Dental Hygienist

OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

 

Who is the licensing body responsible for Dental Hygienists in Alberta?

In Alberta, you must be registered with the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta to practice as a Dental Hygienist. Only registered members may call themselves Dental Hygienist. 

What are the requirements for internationally educated Dental Hygienists?

Internationally educated dental hygienists must: 

1. Write and successfully achieve the required passing score on the National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination.
2. Apply to the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta.    

What is the role of the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board NDHCB? http://www.ndeb.ca

The NDHCB is the agency responsible for the development and administration of the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam.  The written NDHCE tests the candidate's ability to apply his/her knowledge as a beginning practitioner to solve oral health care problems and answer questions related to dental hygiene practice. The examination is based on dental hygiene competencies.  

An applicant who is a graduate of a dental hygiene program that was not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA/CODA), on the date of the applicant’s graduation, may apply to write the NDHCE following verification of eligibility by the NDHCB Application Committee. Graduates of non-accredited dental hygiene programs must meet the education and documentation requirements (found on the NDHCB website) before an evaluation of their dental hygiene academic credentials is initiated.

Tips for completing the application form: 

• Applicants are encouraged to be aware of exam registration deadlines, exam criteria, exam fee, exam frequency exam location and, the turnaround time for exam results.  
• For documents requiring notarization, a notary public can be found in the Yellow pages.
• A certified English translation must accompany documents which are not in English or French. The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta provides translation services. 

For applicants who graduated from a program outside of Canada or the United States, a report for educational credential evaluation is required. The following credentialing agencies are approved by the NDHCB:


Successful completion of the NDHCE results in the issuance of the National Certificate Part A (written). This enables the holder to obtain registration or licensure to practice dental hygiene in those Canadian provinces and territories that require it (Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan), providing all other requirements by regulatory authorities are also met. 

What are the registration requirements with the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta?

Applicants must: 

• Successfully pass and achieve the required passing score on the National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination.
• Submit an International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) evaluation. 
• For additional registration information read: Registration Information for Graduates of Non-Accredited Dental Hygiene Programs (Substantial Equivalence) pdf.   

Note: All applicants are evaluated on an individual basis. Applicants are encouraged to contact the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta for further information and an application form. 

What are the educational requirements for Dental Hygienists in Alberta?

(Note: Licensing bodies compare international education and experience to Canadian standards) 

In Alberta, the University of Alberta offers a Dental Hygiene diploma program and a four year Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Dental Hygiene specialization program. 

Additional Occupational Information

For more information on occupations, duties and wages, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service at www.alis.alberta.ca and Immigrate to Alberta website. 

What resources are available for Dental Hygienists in Alberta?

College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta, (CRDHA registration page)                website: http://www.crdha.ca

Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) website: http://www.cdha.ca 

Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: www.hsaa.ca