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Canada
Information to work in this country is available from
Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
1122 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON, K1Y 2Y7
Tel: +1 613 224 5515 • Fax: +1 613 224 7283 • Email: info@cdha.ca
Web: www.cdha.ca
Procedures and/or documents that are necessary to be able to work in this country
The general entry requirements to practice dental hygiene in Canada are graduation from an accredited dental hygiene programme in a post-secondary educational institution.
Dental hygiene is a self regulated profession in most Canadian provinces and registration is a provincial responsibility. To protect public interest, provincial legislation confers powers to the profession to regulate the practice of dental hygiene. A certificate of registration to practice is issued only to those who meet established standards of qualification and practice.
Persons eligible for dental hygiene registration must have graduated from a dental hygiene program Graduates of Dentistry programs are not eligible for dental hygiene registration.
Official licensing body in the country
Dental hygienists are regulated provincially. Listed below are licensing bodies for each province.
Alberta
The College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta
302, 8675 — 51 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6E 6A8
Tel: +1 780 465 1756 • Fax: +1 780 440 0544 • Email: info@crdha.ca
Web: www.crdha.ca
British Columbia
College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia
645 Fort Street, Suite 219, Victoria, BC V8W 1G2
Tel: +1 250 383 4101 • Fax: +1 250 383 4144 • Email: cdhbc@cdhbc.com
Manitoba
College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba (CDHM)
109-420 Des Meurons Street, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2N9
Tel: 204-219-2678 • Fax: 204-219-2679 • E-Mail: registrar@cdhm.info
New Brunswick
College of Dental Hygienists (NBCDH)
120 rue High Street Suite #209, Moncton, NB, E1C 6B5
Tel: 1-506-872-3133 • E-mail: nbdentalhygienists@bellaliant.com
Web: www.nbcdh.ca
Newfoundland
Registrar, Newfoundland and Labrador Council of Health Professionals
Suite 121, 510 Topsail Road, St. John's NL A1E 2C2
Tel: (709) 745-7304 or 1-855-863-8616 • Fax: (709) 745-0877 • Email: contact@nlchp.ca
Web: www.nlchp.ca
Northwest Territories
Dept. of Health and Social Services, Government of NWT
Box 1320, Centre Square Tower, 8th Floor, Yellowknife, NWT X1A 2L9
Tel: +1 867 920 8058 • Fax: +1 867 873 0484 • Email: Jeanette-Hall@gov.nt.ca
Nova Scotia
College of Dental Hygienists of Nova Scotia
26 – 2625 Joseph Howe Drive, Halifax, NS, B3L 4G4
Tel: 902-444-7241 • Fax: 902-444-7242 • E-Mail: info@cdhns.ca
Web: http://www.cdhns.ca
Ontario
College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario
69 Bloor Street East, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M4W 1A9
Tel: +1 416 961 6234 • Fax: +1 416 961 6028 • Email: admin@cdho.org
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island Dental Council
184 Belvedere Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 2Z1
Tel/Fax: +1 902 892 4470
Québec
Ordre des hygiènistes dentaires du Québec
1290 rue St-Denis, bureau 300, Montréal, QC H2X 3J7
Tel: +1 514 284 7639 • Fax: +1 514 284 3147 • Email: info@ohdq.com
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists Association
PO Box 32039, RPO Victoria Square, Regina, SK S4N 7L2
Tel: +1 306 721 7342 • Fax: +1 306 721 1583 • Email: sdha@sk.sympatico.ca
Yukon Territories
National Health and Welfare Department
Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Territories Y1A 2C6
Tel: +1 867 667 5111 • Fax: +1 867 667 3609 • Email: carol.cameron@gov.yk.ca
Special conditions that may apply for hygienists that obtain employment
Dental hygienists are regulated provincially. Consequently, prospective immigrants are advised to contact the licensing/regulatory board of the jurisdiction where they intend to practice, in order to ascertain specific entry requirements.
Contact for Work Permit and/or Visa
The Canadian Embassy/Consulate in the country of residence.
Main local and/or official language(s)
English and French, depending on the province of residence and practice. Proficiency in speaking and writing both languages, depending on the usage in the area is generally a requirement.
Are hygienists qualified overseas required to sit the country's national examination?
All dental hygiene graduates applying to dental hygiene regulatory authorities for registration in Canada must have first successfully completed the National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination (NDHCE).
Graduates from foreign 2 year dental hygiene programs, recognized in the country of graduation, may apply and pay the evaluation fee to the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board (NDHCB) to have academic qualifications assessed for eligibility to sit the NDHCE. Only applicants who have successfully fulfilled the academic requirements, as determined by the NDHCB, may write the NDHCE.
The NDHCE consists of a written examination offered three times a year in several different cities across Canada only. Eligible applicants must submit an examination application and pay an examination fee to the NDHCB.
Upon successful completion of the examination and any additional requirements of individual provinces, applicants are eligible to apply for registration in their preferred province. Applicants are responsible for all fees associated with the credentialling and licensing processes.
Applicants whose curriculum vitae and supporting documents are not in either of Canada's two official languages must provide certified translations of the same. For information on the complete list of documents required for review, contact:
National Dental Hygiene Certification Board
PO Box 58006, Orleans ON K1C 7H4, Canada
Tel: +1 613 837 2727
Fax: +1 613 837 6971
Email: exam@ndhcb.ca
www.ndhcb.ca
Information on the local working environment
Although future demand for preventive oral health services is likely to increase as the population ages, the employment outlook for dental hygienists will remain limited, due to ongoing fiscal health policy and current oversupply of practitioners.
Links to related web sites:
Country Statistics
| Total Population | 35,000,000 |
| Number of Dental Hygienists, Female / Male | 21,000 / 500 |
| Number of Dentists | 19,000 |
| Number of Dental Hygiene Schools / Students per year | 32 / 1400 |
| Practicing Dental Hygienists: Full-time / Part-time | 16,000 / 5,000 |
| Number of Dental Hygienists in private sector / public sector | 85% / 15% |
| Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Educators | 500 |
| Hygienists practicing as Administrators and/or Consultants | 200 |
| Number of Dental Hygienists in other practice settings | 250 |
Information based on data received by IFDH in
2014
