Predictors of Student Success in an Entry-Level Baccalaureate Dental Hygiene Program‪.‬

Introduction Predicting academic success is a persistent challenge for dental hygiene programs whose lock-step curricula make replacing students who drop out midway through the program difficult, if not impossible. Selecting students from a pool of qualified applicants who are most likely to succeed is the goal of dental hygiene educators throughout the country. Success is often defined as graduation within a specified time frame following enrollment. An equally challenging goal is to graduate competent oral health care providers who will pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) and enter into the profession able to meet the needs of the community.