School of Dental Hygiene Dental Hygiene Diploma applicant admission requirements (2025-2026)

March 1, 2025

This information is available with, and constitutes part of, the application. It is assumed that all applicants have read and understood it prior to submitting the completed application.

Programs offered

Diploma in Dental Hygiene

Students may be eligible for admission to the School of Dental Hygiene in one of two ways, depending on their previous academic history:

Direct entry

Applicants in this category are current high school students or students who have already graduated from high school but have completed fewer than twenty-four (24) credit hours at a recognized university/college. Applicants must meet the General Entrance and Specific Admissions Requirements as listed in the Direct Entry applicant information.

Direct Entry applicant information 

Advanced Entry
(applicants with university/college background)

Students in other programs at the University of Manitoba, Université de Saint-Boniface or from other universities/colleges can apply for admission to the School of Dental Hygiene through the online application process. An application fee and appropriate documentation are required, and application and documentation deadlines must be observed.

A. Academic Requirements

The University of Manitoba will require graded coursework to fulfill all admission requirements as outlined in this bulletin. Pass grades will not be considered for meeting any of these requirements unless otherwise stated.

Applicants who do not fulfill all the requirements as described below will be deemed ineligible for selection.

1. Completed Coursework

i. Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of university degree level course work at a postsecondary institution in North America.

ii. The 30 credit hours will include the required courses (or their equivalent) as listed in the subsequent table, completed at a post-secondary institution in North America.

iii. No grade less than “C” will be permitted in the required courses with the exception of English. The minimum grade required for English is C+. Any required courses with less than a C grade must be repeated to meet admission requirements.

iv. Achieve a required minimum Adjust Grade Point Average (AGPA) (see Section 4: Selection Process, B. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA))

• General applicants must achieve a minimum AGPA of 3.0 (B)
• Individual Consideration Category Applicants must achieve a minimum AGPA of 2.5 (C+)

v. All academic requirements must be completed by April 2025.

2. Required Courses

Core courses

Other courses

1. The former CHEM 1300 and CHEM 1310 in combination can be used in lieu of CHEM 1100 and 1110 and 1120. Students having completed only CHEM 1300 must complete CHEM 1110 and 1120 to fulfill the Introductory Chemistry requirement.
2. It is recommended that applicants take 3 credit hours of Introduction to Sociology as their elective. (University of Manitoba SOC 1000; University of Winnipeg SOC 1100; Brandon University 90.154)
3. Applicants who complete 6 credit hours of acceptable Chemistry will be required to complete 6 credit hours of Electives. Applicants who complete 9 credit hours of acceptable Chemistry will be required to complete 3 credit hours of electives.

Notes

a. All applicants, including foreign-trained professionals (i.e., dentists, physicians, etc.) must complete all admission requirements as outlined above. They must complete at least 30 credit hours of pre-professional studies including the required courses at a post-secondary institution in North America.

b. An applicant whose pre-Dental Hygiene education was not completed at the University of Manitoba but was completed at a recognized post-secondary institution in North America will be eligible for consideration if they have completed courses deemed by the University of Manitoba to be equivalent to those shown above. These courses will need to have been completed in the most recent 10 years in order for them to be evaluated for equivalence.

c. Graduates of two-year or three-year diploma programs must present course work which is directly transferable (not unallocated) into a university degree program.

d. Only courses that have a grade assigned to them will be considered.

e. If applicants select to use AP/IB courses to fulfill core course requirements it will be the responsibility of the applicant to have the official AP/IB transcripts submitted to the University of Manitoba Admissions Office by the documentation deadline.

f. It is recommended that students complete at least 24 credit hours in one year (from September to April), as the course load for Dental Hygiene is quite heavy. This is not a requirement, however.

B. Canadian Residency

Preference in admission is given to Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada. International applicants are not considered for admission with the exception of those international students who are sponsored by Canadian agencies.

C. English Language Proficiency Requirements

All applicants whose primary language is not English and do not qualify for a waiver under the University of Manitoba’s English language proficiency regulations will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English.

Additional information regarding specific proficiency requirements, waiver information, and test options can be found on the English language proficiency requirements page.

• English language proficiency requirements

Results for most language tests, including TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo, expire two years from the test date. Test scores must be valid at the start of classes. Please confirm the validity of your test results.

D. Categories of Applicants

1. General Applicants

Applicants in the General applicant category are considered for admission on the basis of academic performance. All General applicants will be required to complete the academic requirements as stipulated in Section 2: Eligibility Requirements.

All applicants will be automatically evaluated in this category.

2. Individual Consideration Applications

Applicants who have met the requirements as stipulated in Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, but who may not be competitive in the General applicant category may select one of the following subcategories:

a. Occupational Background. Eligible applicants will have a minimum of two years of work experience in areas acceptable to the Committee as relevant to the health service field.

b. Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Eligible applicants will be from the Indigenous populations of Canada.

Individual Consideration and Canadian Indigenous Applicants must submit the following in order to be considered for admission in this category:

Biographical Statement

Applicants must submit an autobiographical sketch, 500-800 words, which includes any personal experiences, training and other relevant information that justifies consideration in this category, to be used as background information for the interview process.  (see Section 3: Application Process & Deadlines, B. Deadlines and Important Dates and C. Required Application Documentation).

Recommendations

Three recommendations will be required.  Applicants will list the recommenders name and contact email in the on-line application at the time of application (see Section 3: Application Process & Deadlines, B. Deadlines and Important Dates and C. Required Application Documentation). This information will be collected in the strictest of confidence and will not be released to the applicant. This is done to ensure the integrity of the recommendation process.

Interview

Eligible applicants will be invited for and must attend an interview. Not all positions may be filled in these categories due to the competitive nature of all categories.

A. Application fees

*see Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, B. Canadian Residency.

Applications are not considered received until the application is submitted and the non-refundable application fee has been paid by the posted deadline.

All correspondence, including decision release information will be sent via email and posted to your application portal.

Please ensure your email account remains current and will accept emails from the University of Manitoba. Check your filters.

It is important to check your email and application portal regularly and specifically around the deadlines and important dates listed.

B. Deadlines and important dates

C. Required application documentation

The following documents will be required to complete your application.

Please send all application documentation to the following address:

Admission for Dental Hygiene
University of Manitoba
424 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Electronic transcripts should be submitted to applicant.services@umanitoba.ca.

In order to be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the email of the office responsible for issuing transcripts. Transcripts emailed or forwarded by the applicant are considered unofficial.

The University of Manitoba is a registered receiving organization with MyCreds^TM. Applicants from participating member universities and colleges can release their transcripts to the University of Manitoba through their MyCreds^TM portal. Applicants should select 'Share' and then 'Organization' instead of opting for 'email'.

• The Self-Declaration form and Essential Skills form are required of all applicants.
• The “Adult Criminal Records, Child Abuse and Adult Abuse Registry Self-Declaration Form” is required from all applicants.

These forms will be completed as part of the online application for admission.  Applications are not complete until all necessary documents are received. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that our office receives all required information.

Applicants must notify the Admissions Office immediately should they either enroll at a post-secondary institution not previously declared on their application or enroll in additional coursework not declared on the previously submitted final transcript provided for assessment. Applicants will be required to provide proof of registration.

D. Required admission documentation

All successful applicants to the College of Dentistry and School of Dental Hygiene are required to submit the following:

Immunization Requirements

All candidates who are offered a position in the incoming class must provide an up to date immunization record in order to register and attend classes. Each applicant offered admission will receive a link to the fillable PDF immunization document which must be completed and returned to the Dean’s Office prior to registration in the program.

Prospective students should refer to and be familiar with the College’s Immunization ad Bloodbourne Diseases Policy Statement found in the School of Dental Hygiene Faculty Academic Regulations section of the Academic Calendar.

View the Academic Calendar

Any student applicant with an infectious disease should either delay their application to the program or disclose this information upon being accepted into the College of Dentistry and the School of Dental Hygiene. Should a student who has been accepted into the program but has been found to be unable to meet the College’s Infectious Disease policy requirements, every effort will be made to accommodate the student until the guidelines are met. In some cases, it may be necessary to suspend or terminate the student from the program if it is shown that the policy guidelines are unable to be met.

Adult Criminal Record and Child and Adult Abuse Registry Checks

An adult criminal record and child abuse and adult abuse registries self-declaration will be required of all applicants. Official adult criminal records and child and adult abuse registries checks are required for all admitted students by the time of registration, and annually thereafter in accordance with existing policies of other health, education, and social service programs at the University of Manitoba. Applicants will need to comply with any University policy on criminal record and abuse checks that may be in effect as of the time of registration. Official adult and child abuse registry checks will be applied for through the School of Dental Hygiene prior to the first day of classes.

A. Citizenship and Residence

The Admissions Committee gives priority to Manitoba applicants.

In the Individual Consideration Category and on the wait list preference will be given to Manitoban residents. A Manitoba resident shall be defined as a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada who, at the application deadline, meets any one of the following four descriptions:

a. Has graduated from a Manitoba high school; or

b. Has a recognized degree from a university in Manitoba; or

c. Has completed at least one consecutive year of full-time academic studies in a recognized program at a university in Manitoba, while physically residing in Manitoba; or

d. Has resided continuously in Manitoba for any two year period following high school graduation. The two year residence period shall not be considered broken where the program’s admission committee is satisfied that the applicant was temporarily out of the province on vacation, in short-term volunteer work or employment, or as a full-time student.

B. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)

The Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA) is calculated using the last 60 credit hours completed.

If a student has completed 30 to 60 credit hours of university degree level work, the AGPA will be calculated on the basis of all work completed.

If a student has completed more than 60 credit hours of university degree level work, an AGPA will be calculated over the most recently completed 60 credit hours.

Notes:

• All graded results, including repeated courses, will be included in the calculation of the AGPA.
• Should a grade be retained on your record yet excluded from your institutional GPA calculation, that grade will be used to meet admission requirements and the GPA calculation for your application to the University of Manitoba.
• It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform the Admissions office in writing of any deferred exams or grade changes. All final grades, including grade changes must be submitted to the Admissions Office by the document deadline in order for them to be included in the final selection process.  Grade changes will not be accepted after the documentation deadline date. If a grade is not available by the documentation deadline date, an ‘F’ grade will be used in the final admission determination and calculation.

C. Selection of applicants

Enrolment in first year Dental Hygiene is limited and there are usually more eligible applicants than available positions, therefore, attaining the minimum eligibility requirements does not ensure an offer of admission.

1. General applicants

General applications will be considered and ranked on the basis of their AGPA (see Section 4: Selection Process, B. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)).

2. Individual consideration

Individual Consideration applications will be evaluated on the basis of academic records, an interview, references, and biographical statement with less weight on academic record than for General applicants.

Up to a maximum of four positions in the first year class will be allocated to Individual Consideration Applicants. Formal education and/or significant experiences in a related field will be considered.

Two of these four positions may be reserved for Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Preference may be given to Manitoba residents.

D. Wait list

A short waitlist (alternate list) will be created at the selection meeting in the event that spaces become available. Applicants selected to be on the waitlist will be notified by email that they are on the waitlist after the selection meeting. Applicants on the waitlist will also be notified by email when the waitlist is closed (usually in the first week of August). Preference will be given to Manitobans.

E. Tie Breaking Procedure for Offers

In the event of a tie, the following procedure will be used:

1. Increase the number of significant figures used in the calculation.
2. Where a tie still exists, the application that was received first will be used to break the tie. All completed applications are time stamped upon submission; in the case of a paper application, these applications will be time stamped after they have been entered into the system by a University of Manitoba Admissions Office staff member.

F. Notification of decision

Decisions will be posted to the applicant’s portal.  Applicants must log into their application portal to view the decision and to accept or decline the offer. If the offer is not accepted and the subsequent deposit paid by the deadline date indicated in the letter, the offer will lapse. Lapsed offers will be considered a declined response. It is imperative that emails and application portals are regularly checked. In order to accept an offer of admission a nonrefundable deposit of $100.00 will be required. The deposit will be applied to tuition fees at the time of registration.

Individuals who wish to have their applications reconsidered should submit their request in writing to the Chair of the Selection Committee. Past experience has shown that most inquiries can be satisfied at this level without further reference. Persons wishing reconsideration of the decision of the Selection Committee shall direct their request to the Chair within ten (10) business days of the posted decision date. All appeals must come directly from the applicant and not a third party (e.g. parent, sibling, friend, agent, etc.).

Should the student wish to pursue the reconsideration decision further, such an appeal will be made in accordance with the Senate Committee on Appeals Procedures.

• Review the Senate Committee on Appeals procedures

Applicants are advised that appeals of reconsideration decisions by the chair of the selection committee and the Senate Admissions Committee focus on questions of correct adherence to published policies and procedures outlined in this document, and not on subjective issues or the relative merits of the application.

The School of Dental Hygiene and Admissions Office are able to assist applicants who seek counselling regarding admission to the School of Dental Hygiene. However, it is policy not to instruct applicants as to a specific course of action they should follow, but rather to provide the information needed for applicants to make their own choice with respect to the alternatives available. The following points require special attention:

1. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their plans with all who can usefully advise them, but they should be aware that second and third hand information about admission policies may not be accurate.
2. No official at the university can guarantee the admission of any applicant. Admission is determined by the Committee on the basis of an annual competition.
3. All applicants are advised to supplement any personal enquiries with a written request so that an official written response can be made. It is only these written responses which will be considered as evidence of any advice given (see Section 8: Contact Information).

The University of Manitoba is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. If you are a student with a diagnosed disability (permanent, chronic, or temporary) who may require academic accommodations, please contact Student Accessibility Services at 204-474-7423 or by email at student_accessibility@umanitoba.ca to learn more about the confidential supports that are available.

The following other contacts may also be useful.