The University of New Mexico
Department of Dental Medicine

MSC 09 5020
Novitski Hall
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: 505 272-4513
 Fax: 505 272-5584

Division of Dental Hygiene

Bachelor's of Science

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.

  1. A one-time fee of approximately $4000.00 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.
  2. Laboratory and clinical fees are $2,000.00 per year. Fees are subject to change on approval from the Chancellor for the UNM Health Science Center.
  3. 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 $1200.00. Please see http://www.wreb.org/ for more information. Also the state of New Mexico administers a separate jurisprudence exam, which costs $110.00.
  4. 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.

Required Advisement Session

Prospective students must attend one advisement session. The advisement sessions are held a Novitski Hall and offered on the following dates:

January 11, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
February 8, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
March 9, 2012 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm
April 6, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
May 11, 2012 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm
May 30, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
June 15, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
June 27, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
July 13, 2012 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm
July 25, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
August 10, 2012 from 11:00am - 12:00pm
August 22, 2012 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm