• Dental Hygiene
• Health Informatics
• Health Science

900 Urban Life Building 
Cedric L. Truss, Department Chair and Clinical Associate Professor

The Department of Health Sciences offers programs to educate the next generation of health professionals.   We provide a number of interdisciplinary programs that awards degrees on both the undergraduate and graduate level.   The department awards the following degrees and graduate certificates:  Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Health Informatics,  Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Health Sciences, R.D.H. to B.S degree completion program,  Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Leadership, Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics,  Master of Science in Health Science with a concentration in Health Informatics and a PhD in Health Sciences. 

Dental Hygiene

https://lewis.gsu.edu/dental-hygiene/

The mission of the Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions is to prepare the next generation of clinicians and scholars who collectively enhance individual and community health in a culturally diverse society.  The primary mission of this B.S. in Dental Hygiene degree will be to prepare practicing dental hygienists for successful career opportunities outside the dental office, such as in industry, consulting, and research. A secondary mission is to prepare students for positions in DH education.

Dental Hygiene is evolving as the health care environment is influencing how dental hygienists practice and the settings in which they practice. It is also influencing performance expectations for new graduates. Dental Hygienists are expected to demonstrate ethical principles of healthcare, exhibit an appropriate communication aptitude, and practice critical thinking skills while delivering consistent, safe clinical treatment to patients, families, groups, and communities in a variety of interdisciplinary healthcare settings. While the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) requires the associate’s degree as the minimum degree for Dental Hygiene practice, disciplinary trends are requiring a bachelor’s degree for a career in teaching at technical colleges and clinical practice in schools or public health programs. Furthermore, in the more traditional sense, a bachelor’s degree is needed for those interested in furthering their education to the graduate level. This program allows licensed dental hygienists to continue their education through a career completion pathway. 

Program Objective

• Dental Hygiene Foundational Knowledge. Students will be able to discuss the current and emerging trends in dental hygiene practice, particularly as it relates to the welfare of patients, the advanced role of the dental hygienist, and models of practice that meet workforce development needs.
• Integration of Dental Hygiene Science and Therapy - Students will participate in interdisciplinary teams and successfully contribute using critical thinking skills for the integration of dental science and therapy
• Dental Hygiene Evidence-Based Practice - Students will integrate evidenced-based practice to produce positive patient outcomes.
• Competency in Advocacy, Leadership, and Vulnerable Populations - Students will have an understanding of ethical and legal principles and their application through advocacy, leadership, and cultural competency in the dental sciences industry.

Health Informatics

https://lewis.gsu.edu/health-informatics/

The Mission of this concentration is to prepare graduates to address the expanding complex information technology needs of our healthcare system.

The Goals of the program are as follows:

• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will understand the systems and processes associated with health informatics in the areas of Clinical Informatics; Health Information Technology; and Health Administration Management.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will be able to analyze and draw relevant conclusions associated with health informatics in the areas of Clinical Informatics; Health Information Technology; and Health Administration Management.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will understand the role of and be able to effectively work in the health information, technology and administration industry.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will be able to function as an effective member of a successful interdisciplinary healthcare team.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will be an effective critical thinker.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will be an effective oral and written communicator.

The Learning Outcomes are the following:

• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will be able to analyze and evaluate the systems and processes associated with health informatics in the areas of Clinical Informatics; Health Information Technology; and Health Administration Management.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will demonstrate the ability to effectively function in multifunction teams operating in the field.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will present their analysis and evaluations of health information systems and processes as an integrated part of the health information industry and a larger health care system.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will use critical thinking in their decision processes.
• A student graduating with a B.I.S. degree in Health Informatics will demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.

Health Sciences

https://lewis.gsu.edu/health-sciences/

The primary mission of a B.I.S. degree in Health Sciences is to prepare undergraduate students to successful career opportunities in the wide-ranging area of health sciences. A secondary mission is to prepare students to further their education in a graduate professional program of health science study.

The Goals of the program are as follows:

• The goal of this new degree option is to provide students with an opportunity to gain foundational, contextual, and interactional competencies in Health Sciences that will support their future goals of engaging in a  professional health-related career.

The Learning Outcomes are the following:

• Students will be able to discuss the current and emerging requirements for providers in the health professions, particularly as it relates to workforce development and needs.
• Students will participate in interdisciplinary teams with students in the health professions and successfully contribute as part of an interdisciplinary unit.
• Students will consult health-related journals and identify scientific articles that address their needs and interest and summarize the main points of the work consulted.
• Students will have an understanding of ethical principles and their application in the healthcare industry. Students will be able to describe health enterprise and the business practices that drive the healthcare industry to a wellness industry.
• Students will participate in a Georgia State University Signature or Study Abroad experience related to health sciences.

The focus of the program will be in the area of Rehabilitation Sciences.

Programs

• Dental Hygiene, B.S.
• Health Informatics, B.I.S.
• Health Sciences, B.I.S.