The Dental Hygiene Program (DHP) was established at the College of Health Sciences in 1985, to meet the community's need for oral health care workers and in accordance with recommendations made by the World Health Organization. It offers training for an Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene.
Graduates of this program are qualified dental hygienist, who can plan and administer local programs designed to contain the increasing prevalence of oral diseases world-wide, and to provide clinical, prophylactic and simple reparative services for groups and individuals. As primary health care workers, dental hygienists will be able to recognize serious conditions and refer persons for specialized examination and treatment.

The program is offered over a period of 6 semesters including a Foundation Semester required of all new CHS students. In addition, students must earn 65 credit hours in order to graduate.
The curriculum is directed toward educating personnel to promote health and to prevent oral diseases. Recognition, diagnosis and treatment of early oral and dental diseases is taught. Emphasis is placed on understanding the initiation and progression of oral diseases, and the scientific and the behavioral factors which predominate with related systemic conditions. The clinical portion of the DHP includes providing oral health education and clinical services in the College of Health Sciences' Dental Hygiene Program Clinic, rotations at extramural sites, and 3 weeks in field service.

The goal of the program is to qualify hygienists to perform the following:

1. Survey and record the oral health status of groups and communities.
   
   
2. Promote community oral health through health education and behavior modification.
   
   
3. Examine tissues and take health and dental histories.
   
   
4. Perform individual preventive and simple reparative treatments.
   
   
5. Identify and r3fer persons needing further oral health care.
   
   
6. Plan and administer oral health services for groups and individuals.
   
   
7. Evaluate services provided.

Upon graduation the dental hygienist should be able to:

1. Describe the role, structure and organization of Bahrain's health service in general and the oral health services in particular and describe the role of the dental hygienist within these services.
   
   
2. Operate in a clinical environment to provide, in accordance with accepted professional standards, oral health care of high quality and appropriate to the needs of the community.
   
   
3. Maintain high standards of hygiene in all clinical work, applying a basic understanding of microbiology.
   
   
4. Demonstrate, in connection with the provision of services, the knowledge of:
   • The anatomy of the oral cavity, head and neck;
     
     
   • Common drugs and pharmaceutical products used by patients, including drug interactions and effects on oral health; and
     
     
   • Systemic and local pathological and other conditions which affect oral health or oral health care.
5. Describe the composition of and demonstrate correct handling of the principle dental materials.
   
   
6. Produce and interpret intraoral radiographs and make referrals for extraoral radiographs in connection with oral assessment and treatment planning.
   
   
7. Identify patients requiring further treatment and organize the referral; recognize medical situations which may arise in the clinic and respond with appropriate aid and referral.
   
   
8. Survey and record the oral health of groups and communities using clinical and questionnaire techniques.
   
   
9. Apply a basic understanding of the philosophy of disease prevention and appropriate preventive methods for the promotion of individual and community oral health, with emphasis on the use of fluorides, sealants, health diets, and good oral hygiene.
   
   
10. Use appropriate health education to promote individual and community general and oral health.
    
    
11. Take health and dental histories, examine oral tissues and make assessments; and take impressions.
    
    
12. Perform individual preventive and simple reparative treatments, including application of pit and fissure sealants and fluorides, removal of class I caries, placement of temporary restorations, and class I amalgam finishing and polishing.
    
    
13. Plan and administer local oral health programs designed to arrest the increase in the prevalence of oral diseases in Bahrain.
    
    
14. Evaluate and propose appropriate modifications to services provided.

The Dental Hygiene Program is a three year curriculum starting with a Foundation Semester for zero credit and basic science courses. This first year of study prepares you for the demands and responsibilities of higher learning. Year two involves acquisition and application of cognitive and psychotmotor skills at dental simulator stations and with student partners. The synthesis of the Dental Hygiene Process of Care Model is applied in Year three with concentration on assessment, planning, and implementation of patient care procedures in different delivery settings.