All initial applications for registration must be submitted through the online application process. As of June 16, 2023, paper-based applications are no longer accepted by the College and will be returned to the applicant.
Please contact the College if you have any questions.
In order to be eligible to apply as a new graduate, applicants must:
Click the button to download the new graduate application information. Please read the application information document carefully and in its entirety to ensure that you have submitted all required documentation.
New Graduate Application Information
Initial Registration Checklist
The University of Alberta Dental Hygiene Program is the Council-approved program in Alberta, as it teaches to the full scope of practice in Alberta. It serves as the benchmark program of study for all applicants for registration. Under section 5 of the Dental Hygienist Profession Regulation, when graduates from schools other than the U of A submit an application for registration, the College compares the qualifications and competencies required for graduation from that school to the qualifications and competencies required for graduation from the U of A program to determine if the other school is substantially equivalent to the U of A. This is done through a program review. The results of the review usually apply to cohorts that graduate within the 3 years after the graduation date of the program reviewed.
For example, if the College reviewed the dental hygiene program of a school whose students graduated in June of 2018 and found it to be substantially equivalent to the U of A program, applicants who graduated from that school between June 2018 and May 2021 would be eligible to apply directly to the College for registration. An application from an individual who graduated from that program after June 2021 would trigger a new program review. The College may, at its sole discretion, conduct program reviews more frequently.
The outcome of a program review is not guaranteed based on the previous review. The substantial equivalency of a program may change before an individual graduates, depending on when the last review was completed and how long the program is.
An applicant from a dental hygiene program that has been determined to be not substantially equivalent to the U of A program will be required to successfully complete the CPEDH.
Click the button for more information about the CPEDH.
In addition to the documentation listed in the Requirements for Registration section, new graduate applicants are also required to provide the following documentation with their application:
If you hold current certification, licensure, or registration in good standing to practice as dental hygiene in another Canadian jurisdiction, your application will be considered under Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and provincial trade and labour mobility agreements, as well as Section 4 of the Regulation, which deals with equivalent jurisdictions.
You must hold active registration in another Canadian jurisdiction to be eligible to apply under this policy.
Click the button to download the application information for dental hygienists practicing in other Canadian jurisdictions. Please read the application information document carefully and in its entirety to ensure you have submitted all required documentation.
Initial Registration Checklist
If you apply for registration under this policy, you must complete the employment history section and provide supporting documents for this information. The supporting documents could be a signed letter from a current or previous employer or copies of Records of Employment (ROEs).
The College may impose additional training, experience, examinations, or assessments as a condition of registration if you cannot provide evidence of currency of practice.
In addition to the documentation listed in the Requirements for Registration section, the following documentation is required for CFTA applications:
You must apply for registration under this policy if you are a dental hygienist whose dental hygiene program was located outside of Canada or the United States, or was not accredited in Canada (CDAC) or the United States (CODA) at the time of your graduation. Under section 5 of the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation, the College will need to determine substantial equivalence of your qualifications.
Note: Internationally trained dentists cannot be authorized to work as dental hygienists in Alberta unless they have completed a dental hygiene education program.
Click the button to download the substantial equivalence application information. Please read the application information document carefully and in its entirety to ensure you have submitted all required documentation.
Internationally Trained Application Information
Initial Registration Checklist
All internationally trained dental hygienists will be required to successfully complete both the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam (NDHCE) and the Canadian Performance Exam in Dental Hygiene (CPEDH). Both exams are administered by the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada. Click the button below for information about the Federation and these exams.
In addition, you must provide the following along with your application for registration:
International Qualifications Assessment Service
If you have started the application process and are having difficulties with the system, please click the button below for trouble-shooting tips.