Interested in a career in dental health but not as a dentist? The Dental Hygiene Study Program (PSHG) at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM), can be the right choice. Through this program, students learn how to maintain, prevent, and improve community dental and oral health using promotive and preventive approaches.
The Dental Hygiene Study Program at FKG UGM has a vision of becoming a pioneer in higher education for dental hygiene that produces graduates who are excellent, innovative, and have integrity. “We aim to produce professional personnel with a humanitarian spirit who make real contributions to public health,” explained Bekti Nur Aini, S.Kp.G., MPH, while presenting the study program profile at the Dentistry Open Day 2025 event on Saturday (1/11).
In the learning process, PSHG students not only attend theoretical lectures, but also engage in field practice, project-based internships, Community Service Programs (KKN), and research. The curriculum is designed using an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) approach, ensuring that each graduate possesses skills aligned with the needs of the workforce.
This program excels in the development of dental hygiene science with a focus on the prevention of oral diseases, health promotion among vulnerable groups, and the utilization of the latest technologies integrated with research and community service.
FKG UGM also maintains international collaborations with various overseas universities such as Niigata University and Tokushima University in Japan, as well as Dankook University in South Korea. These partnerships open opportunities for students to participate in summer courses, research, and joint academic activities abroad.
Graduates of the PSHG FKG UGM have broad career prospects, both domestically and internationally. They can work as health promoters, clinic administrators, public health program planners, researchers, academics, and entrepreneurs in the health sector. Several alumni have pursued careers at the Ministry of Health, BPJS Kesehatan, hospitals, regional health offices, and have continued their studies abroad at institutions such as Yonsei University in South Korea and Songkla University in Thailand.
PSHG students are also actively achieving accomplishments in various national and international competitions. In 2025, PSHG teams successfully won second place in the Petrolida Business Case Competition (International) and Progressio Comps, as well as several other national awards.
Bekti revealed that the spirit of learning at FKG UGM is not only about understanding theory, but also about building a commitment to continuous development. According to her, the most important quality prospective students should have is the willingness to go through the process consistently. “Learning is important, but what matters most is intention and consistency. If you truly want to be part of FKG UGM, just believe and keep moving forward in the process,” she concluded.
Author and Photographer: Fajar Budi Harsakti
