The Alberta College of Dental Hygienists (ACDH) is the regulatory body for the dental hygienist profession in Alberta. A regulatory college’s job is to protect the public from unsafe practice and hold registrants of the profession accountable for the care they provide.
A college’s authority is granted by the Government of Alberta under the Health Professions Act (HPA). The HPA is the legislative framework through which regulatory colleges partner with government to establish standard processes for registration, continuing competency, complaints and discipline. The HPA also requires provision of professional standards of practice and codes of ethics.
Through these processes and provisions, the HPA ensures that health professionals maintain high standards of competency, safety and ethics, and provide Albertans with safe, high quality care.
The HPA requires that colleges carry out their governance responsibilities in a manner that protects and serves the public interest. This is unlike professional associations, which usually work to advance the interests of a profession or its members.
Our Mandate
To ensure Alberta dental hygienists have the knowledge, skills, attitude, and judgment to provide safe, effective, ethical and beneficial oral healthcare services to the Alberta public.
Our Purpose
We are committed to supporting all Albertans in their health and wellness journey through the achievement of oral health regulatory excellence.
Our Vision
We are leaders in proactively advancing regulation and protecting the public through the provision of safe, quality oral health for all Albertans.
Our Values
Accountable – We value individual and organizational accountability by accepting responsibility for our decisions and actions.
Transparent – We are committed to open and clear policies, procedures, and communication.
Collaborative – We value collaboration to create new ideas, enhance opportunities, and build relationships.
Integrity – We promote an environment of trust by demonstrating consistent, fair, and honest communication and behaviour.
2020 - 2024 College Strategic Plan
Objectives:
- Ensure organizational capacity to anticipate and respond to external changes (e.g. government requirements) and future challenges with agility, resilience and openness
- Developing and implementing strategies to mitigate known or perceived risks
- Using data to evaluate effectiveness of current programs and identify areas to enhance regulatory effectiveness
- Enhancing regulatory policies using evidence-based best practices to support registrants in providing safe quality oral healthcare
Objectives:
- Identifying, understanding, communicating, and collaborating effectively with key organizations and stakeholders
- Sharing information and consulting broadly with the public and other stakeholders
- Being a trusted voice and sought out as a valued partner and resource regarding health policy
- Look for opportunities to elevate the profile of the College within government and healthcare officials or organizations (e.g. Alberta Health Services), with the goal of becoming a trusted advisor
Objectives:
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Continue to improve professional communications to educate and inform the public and other key stakeholders about the role of the College and the dental hygiene broad scope of practice
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Increase efforts to improve engagement of registrants by identifying opportunities for involvement in the work of the College
Objectives:
- Governance policies are clearly defined and monitored
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Ensure that the Council is well-informed and empowered
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Providing support for Council and staff to be knowledgeable and competent in all matters of professional regulation and good governance
- Frequent strategic discussions with Council to address issues related to regulation, risks, and changes to the oral health profession
