Dentalhygiene (B.Sc.)
DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Das Dentalhygiene (B.Sc.) ist ein berufsintegriertes Studium für ausgebildete Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte (ZFA). Das Programm ist auf eine akademische Weiterqualifizierung für erweiterte und verantwortungsvolle Aufgaben in der präventiven und patientenorientierten zahnmedizinischen Versorgung ausgerichtet.
Das Studium verbindet theoretische Inhalte mit beruflicher Praxis und besteht aus drei gleichwertigen Teilen: Phasen an der Hochschule (live-online oder vor Ort), Selbstlernphasen zu Hause sowie Transferphasen in der beruflichen Praxis. Der reguläre Studienbeginn ist jeweils zum Wintersemester am 1. Oktober.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Academic start with general healthcare and evidence-based learning foundations
- Building core dentalhygiene-related competencies starting from preventive approaches
- Structured development of documentation and quality management thinking for dental hygiene work
- Progressive focus on dental hygiene, prevention, and periodontal-oriented knowledge
- Structured patient-oriented counselling, education, and guidance as part of daily practice
- Strengthening legal, hygienic, and organisational frameworks for work in dental settings
- Applying preventive and prophylactic measures with structured assessment and anamnesis
- Professional development through scientific work and current research and prevention findings
- Quality and process understanding for dental hygiene documentation and improvement
- Transfer phase in professional practice to use newly learned competencies directly at work
- Consolidation of patient counselling, documentation, and hygiene-compliant procedures
- Preparation for the bachelor-level final achievement within the programme's study model
Curriculum
The published curriculum comprises 180 ECTS across six curriculum semesters. The first 12 modules, worth 60 ECTS, are recognised from the completed three-year Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte (ZFA) qualification after the required assessment, so students complete the remaining programme over Semesters 3–6.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semesters 1–2 (recognised ZFA modules) | 12 recognised modules | Health System – Foundations | 5 | 60 ECTS recognised through the completed ZFA qualification after the required assessment |
| Prophylaxis – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Oral and Human Anatomy and Physiology – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Dental Practice Hygiene – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Practical Training – Foundations I | 5 | |||
| Dental Hard-Tissue Defects – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Practical Training – Foundations II | 5 | |||
| Orthodontics – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Endodontology – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Periodontology and Implantology – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Dental Surgery – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Dental Prosthetics – Foundations | 5 | |||
| Semester 3 | 6 modules | Scientific Work | 5 | 30 ECTS |
| Key Competencies I | 5 | |||
| Natural Science Foundations | 5 | |||
| Anatomy / Physiology | 5 | |||
| Pathology / Pathophysiology | 5 | |||
| Oral Diseases | 5 | |||
| Semester 4 | 6 modules | Key Competencies II | 5 | 30 ECTS |
| Microbiology / Hygiene | 5 | |||
| Specialised Medical History Taking | 5 | |||
| Practical Training – Preclinical Practice I | 5 | |||
| Medical Technology / Medical Devices | 5 | |||
| Practical Training – Preclinical Practice II | 5 | |||
| Semester 5 | 6 modules | Pharmacology / Toxicology | 5 | 30 ECTS |
| Periodontal Microbiology and Immunology | 5 | |||
| Practical Training – Clinical Practice I | 5 | |||
| Practical Training – Clinical Practice II | 5 | |||
| Patients with Special Care Needs | 5 | |||
| Professional Practical Training | 5 | |||
| Semester 6 | 5 modules | Digitalisation / Telemedicine / E-Health | 5 | 30 ECTS |
| Legal Aspects | 5 | |||
| Public Health / Prevention | 5 | |||
| Quality Management, Documentation, Remuneration and Healthcare System | 5 | |||
| Bachelor's Thesis and Colloquium | 10 | |||
| Total | 35 modules, including 12 recognised ZFA modules and the bachelor's thesis with colloquium | 180 ECTS | ||
Career outcomes
- You can expand your responsibilities in preventive, patient-oriented dental care through an academic bachelor qualification designed for ZFA professionals.
- You build practical competence for structured assessment, documentation, counselling, and implementation of dental hygiene measures in your daily work.
- You gain skills in quality management and legal, hygienic, and organisational requirements that help you perform confidently in modern dental settings.
- The programme is built with close links between live-online study, self-study, and transfer phases in professional practice, so you graduate with work-ready learning.
Employability rate
Graduates of dental hygiene programmes in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 90% and an unemployment rate of about 10%, reflecting sustained demand for qualified prevention-oriented dental staff.
Together, these figures point to a stable career outlook with reliable opportunities in modern dental practices and clinics focused on prevention.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Dental assistant qualification (ZFA) plus foreign equivalency | International applicants must have completed a three-year vocational training as Zahnmedizinische:r Fachangestellte:r (ZFA), and any foreign qualifications must be shown to be equivalent for admission. The program states that equivalence must be proven for foreign qualifications to be considered for admission. |
| Higher education entrance qualification (HZB) or recognized alternative | In addition to the ZFA qualification, applicants must have a higher education entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung), such as general higher education entrance qualification, or a recognized alternative route. The program lists examples including Fachhochschulreife, a passed Meisterprüfung, or other qualifying vocational pathways under the relevant Hessian regulation. |
| Grade requirements for certain vocational-access routes | For one listed vocational pathway, the program specifies that the qualifying vocational training must have a completion grade of 2.5 or better (with at least a 3-year recognized vocational training). If you use a different listed HZB route, follow the exact route-specific requirement shown on the program page. |
| Recognition of completed ZFA training (credit award) | The program states that completed ZFA training is credited with 60 ECTS after a successful placement assessment, and that the first two semesters are thereby omitted. This is relevant for applicants because it affects your actual study progression after admission. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine & Health | Direct match | International applicants should generally match through dental assistant (ZFA) vocational qualification, since the program is explicitly designed for completed ZFA training and related health-care study experience. |
Language requirements
For Dentalhygiene (B.Sc.) at DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg, the program page does not publish a specific English (or German) test requirement for international applicants. Because the program is primarily structured for qualified dental assistants and combines online and practical components, you should confirm the required language level with the Studienservice before applying.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 650 / per month | Berufsintegriertes Studium Dentalhygiene (B.Sc.) Zahlung in monatlichen Raten. Example shown on the programme page: Ratenmodell I with 24 monthly instalments at 650 € / month. |
| Tuition (other payment models) | EUR 460 / per month | Example shown on the programme page: Ratenmodell II with 36 monthly instalments at 460 € / month. |
| Tuition (other payment models) | EUR 360 / per month | Example shown on the programme page: Ratenmodell III with 48 monthly instalments at 360 € / month. |
| Exam fee | EUR 695 / one time | On the programme page, a one-time Prüfungsgebühr of 695 € is stated for the Dentalhygiene (B.Sc.) payment models. |
Proof of financial resources
International students applying to study in Germany must be able to prove sufficient funds for the period of stay. The program page publishes tuition/fee amounts; you should also align your funding proof with the German immigration and visa requirements in your application country.
- Evidence of sufficient funds for study in Germany (commonly via a German blocked account or equivalent proof, as required for your visa application).
- Your planned study funding for tuition using the DIPLOMA fee model you choose (monthly instalments and the one-time examination fee).
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Confirm eligibility with your foreign qualifications
Check that you have completed the required three-year ZFA vocational training and that you also hold a higher education entrance qualification (HZB) or a recognized alternative route as listed by the program. The program states that foreign qualifications must be proven equivalent for admission, so prepare your equivalency documents before you apply. If you are unsure which HZB route fits your background, contact the Studienservice for guidance before submitting.
Apply using the university online application form
Submit your application via the DIPLOMA online application form on the university’s admissions page. Provide the required information and upload the documents needed to assess your ZFA qualification and your HZB-equivalent eligibility. Make sure your foreign certificates are provided in a form that the admissions process accepts for assessment of equivalence.
Complete the placement assessment for credit recognition
The program states that ZFA training is credited with 60 ECTS after a successful placement assessment. After you are admitted, this assessment is used to determine how your previous training affects your study start and exemptions. Plan for this step as it impacts your study progression across the 4 semesters.
Prepare for study start in the October intake
The program’s regular study start is in the winter semester on 1 October. The program is berufsintegriert and primarily structured with mostly online study plus practical components, so arrange your work and practice involvement accordingly. After admission, follow the official onboarding instructions from the Studienservice and your program contact for next steps.