Bachelor of Oral Hygiene 

An oral hygienist is a dental professional trained to promote oral health, prevent oral diseases and provide related dental services. This is a three-year degree programme during which students receive training in both medical and dental subjects.

Students receive training in basic medical and dental subjects. Theory and practice are integrated from the first year of study.

• Community dentistry (outreach programmes within communities around Pretoria at schools, old age home and nursery schools)
• Preventive Clinic (oral health education, oral health promotion and treatment of patients in the Preventive Clinical Ward)
• Orthodontic Ward (work hand in hand with the qualified oral hygienist, specialist and registrars)
• Periodontics and Oral Medicine Ward (treatment and maintenance plan of patients with periodontal disease, assist in surgeries and maintenance of implants including preparation for the patients pre- and post-surgery)
• Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery (assist and prepare patients before surgery, removing sutures, splinting of mobile teeth, administering local anaesthetic, and participating in cleft lip and palate clinics)
• Patient management (treatment of emergency patients within the scope of oral hygiene practice, comprehensive patient management, effective communication, public speaking, ethics and practice management)
• Odontology (learning and application of dental materials)

The ideal candidate is someone who has: a passion for oral health; interpersonal skills; good manual dexterity; hard worker; good communication and people skills; attention to detail; and is compassionate and patient.

The programme is accredited by the HPCSA. The students are trained at state-of-the-art facilities. Students are trained in first aid. They receive first aid certificates on completion of the training. Students are exposed to various departments to enhance clinical skills.

For more information, please consult the Faculty webpage

For advice on a second-choice programme, please consult a Student Advisor. To make an appointment, send an email to [email protected].

Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS. 

Applicants currently in Grade 12 must apply with their final Grade 11 (or equivalent) results.

Applicants who have completed Grade 12 must apply with their final NSC or equivalent qualification results.

Please note that meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.

Successful candidates will be notified once admitted or conditionally admitted.

Applicants should check their application status regularly on the UP Student Portal at click here.

Applicants with qualifications other than the abovementioned should refer to the International undergraduate prospectus 2025: Applicants with a school leaving certificate not issued by Umalusi (South Africa), available at click here.

International students: Click here 

A limited number of places are made available to citizens from countries other than South Africa (applicants who are not South African citizens), with those from SADC countries being given preference. Applicants who have multiple citizenships, including South African citizenship, will be considered to be South African. 

Transferring students

A transferring student is a student who, at the time of applying at the University of Pretoria (UP)is/was a registered student at another tertiary institution. A transferring student will be considered for admission based on NSC or equivalent qualification and previous academic performance. Students who have been dismissed from other institutions due to poor academic performance will not be considered for admission to UP.

Closing dates: Same as above

Returning students

A returning student is a student who, at the time of application for a degree programme is/was a registered student at UP, and wants to transfer to another degree at UP. A returning student will be considered for admission based on NSC or equivalent qualification and previous academic performance.

• Students who have been excluded/dismissed from a faculty due to poor academic performance may be considered for admission to another programme at UP, as per faculty-specific requirements.
• Only ONE transfer between UP faculties and TWO transfers within a faculty will be allowed.
• Admission of returning students will always depend on the faculty concerned and the availability of space in the programmes for which they apply.

Closing date for applications from returning students is the same as the above

Note: Any deliberate ommission of information, or false information provided by an applicant in the application may result in the immediate cancellation of the apllication, admission or registration