the changes.

Download Experience Verification Form

Please contact dentalhygiene@utahtech.edu if you have any questions about the changes.

Are there any advantages in the different methods of observation?

There is NO preference for the method used during an applicants clinical observation.
Candidates with IN-PERSON observation will not necessarily score better than those that observe ONLINE.

What is the HESI Exam?

The HESI Exam is only required if an applicant’s science prerequisite coursework will be 5 years or older at the time of program admission. Coursework is considered “aged-out” until a HESI exam is successfully completed.

  • To prove academic readiness, applicants with any aged-out science coursework must complete all parts of the HESI exam regardless of which science course(s) are aged-out.
  • The cumulative score on the HES
  • I Exam must be at 75% or higher.
    • If the cumulative score is below 75%, two retakes are allowed in a two-year period.
  • Contact the UT Professional Testing Center for HESI exam information

Will you accept FSDH 1500 in place of PSY 1100?

Yes, as of admissions for FALL 2021 FSHD 1500 is a permittable substitute in place of PSY 1000

Contact

Academic Program

Email: DentalHygiene@utahtech.edu

Phone: 435-879-4905

Fax: 435-879-4929

Cindy Clark

Program Advisor

Email: Cindy.Clark@utahtech.edu

Phone: 435-879-4809

Office: HPC 343