Dental Hygiene

Welcome & Overview

Program Description

The Dental Hygiene Program at Indiana University—Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) was established in 1964. This three year program leads to an associate degree in dental hygiene.

IPFW's Dental Hygiene Program prepares students for the challenging and rapidly expanding profession of dental hygiene. Demand for dental hygienists is expected to continue in response to an increasing awareness of dental health. The limited class size of 30 students per year offers an opportunity for individualized instruction.

Dental hygienists are licensed professionals who serve as the prevention specialists of the dental team. They use a variety of interpersonal and clinical skills to meet oral health needs of many different patients each day. They enjoy flexible job scheduling, including full- and part-time employment. Opportunities exist in dental offices, public health agencies, research, industry, hospital dentistry, and dental education.