Program mission statement

The mission of the Dental Hygiene Program at Indiana University Fort Wayne (IUFW) is to prepare students as future leaders in oral healthcare with excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship, as well as civic engagement locally, nationally, and globally.  The curriculum incorporates evidence-based learning, collaboration within and across disciplines, and application of service through clinical experience and community outreach. The program is committed to excellence in the development of ethically responsible and culturally competent professionals. 

Vision statement

The IUFW Dental Hygiene Program will be a nationally recognized dental hygiene program, committed to achieving academic excellence, state-of-the-art educational environments, positive contributions to the oral health of Northeast Indiana’s diverse population, and outstanding creative endeavors from faculty and students. 

Goals and objectives

• Attract and support a well-prepared and diverse student population to meet the dental hygiene workforce needs of the state of Indiana. 
• Enhance student learning and graduate dental hygienists who are competent clinicians, and lifelong learners who are ethical, socially aware, and culturally sensitive oral health professionals. 
• Attract and retain quality faculty and provide support to enhance effective teaching and learning in clinical, laboratory, classroom, and service-learning settings. 
• Provide opportunities for all students and faculty to be engaged in educationally or clinically relevant scholarship. 
• Provide evidence-based, quality oral health services to individuals from any socioeconomic or cultural group. 
• Promote the dental hygiene profession through service-learning activities, affiliations with professional organizations and collaborate partnerships within community on the local, regional, and state levels.