If you received your dental hygiene education from an institution that is located outside of Canada of the US, you must apply for initial registration as an internationally trained dental hygienist. The requirements for initial registration as an internationally trained dental hygienist are outlined on this page. Please read the information below about these requirements carefully.
If you have graduated from an accredited or non-accredited dental hygiene program in Canada or the US, please visit the New Graduates of Dental Hygiene Programs page.
If you have questions, please contact the College.
New Graduates of International Dental Hygiene Programs
This section applies to applicants who have graduated from an international dental hygiene program and have never been registered as a dental hygienist in another Canadian jurisdiction.
Applicants from an international dental hygiene program are required to successfully complete the Canadian Performance Examination in Dental Hygiene (CPEDH) as part of a complete application. Visit the FDHRC's CPEDH webpage to find more information about the exam.
As part of the required online application form, applicants must enter or upload the following:
- Applicant personal information, including contact and demographic information.
- Dental hygiene education program information
- Equivalency assessment report, including an official transcript, must be uploaded to the form (this is a mandatory requirement in this situation).
- Information about any current or previous professional healthcare registrations such as a dental assistant, nurse, paramedic, or dentist, etc.
- NDHCE completion information
- Applicants must upload a completion certificate into the form.
- CPEDH completion information (this is a mandatory requirement in this situation)
- Applicants must upload a completion certificate into the form.
- Answers to questions about primary language and language in which applicants intend to practice
- Applicants must only provide language proficiency test results if their dental hygiene education and exams were NOT done in English
- If required, applicants must upload language proficiency results into the form.
- Information about which, if any, advanced restricted activities the applicant may be eligible to apply for authorization for.
- Additional post-secondary education information
- Completion information from the “Protecting Patients from Sexual Abuse and Misconduct” e-learning course
- Applicants must upload a completion certificate into the form.
- Information about current CPR certification that meets the requirements listed in section 2 of the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy
- Information about Professional Liability Insurance (PLI) that meets the requirements listed in section 3 of the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy
- Applicants must upload PLI certificate(s) into the form.
- Request to take the Jurisprudence exam modules
- Applicants will be given access to and must complete the modules.
- College staff will then receive and upload the completion certificate. The learning management system will automatically send a completion certificate to the College, applicants do not need to send a copy to the College.
- Answers to Good Character and Fitness to Practice declarations and the statutory declaration
- Applicants must obtain and submit a vulnerable sector check to the College that meets the requirements listed in section 4 in the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy.
- Applicants must provide the VSC to the College. College staff will then upload the document to the application.
- Applicants must upload 2 pieces of government-issued identification
- Applicants must type their full name as their signature.
Please note: All uploaded documents and information provided must be verifiable by the College. The College may contact third parties such as educational institutions, regulatory bodies, agencies, or employers to verify documentation or the information provided in an application for registration.
Reference: Health Professions Act (HPA) – Sections 28, 29.1, 33(4)(b)
Reference: Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation – Sections 3, 5
Internationally Trained RDH Application Information
Initial Registration Checklist
Start the Application Process
Fees for New Graduates of International Dental Hygiene Programs
Applicants are required to submit the non-refundable $350 application fee when they submit their application for registration.
When an application for registration is approved, the applicant must pay the Permit Fee before the College can enter their name on the General Register and issue a unique Registration Number and Practice Permit. The application and initial permit fees are as follows:
| Application Type |
Application Fee |
Practice Permit Fee |
TOTAL |
|
New international dental hygiene program graduate
(Applying within 12 months of graduation)
|
$350
|
$350
|
$700 |
|
New international dental hygiene program graduate
(Applying more than 12 months after graduation)
|
$350
|
$599
|
$949 |
More information about Council-approved fees can be found on the Fee Schedule page on our website.
FAQs for New Graduates of International Dental Hygiene Programs
The HPA requires that applicants are either a Canadian citizen or lawfully permitted to work in Canada. The ACDH does not require evidence of this at initial registration, however, it is expected that applicants and registrants meet this requirement and maintain their eligibility to practice in Canada if necessary.
An equivalency assessment provides an assessment of your studies in Canadian terms. This assists the ACDH in understanding your educational background.
You can obtain an assessment though:
The CPEDH is the Canadian Performance Examination in Dental Hygiene. It’s a clinical exam administered by the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC). Find more information about the exam here: www.fdrhc.ca/pages/cpedh.
Applicants who received their dental hygiene education outside of Canada or the US must provide evidence of successful completion of the CPEDH as part of their application for registration.
Applicants in this situation are not required to take the CPEDH before applying. However, an application for registration will not be considered complete without evidence of successful completion of the CPEDH.
No. Under our legislation, internationally trained dentists cannot be authorized to work as dental hygienists in Alberta unless they have completed a dental hygiene education program. Please refer to the What is A Dental Hygienist page of our website for more information about education, practice, and employment opportunities.
Reference: Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation - Section 3(1)(a)
For more information about application timelines, processes, and next steps, visit the general Registration FAQs webpage.
For more information about maintaining your registration and the annual renewal process, visit the Maintaining Your Registration webpage.
Internationally Trained Dental Hygienists Working Outside of Canada
This section applies to internally trained dental hygienists who have been working internationally.
Applicants from an international dental hygiene program are required to successfully complete the Canadian Performance Examination in Dental Hygiene (CPEDH) as part of a complete application. Visit the FDHRC's CPEDH webpage to find more information about the exam.
As part of the required online application form, applicants must enter or upload the following:
- Applicant personal information, including contact and demographic information.
- Dental hygiene education program information
- Equivalency assessment report, including an official transcript, must be uploaded to the form (mandatory requirement in this situation).
- Information about any current or previous professional healthcare registrations such as a dental assistant, nurse, paramedic, or dentist, etc.
- NDHCE completion information
- Applicants must upload a completion certificate into the form.
- CPEDH completion information (mandatory requirement in this situation)
- Applicants must upload a completion certificate into the form.
- Answers to questions about primary language and language in which applicants intend to practice
- Applicants must only provide language proficiency test results if their dental hygiene education and exams were NOT done in English
- If required, applicants must upload language proficiency results into the form.
- Information about which, if any, advanced restricted activities the applicant may be eligible to apply for authorization for.
- Additional post-secondary education information
- Completion information from the “Protecting Patients from Sexual Abuse and Misconduct” e-learning course
- Applicants must upload a completion certificate into the form.
- Information about current CPR certification that meets the requirements listed in section 2 of the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy
- Information about Professional Liability Insurance (PLI) that meets the requirements listed in section 3 of the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy
- Applicants must upload PLI certificate(s) into the form.
- Request to take the Jurisprudence exam modules
- Applicants will be given access to and must complete the modules.
- College staff will then receive and upload the completion certificate. The learning management system will automatically send a completion certificate to the College, applicants do not need to send a copy to the College.
- Answers to Good Character and Fitness to Practice declarations and the statutory declaration
- Applicants must obtain and submit a vulnerable sector check to the College that meets the requirements listed in section 4 in the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy.
- Applicants must provide the VSC to the College. College staff will then upload the document to the application.
- Applicants must upload 2 pieces of government-issued identification
- Applicants must type their full name as their signature.
Please note: All uploaded documents and information provided must be verifiable by the College. The College may contact third parties such as educational institutions, regulatory bodies, agencies, or employers to verify documentation or the information provided in an application for registration.
Reference: Health Professions Act (HPA) – Sections 28, 29.1, 33(4)(b)
Reference: Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation – Sections 3, 5
Internationally Trained RDH Application Information
Initial Registration Checklist
Start the Application Process
Fees for Internationally Trained Dental Hygienists Working Outside of Canada
Applicants will be required to submit the non-refundable $350 application fee.
When an application for registration is approved, the applicant must pay the $599 Permit Fee before the College can enter their name on the General Register and issue a unique Registration Number and Practice Permit. The breakdown of fees is as follows:
|
Application Type
|
Application Fee
|
Permit Fee
|
TOTAL
|
|
Internationally trained dental hygienists working outside of Canada
|
$350
|
$599
|
$949
|
More information about Council-approved fees can be found on the Fee Schedule page on our website.
FAQs for Internationally Trained Dental Hygienists Working Outside of Canada
The HPA requires that applicants are either a Canadian citizen or lawfully permitted to work in Canada. The ACDH does not require evidence of this at initial registration, however, it is expected that applicants and registrants meet this requirement and maintain their eligibility to practice in Canada if necessary.
An equivalency assessment provides an assessment of your studies in Canadian terms. This assists the ACDH in understanding your educational background.
You can obtain an assessment though:
The CPEDH is the Canadian Performance Examination in Dental Hygiene. It’s a clinical exam administered by the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC). Find more information about the exam here: www.fdrhc.ca/pages/cpedh.
Applicants who received their dental hygiene education outside of Canada or the US must provide evidence of successful completion of the CPEDH as part of their application for registration.
Applicants in this situation are not required to take the CPEDH before applying. However, an application for registration will not be considered complete without evidence of successful completion of the CPEDH.
For more information about application timelines, processes, and next steps, visit the general Registration FAQs webpage.
For more information about maintaining your registration and the annual renewal process, visit the Maintaining Your Registration webpage.
