Admission to the degree programme in Dental Hygiene is subject to the possession of a secondary school diploma or equivalent suitable qualification obtained abroad.
Admission to the programme is subject to the passing of an entrance exam set in line with the laws in force concerning health professions and the nationally programmed access (Law 264/99) and the relative call for admissions issued by UNIMORE.
Knowledge required for admission is deemed to be appropriate for all candidates obtaining a minimum of 20 points in the entrance exam, as laid down in Ministerial Decree no. 85 of 5 February 2014.
Candidates not achieving this score shall be assigned additional learning requirements (OFA) to be completed by attending the remedial courses indicated by the degree programme.

Generic Area
Dental hygiene graduates must have post-secondary knowledge of basic biomedical and clinical disciplines, manual skills and operational techniques required to exercise the Dental Hygienist profession.
Particularly, graduates in Dental Hygiene must:
- possess knowledge of the foundations of morphology, physiology and human pathology, integrating physio-pathological and pathological studies with clinical methodology and therapeutic procedures required for this professional profile;
- understand the main pathological conditions and therapeutic, medical and surgical procedures that are complementary to the dental hygienist profession, and must have a basic command of dental care and assistance following health-related pedagogical, psychological, sociological and ethical principles;
- understand the effects of pharmacological treatment of systemic diseases on oral health and any implications on the therapeutic procedures required for this professional profile;
- understand the demographic aspects, prevention and treatment of oral and dental disease in children, adults and the elderly, as well as in medically compromised or mentally or physically disabled patients, specifically studying the diseases and preventive and therapeutic procedures of the clinical activities of the dental hygienist (tooth decay, parodontal disease, oral health education, maintaining of clinical records and measurement of clinical-epidemiological indexes, tartar removal, root polishing, application of prophylaxis, training in oral hygiene, patient motivation, anti-tobacco counselling).
The above knowledge is acquired through the basic and core learning activities. The teaching methods include lectures, workshops, practical exercises and clinical internships. Assessments include oral exams, written reports, aiming to assess the possession and application of logical rigour, and, for those subjects that so require, practical tests on simulators.
Graduates must also be able to use the specific language of dental hygiene sciences.

Generic Area
Dental hygiene graduates must be able to autonomously apply their knowledge and operational techniques to exercise the profession of Dental Hygienist. For this purpose, graduates must be able to use the knowledge acquired, exploiting their understanding obtained through individual study and the vocational knowledge gained during internships.
In particular graduates must:
- be able to recognise the clinical signs of local and systemic disease in the oral cavity, as well as the morphological and functional aspects of dental health;
- be able to recognise the vital signs and practice first aid manoeuvres in the working environment;
- be able to practice a full range of operating procedures relating to their professional profile, following the instructions of the dentist and within a context of global patient treatment without producing any additional risks for the patient;
- be able to work with other professions in planning oral prevention interventions in the community, based on their knowledge of the principles and practices of community dentistry;
- be able to control cross-infection in the exercise of their profession;
- know and apply anti-tobacco counselling techniques, motivating patients to oral hygiene at home, regular check-ups and a healthy diet for the protection of oral health;
- be able to work with other members of the dental team (dentist, dental assistant, administrative staff, orthodontist and oral surgeon).
The teaching tools used to achieve the ability to apply knowledge include intense laboratory work at single work stations and clinical internships working with patients, as well as the design, production and presentation of assignments and scientific works, analysed individually or in groups. Assessment of knowledge and understanding is based on periodical tests during the internship and the relative exams, aiming to check the acquisition of manual, technical and operational skills in the various clinical activities performed by this professional profile.