Pacific University's Bachelor in Dental Hygiene Programs Ranks First Nationally, Says GradRates

Students seeking a degree in dental hygiene can’t do better than enrolling in Pacific University’s program in Hillsboro, according to rankings listed in the latest edition of GradReports, which ranks Pacific as its No. 1 school.

GradReports is a data-driven research product by Optimal, a Kirkland, Wash.,-based research firm. Its rankings evaluate a program’s costs, as well as a graduating student’s debt and median salary.

For Pacific, GradReports says students have paid tuition of $42,594, incurred a median debt of $24,376, and earn a median salary of $69,900. Dental hygiene students at No. 2 University of Southern California paid a tuition about 27 percent higher, had higher debt and a slightly lower median salary of $69,400, according to GradReports.

The figures are collected from the data colleges and universities report to the U.S. Department of Education.

Pacific offers a two-year bachelor’s in dental hygiene to students who have completed the required coursework upon enrolling.

“Students study in state-of-the-art classrooms and gain experience in clinical facilities,” notes GradReports. “The program also includes work in a 16-chair dental hygiene clinic with a focus on patients who have limited access to dental care. Students also gain experience working in a community hospital, clinics, and a long-term care facility.”

The list of 25 best dental hygiene schools, in addition to Pacific and USC, includes such names as West Virginia University, the University of New Mexico, Ohio State University and public schools in Missouri, Louisiana, Texas and Hawai`i.