Prior to becoming a dental hygiene practice owner/operator, address your specific gaps in knowledge or skills and select appropriate professional development to ensure you are knowledgeable and competent in all areas related to owning/operating a dental hygiene practice.
The resources on this page will be updated regularly. Please ensure you are always referring to the most up-to-date version of resources.
If you have any questions about the below information and resources, please contact a Regulatory Advisor.
Learning Resources for Practice Ownership
The College recommends that if you are an RDH interested in becoming a practice owner, you read through the below Occupational Health and Safety resources, Infection Prevention and Control Resources, and Privacy Resources.
The resources on this page are not inclusive of all business requirements that dental hygiene practice owners/operators will encounter. There are many things to consider and review before opening/operating a dental hygiene practice in Alberta.
Please note that the College does not provide accounting, legal, or other advice/consulting related to the setup and operation of your business. Contact the appropriate professionals for these topics.
The College encourages you to complete the following Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Learning Resources so you are better able to understand how to develop OH&s Policies for your practice. In addition, several key OH&S resources are included in the Considerations for Dental Hygiene Practice Owners/Operators Document at the bottom of this page.
OH&S Resource Portal (alberta.ca)
WHMIS Information for Workers (Bulletin CH007) (alberta.ca)
OH&S Resource Portal. Tutorials and webinars (alberta.ca)
Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) is dedicated to preventing infections acquired within healthcare facilities.
All dental hygienists are either custodians or affiliates under the HIA and have obligations to properly manage health information. A dental hygienist that owns/operates a dental hygiene practice is likely acting as a custodian for health information. Custodians have responsibilities and duties under the Health Information Act (HIA) for safeguarding client’s health information.
Additional Privacy resources:
If you have specific questions about managing privacy and your privacy impact assessment, contact the Office of the Information and Privacy and Commissioner of Alberta directly:
Toll-Free: 1-888-878-4044
Edmonton office: (780) 422-6860
Calgary office: (403) 297-2728
Ownership Considerations and Notifications
The College has developed two Considerations documents for registrants who who are considering owning or operating their own practice:
Considerations for Dental Hygiene Practice Owners/Operators
Considerations for Practicing Dental Hygiene in a Van or Other Vehicle
Per College Bylaws, practice owners/operators are required to inform the College when opening, operating, acquiring, adding a component to, moving, transferring ownership of, or closing a dental hygiene practice.
Dental Hygiene Notification Form for Practice Owners
Notification Form for Changing a Practice Name
Notification Form for Closing or Transferring Ownership of a Practice
Alberta Health Services Notification
The Alberta Health Personal Services Regulation and Standards ("Regulation and Standards") applies to dental hygiene practices that offer tooth whitening or tooth gems. Alberta Health identifies tooth whitening and tooth gems as personal services. Dental hygienists who offer these services must ensure they are complying with the Regulation and Standards.
If you are currently an owner/operator of a dental hygiene practice, you are required to notify Alberta Health Services if you are currently providing personal services and prior to providing any new personal services.
Read more about the requirements for owners/operators offering personal services.
