Substantial Equivalence Explained
A Council-approved program is required to teach to the full scope of practice in Alberta. Currently, the University of Alberta (U of A) Dental Hygiene Program is the only Council-approved program in Alberta, and serves as the benchmark program of study for all applicants for registration. Although the U of A currently only offers a degree-level education program, the benchmark used by the College compares to the diploma-level.
Under the authority of section 5(1) of the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation, when graduates from programs that are not Council-approved submit an application for registration, the College conducts a Substantial Equivalence Program Review of the applicant's program. This review compares the qualifications and competencies required for graduation from the applicant's program to the qualifications and competencies required for graduation from the benchmark program to determine if the applicant's program is substantially equivalent.
Substantial Equivalence Program Reviews
In order to assist with determining substantial equivalence, the College conducts substantial equivalence program reviews every three years, or more frequently as required. The results of the review are then generally applied to individuals who graduate up to three years following the graduation date of the cohort for which the program review was completed.
For example, if the College reviewed a dental hygiene education program whose students graduated in June of 2024 and found the program for that cohort to be substantially equivalent to the U of A program, the ACDH could accordingly determine that applicants who graduated from that program between June 2024 and May 2027 have the entry-level competencies required to practice safely in Alberta. An application from an individual who graduated from that program after May 2027 would require a new program review.
There are three possible outcomes of a program review:
- The program is determined to be substantially equivalent:
- This means the qualifications of graduates of the program sufficiently meets the benchmark requirements.
- The program is determined to be substantially equivalent with deficiencies:
- This means the qualifications of graduates of the program meet most of the benchmark requirements. These deficiencies alone would not prevent applicants from being registered in Alberta, however, the College would recommend that individuals seek out additional mentorship, guidance, and continuing education activities to support them in their practice of dental hygiene.
- The program is determined to be not substantially equivalent:
- This means the qualifications of graduates of the program do not sufficiently meet the benchmark requirements to demonstrate entry-level competence to practice dental hygiene safely in Alberta.
The outcome of a program review is not guaranteed based on the previous review. The substantial equivalency of a program, as determined by ACDH, may change before an individual graduates, depending on when the last review was completed and the duration of the education program.
The ACDH typically initiates substantial equivalence program reviews on behalf of applicants and asks dental hygiene education programs to participate in this process every three years. The College will initiate the request when a new review is triggered, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the information is provided by their school. The ACDH reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to conduct program reviews more frequently.
Current Program Status
To find out if a program is currently substantially equivalent, please refer to the list in the "Current Substantial Equivalence Status of Dental Hygiene Education Programs" section below. If you have questions about the substantial equivalence program review process, please contact the Registration Team.
The table below lists the dental hygiene programs that are currently either substantially equivalent (SE) or substantially equivalent with some deficiencies (SE-D). Please refer to the section above for descriptions of the possible outcomes.
| Program |
Outcome |
Next Review Due |
| APlus Institute |
SE-D |
December 2026 |
| Cambrian College |
SE-D |
December 2026 |
| Canadian Academy of Dental Health & Community Sciences (CADH) |
SE-D |
December 2027 |
| Canadore College |
SE-D |
May 2027 |
| Confederation College |
SE-D |
April 2027 |
| Dalhousie University |
SE |
May 2026 |
| Durham College |
SE-D |
October 2026 |
| Georgian College |
SE-D |
December 2026 |
| Oulton College |
SE-D |
June 2026 |
| Oxford College |
SE-D |
November 2027 |
| Saskatchewan Polytechnic |
SE |
June 2027 |
| Vancouver Island University (VIU) |
SE |
April 2026 |
Please note: The outcome of a program review is not guaranteed based on the previous review. The substantial equivalency of a dental hygiene education program, as determined by the ACDH, may change before an individual graduates, depending on when the last review was completed and the duration of the education program.
The ACDH will only disclose the outcome of a program review. Details about an individual program review will only be disclosed to designated contacts of that program.
Below is a list of schools that were previously determined to be substantially equivalent, however, new applications for registration from graduates of these programs will require a substantial equivalence program review before a decision can be made.
- Camosun College (this review is in progress)
- College of New Caledonia
- George Brown College
- Fanshawe College
- John Abbott College
- Niagara College
- St. Clair College
- Southern Ontario Dental College (SODC) (this review is in progress)
- University of British Columbia
- University of Manitoba
- Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene (VCDH)
- Vancouver Community College (VCC)
If you have questions about a program that is not on either of the lists above, please contact the Registration Team.
If a dental hygiene education program is determined to not be substantially equivalent to the benchmark program, a new graduate applicant from that program is welcome to apply directly after graduation, but is required to demonstrate substantial equivalence of their individual qualifications in addition to the requirements listed in the Registration Information for New Graduates of Not Substantially Equivalent Dental Hygiene Education Programs document.
However, as per section 5(2) of the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation, the Registrar or Registration Committee may require a new graduate applicant to undergo any examination, testing, assessment, education or training that the Registrar or Registration Committee consider necessary for the applicant to demonstrate that their individual qualifications and competence are substantially equivalent in order to be registered.
For example, an applicant may be required to demonstrate competence by successfully completing a clinical assessment. The requirement for any such examination, testing, assessment, education, or training, will be determined by the ACDH. The applicant is responsible for the costs of assessments, written or clinical examinations, testing, and any additional education or training activities.
Currently, the available assessments are offered through the University of Alberta Continuing Dental Education department (the Clinical Competence Assessment), or the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (the Canadian Performance Examination in Dental Hygiene).
Substantial equivalence program reviews and accreditation are separate assessments of a dental hygiene education program. The ACDH does not determine the accreditation of a program. However, the ACDH considers the accreditation status of a dental hygiene education program as part of a substantial equivalence program review.
The table below outlines how new graduates of dental hygiene education programs that are not a Council-approved program can demonstrate competence as part of their application for registration:
| Accredited by CDAC or CODA |
Determined to be substantially equivalent by the ACDH |
Demonstration of Competence |
| YES |
YES |
Entry-level competence may be determined by a substantial equivalence program review. |
| YES |
NO |
Applicants may be required to demonstrate entry-level competence by successfully completing additional assessment(s) (e.g., clinical exams) as determined by the ACDH. |
| NO |
NO |
Applicants must provide evidence of successful completion of the CPEDH. |