FMU Board Approves Dental Hygiene Degree Program
The joint bachelor's program with the Medical University of South Carolina would be the state's first of its kind.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in People
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The Francis Marion University Board of Trustees approved a joint Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene with the Medical University of South Carolina during its quarterly meeting Thursday. The program will be the first bachelor's degree in dental hygiene in South Carolina.
Why it matters
The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Workforce Development has identified dental hygiene as a priority occupation, and the program is intended to meet statewide demand for professionally educated dental hygienists. It also marks a new partnership between a regional university and the state's medical university.
The board unanimously approved a $2,000 holiday bonus for all full-time permanent faculty and staff, an award FMU has given annually for 28 years. The source does not specify how many employees receive the bonus or the total cost to the university.
The players
Francis Marion University Board of Trustees
The governing board of Francis Marion University, a public institution in Florence, South Carolina, which oversees academic programs and campus naming decisions.
Medical University of South Carolina
The state's public academic medical center in Charleston, which partners with Francis Marion University on the joint dental hygiene degree.
Phillip Lowe
A South Carolina state representative who has served District 60 in the State House since 2007 and was honored with a university building named for him.
The details
The board approved a resolution establishing the joint program with the Medical University of South Carolina at its quarterly meeting held Thursday afternoon at The Cottage on FMU's campus. Trustees also named the Phillip D. Lowe Forestry and Environmental Sciences Building for Representative Phillip Lowe and the Dr. Jeremy D. Rentsch Greenhouse in memory of Rentsch, a ten-year member of the FMU Department of Biology faculty.
Timeline
Thursday: Board holds quarterly meeting and approves the dental hygiene program.
2007: Phillip Lowe begins representing District 60 in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
Spring 2027 semester: Phillip D. Lowe Forestry and Environmental Sciences Building is scheduled to open.
May 2027: Floyd Medical Consortium Building in Florence is expected to be completed.
Saturday, December 19, 10 a.m.: Fall commencement is held in the Smith University Center.
Workforce Pipeline
The program follows the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development's designation of dental hygiene as a priority occupation, adding a bachelor's-level route where none previously existed in South Carolina. It positions Francis Marion as a supplier to the state's workforce pipeline in a health field the council has flagged.
Prospective dental hygiene students in South Carolina gain a bachelor's-level option closer to home once the program launches. Students and families considering the field should watch for admissions details, which the board action did not include.
The takeaway
A new in-state bachelor's pathway in dental hygiene addresses a workforce need the state has formally identified, and prospective students should follow the university for enrollment details as the program develops.
What happens next
The Phillip D. Lowe Forestry and Environmental Sciences Building opens in the spring 2027 semester, and the Floyd Medical Consortium Building in Florence is expected to be completed in May 2027.
Further reading
Explore more leadership and campus-naming stories in our People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times and Democrat.
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