Regulation

Regulatory Process in Canada

In order to practise in Canada, dental hygienists must be registered with the appropriate provincial or territorial dental hygiene regulatory authority. To register after graduation from a dental hygiene program, contact your provincial or territorial regulatory authority for the process you need to follow. The requirements and the order in which they must be met may vary depending on the province or territory and whether you have graduated from an accredited program or a non-accredited program.

This section is a generalized look at the licensing process in Canada; each province is responsible for, and is the best resource for, information about regulation in their province.

Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Programs

See CDHA's list of dental hygiene degree, diploma, and non-accredited programs.

Dental hygiene programs seeking accreditation must be assessed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC). The accreditation process assesses the program's curriculum and outcomes, physical facilities, faculty complement, and the preparation of students for dental hygiene practice in accordance with CDAC's national accreditation requirements. The accreditation process for new programs generally takes about twelve months to complete.

Because of the nature of the accreditation process, new programs will admit students and begin instruction before applying for accreditation. This is because the program must have students and be running before the assessment by the CDAC can begin. New programs may—but are not required to—apply for accreditation before admitting students. However, it is only when students are enrolled in the final year of the program that CDAC will conduct an accreditation site visit to review the new program. Interested in the accreditation process for dental hygiene programs and schools? Check out "Accreditation Requirements for Dental Hygiene Programs," available on the CDA website

The Regulatory Process for Graduates of Non-Accredited Dental Hygiene Programs

Graduates of non-accredited programs may become licensed and registered dental hygienists. First, the graduate must apply to the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board for academic evaluation to determine the graduate’s eligibility to write the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam (NDHCE). While successful completion of the NDHCE is not required by all provincial and territorial dental hygiene regulatory authorities in order to apply for licensure and registration, it is recommended. Having the NDHCE certificate will increase mobility for the dental hygienist, making relocation to another province or territory much easier. The process after successful completion of the NDHCE varies depending on the province and the situation. There are three possibilities:

• Some provinces require the successful completion of a practical exam.
• Some provinces conduct an individual assessment based on the dental hygiene program the graduate has completed, and require a clinical exam only if the program is found to be unsatisfactory.
• In some provinces, graduates of non-accredited dental hygiene programs may not be eligible to apply for licensure and registration, with the exception of dental hygienists who have been practising in another province or territory and are eligible for registration under the labour mobility agreement. This is currently an evolving issue in dental hygiene. The end goal is for all dental hygiene regulatory authorities to have mechanisms for assessing graduates of non-accredited programs. Contacting your regulatory authority for the most recent information is therefore your best option.

Students and graduates of a non-accredited dental hygiene program should contact the dental hygiene regulatory authority in the province they wish to practise in, as the requirements for initial licensure and registration are determined by the regulatory authority (see contact information).