Dental Hygiene Program
The 91茄子 Dental Hygiene Program is a developing program and awaiting CODA accreditation.
Program Mission
"The Dental Hygiene Program is committed to graduating knowledgeable, skilled, and professional entry-level dental hygienists who provide quality, patient-centered care. Through a diverse and innovative learning environment, collaboration with community partners, and a foundation in scholarship and lifelong learning, the program fosters excellence, service, and a commitment to improving community health and meeting the needs of employers."
Program Goals
- Deliver Excellence in Dental Hygiene Education
Provide a rigorous, student-centered academic environment that promotes critical thinking, clinical competence, and ethical decision-making. Prepare graduates to successfully complete licensure examinations and become knowledgeable, skilled, and compassionate oral health professionals.
- Promote Lifelong Learning and Scholarship
Foster faculty and student engagement in evidence-based research and professional development to advance dental hygiene education and practice. Encourage continuous learning, innovation, and the integration of new technologies.
- Support a Collaborative Learning Community
Cultivate a respectful, collaborative educational culture that values diversity, effective communication, and interprofessional collaboration among students, faculty, and staff.
- Advance Community Engagement and Public Health
Collaborate with community partners to improve oral health outcomes, especially in underserved populations, through advocacy, service-learning, and public health initiatives.
- Model Professionalism and Ethical Practice
Instill a strong commitment to legal and ethical standards, cultural sensitivity, and the delivery of patient-centered care that promotes the well-being of individuals and communities
Prerequisites
- CHE 105-Intro to Chemistry
- DHY 125-Introduction to Microbial Systems in Human Health
- SOC 133 or PSY 180 Both required for graduation, one to be used as prerequisite DHY 100T-Orientation
- EXS 250-Anatomical and Physiological Concepts for Health Sciences
Faculty Profiles
Shanna G. Burress DMD
Dental Hygiene Program Chair
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Email: sburress@murraystate.edu
Phone: 270.809.6222
Dr. Shanna Burress is a general dentist who has worked over 35 years in the dental field. She earned her Dental Hygiene degree from the University of Kentucky Mobile Dental Hygiene Program. She completed her dental school prerequisites at 91茄子 University and Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) degree from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry.
Jessica Lindley RDH
Dental Hygiene Program Clinical Coordinator
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Email: jlindley2@murraystate.edu
Phone: 270.809.3145
Ms. Lindley has been a Registered Dental Hygienist for over 15 years. She received her Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee.