Answers to frequently asked questions and links to additional resources for registered dental hygienists.
While the College does not offer specific directives or guidelines for individualized care delivery, it does provide Standards of Practice and Guidelines to serve as foundational frameworks for decision-making. Standards and guidelines emphasize the integration of evidence-informed approaches into clinical practice, ensuring the provision of safe and effective care.
Per the Evidence-Informed Practice Standard of Practice, dental hygienists seek, promote, support, and incorporate an evidence-informed approach in their practice. Dental Hygienists “access and critically evaluate current, credible, and relevant evidence from reliable sources and apply appropriate evidence when providing dental hygiene services, using critical thinking and professional judgment.”
Use these resources to learn how to effectively integrate evidence-informed practices into your practice:
Read more evidence-informed research on dental hygiene practice:
Please note:
This is not an exhaustive list of resources. There are many other sources that dental hygienists can use to find evidence-informed research. When using external sources to inform your practice, ensure that you critically evaluate whether the source is current, credible, relevant, and reliable.” Read the Evidence-Informed Practice Standard of Practice for more information.
If you plan to use social media as a tool to locate evidence-informed research, please remember that not all information on social media is accurate or evidence-informed. As a healthcare professional, you need to critically appraise the information you encounter and verify it through reputable sources before integrating it into your practice. Although social media can be a valuable tool for you to stay informed and connected, it should be used judiciously and in conjunction with other reputable sources of evidence.
The practice of dental hygiene in Alberta includes diagnosing oral health conditions. Schedule 5 of the Health Professions Act (HPA) states that dental hygienists “assess, diagnose and treat oral health conditions through the provision of therapeutic, educational and preventive dental hygiene procedures and strategies to promote wellness”. You are accountable for any diagnosis you make as a regulated health professional.
In Alberta, dental hygienists who have the appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and judgment to diagnose caries are permitted to do so as part of their practice of dental hygiene. Caries are considered an oral health condition that dental hygienists in Alberta with the appropriate competency are able to diagnose. A dental hygienist is responsible for self-assessing and determining whether they are competent to diagnose caries and must limit their practice if they are not. If a dental hygienist diagnoses caries, the ACDH Standard of Practice for Clinical Therapy indicates that they must use critical thinking and professional judgment to interpret assessment data, determine a diagnosis and prognosis, and inform the patient.
Based on the appropriate assessment/diagnosis, a dental hygienist in Alberta with appropriate competencies could diagnose caries and the need for treatment such as silver diamine fluoride, atraumatic restorative therapy or other temporary restorative treatment - and referral.
Reviewing the Clinical Therapy Standard of Practice and the Guidelines for Clinical Therapy is important as these documents will help registrants better understand how diagnosis is applied in practice.
Dental hygienists collaborate with other healthcare providers and refer patients as needed. They do not create treatment plans for other providers. Each healthcare professional conducts their own assessment and treatment plan, communicating that plan directly with the patient.
Additional Standards and Guidelines to Review:
Under the Health Professions Act, prescription of dental radiographs (x-rays) falls within the allowed scope of practice for a dental hygienist. Furthermore, dental hygienists may own and operate ionizing and non-ionizing radiation equipment, including dental x-ray equipment and certain lasers.
Changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) and revised regulations took effect on December 1, 2021. The Radiation Protection Act and its regulations were incorporated into the OHS Act and OHS Code. This means these health and safety laws are in one place rather than multiple statutes.
Click the links to read more about the changes to the OHS laws and access more radiation health and safety resources from the Alberta Government.
Radiation Health & Safety Resources
Safety Code 30 was updated on June 30, 2022. This new document replace the 1999 version and provides specific guidance to the dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant, and other support personnel concerned with safety procedures and equipment performance.
Recapping waste needles is prohibited under section 527 of the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code. Section 525.2 of the Code also requires that employers provide and ensure that any medical sharp is a safety-engineered syringe (SES) medical sharp. However, Section 55 of the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS) however provides for an acceptance, allowing for an alternative approach if it is deemed to provide equal or greater protection than that required by the Code.
Currently, dental hygienists have been granted an OHS acceptance. Dental Hygienists who have evaluated the safety of engineered syringes and deemed recapping of waste needles as providing equal or greater protection, must adhere to the terms and conditions, and general requirements outlined in the OHS acceptance. This includes adhering with the procedures and protocols outlined in the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta May 2018 document: Policy Protocol Sharps, Syringes & Safety Engineered Syringes (SES).
If you experience a needlestick, sharps injury, or any other bloodborne exposure, follow these steps:
For additional information, please refer to the following:
Alberta Health Services: Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Decision Chart (Note: Unless you are an employee of Alberta Health Services, you do not need to report to Workplace Health and Safety).
Additionally, in the event that you are diagnosed with a blood-borne infection, the ACDH requires dental hygienists to self-report any condition that may impact safe or competent practice.
Dental hygienists who have completed theoretical and clinical education may use lasers for dental hygiene procedures. Similar to incorporating any other dental hygiene procedure, dental hygienists ensure that the use of laser is evidence informed. Dental hygienists should self-assess their competence before using lasers for dental hygiene procedures and refrain from using it if they lack the competence to do so safely. Dental hygienists must restrict their use of lasers to within their scope of practice, their own competence, and in compliance with regulatory requirements.
The appropriate level of education required is dependent on the skill and the risk to the public. Since the use of lasers in dental hygiene practice is a restricted activity that is associated with a higher level of risk to patients if not performed correctly, competencies should be obtained through a dental hygiene undergraduate program or a formal continuing education opportunity. For example, laser periodontal therapy courses should include hands-on clinical experiences using the laser on live, human clients. If you do not feel you have gained this competence, seek out further training opportunities before incorporating the skill into your clinical practice.
The College of Alberta Dental Hygienists may set specific requirements for the appropriate education for certain skills.
Dental hygienists demonstrate competence in orofacial myology by completing the steps in the International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) Certified Orofacial Myologist (COM) designation process (see How to become an IAOM Certified Orofacial Myologist (COM®) - IAOM). The process involves completing an introductory course in orofacial myology and working through case studies in practice.
The College does not restrict dental hygienists from completing case studies while working through the IAOM certification process if they:
Dental hygienists may only provide orofacial myology services if they are (1) pursuing their COM designation by working on their case studies with a mentor after completing the introductory course, or (2) COM certified.”
Despite any orofacial myology training and education, dental hygienists are limited to the scope of practice for dental hygienists as defined by the Health Professions Act, Schedule 5, Section 3. The Health Professions Act allows dental hygienists to assess, diagnose, and treat oral health conditions through the provision of therapeutic, educational, and preventive dental hygiene procedures and strategies to promote wellness and provide restricted activities authorized by the regulations. This limits dental hygienists from assessing, diagnosing, or treating conditions that are not oral health conditions, such as sleep disorders (e.g., obstructive, sleep apnea) or breathing disorders (e.g., asthma).
Dental x-ray equipment, including digital radiography systems, and any Class 3B or Class 4 lasers must be installed, registered, and inspected in accordance with Alberta’s Radiation Protection Act and regulation. Registration and inspection must be completed prior to use of the equipment. Please contact the College for further details. Failure to be in possession of a valid registration certificate prior to operation of radiation equipment is a contravention of the Radiation Protection Act. The penalty for this offence is a maximum fine of $15,000 and/or six months imprisonment. Operation of unregistered radiation equipment would also be considered unprofessional conduct under the HPA. You must have a written Quality Assurance Program in place that is consistent with the legislation and Safety Code 30. This includes policies and procedures that:
No. The HPA does not require supervision of dental hygiene practitioners, other than students performing restricted activities. Unlike legislation in other provinces, the HPA does not require an order to provide services and does not require a dentist to examine a client prior to dental hygiene treatment.
The authorization for dental hygienists to provide direction to regulated dental assistants is contained in the Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation.
Dental hygienists may provide direction for a dental assistant to perform the following restricted activities:
A dental assistant’s practice permit will indicate if they are authorized to scale teeth under the direction of a dentist or dental hygienist.
The Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation sets specific criteria for the performance of scaling teeth by dental assistants. As a result, authorized dental assistants may only perform scaling when the client has been recently assessed by a dentist or dental hygienist. The dental hygienist providing direction must perform an assessment to establish that the client meets all of the following criteria:
If you do not feel comfortable or qualified to provide direction, you are not required to do so. Any regulated health professional authorized to supervise or direct a member of another regulated health profession may decline to do so for a number of reasons. You should give careful consideration to the following questions before making your decision. If you cannot answer yes to any of the following questions, you must not consent to give direction.
Yes. There are other things that would prevent you from providing direction. If you have conditions on your own practice permit that prevent you from performing, supervising, or directing a restricted activity, you cannot provide direction to another health care provider.
Secondly, a dental hygienist may only provide direction to members of other regulated health professions in the provision of restricted activities if the restricted activity is authorized for both professions. As an example, you may be authorized to administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation but you cannot direct a registered dental assistant to administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation because the Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation does not authorize dental assistants to perform that restricted activity.
No. Dental hygienists are unable to provide neuromodulators (e.g., Botox) or dermal fillers in their dental hygiene practice for cosmetic purposes. The legislation in Alberta restricts dental hygienists to assessing, diagnosing and treating only oral health conditions. Other health professionals may be able to provide neuromodulators or dermal fillers based on the restricted activities they are authorized to perform.
TMJ disorders are multifactorial, complex and may mimic other orofacial pain conditions. It is appropriate for dental hygienists to assess for these conditions, but dental hygienists are not the appropriate health professional to diagnose or treat TMJ disorders. Clients can be referred to an appropriately trained health professional.
The lists of service codes define the service and provide explanations for the use of each code, including how long a unit of time is and what is included within the code.
Typically, an office will bill under one of these two systems:
OR
If you have questions about whether a code is appropriate for the service you are providing, you should contact the administrator of the service codes (e.g., CDA, ADA, or CDHA).
Restricted activities are regulated health services that can only be performed by individuals with specific competencies. Although regulation authorizes regulated members to perform a number of restricted activities, this does not mean that a regulated member is authorized to perform any restricted activity in any situation in any practice setting.
Dental hygienists must always restrict themselves to performing only those restricted activities they are competent to perform and that are appropriate to the registrant's area of practice and the procedure being performed.
The FAQs and answers below plus the Health Professions Restricted Activity Authorization Regulation will assist you in understanding the restricted activities within the practice of dental hygiene care in Alberta.
Most of the restricted activities authorized in the Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation (HPRAR) are taught in the basic curriculum of accredited dental hygiene programs and have been a part of the entry-to-practice competencies for dental hygiene (i.e., probing, scaling, root planing, curettage, ordering, and exposing radiographs). You do not require any special authorization to perform these activities once you have been placed on the ACDH General register and have been issued a Practice Permit.
Competencies related to the following restricted activities are not inclusive in all dental hygiene educational programs:
You are not authorized to perform the activities listed 1 to 5 above until you have:
Oral sedation is commonly used in dentistry as a strategy for the reduction of stress before or during treatment. It does, however, come with potential risks, including:
Currently, dental hygienists in Alberta do not have the authorization to prescribe and/or administer oral sedatives to patients. A dental hygienist may provide dental hygiene services such as scaling to a sedated patient if the authorized prescriber (dentist) remains in continuous attendance and direct observation with the patient. The dental hygienist should also be appropriately trained to recognize and manage adverse events and emergencies specific to oral sedation, including assessing whether the patient is at the appropriate level of sedation.
If the authorized prescriber (dentist) is not in continuous attendance and direct observation, it would not appropriate for the dental hygienist to provide dental hygiene services. The use of sedation carries an element of risk that if not managed correctly can have severe consequences. Mitigating this risk requires advanced training, planning and assessment, and appropriate monitoring during and after administration.
Competencies regarding treatment of clients under oral sedation are currently not considered as an entry-to-practice requirement. The Alberta College of Dental Hygienists is currently working to determine appropriate level of knowledge, training, and skills that dental hygienists would require to safely provide dental hygiene services to sedated patients when the authorized prescriber is not in continuous attendance and direct observation of the patient. Additional information on this issue will be provided as it becomes available.
No. You cannot sign a prescription without a prescriber's identification (ID) number.
If you want to be authorized to perform the restricted activity of prescribing you must apply to the ACDH for a prescriber’s identification (ID) number in order to sign prescriptions. ACDH requirements for issuing a prescriber’s ID number are successful completion of a Council-approved pharmacy refresher course.
The refresher course Elements of Prescribing: A Pharmacy Refresher Course for Dental Hygienists, is available online through Continuing Dental Education at the University of Alberta.
ALL Alberta registered dental hygienists with the appropriate competencies can administer drug therapies such as chlorhexidine, Oraqix®, ArestinTM, and Atridox®.
As with any new product dental hygienists may incorporate into their practice, they must ensure they are educated in the appropriate administration techniques and are familiar with the complete product information, including mechanism of action, potential indications and contraindications for use, common side effects, etc. In addition, they must know how to effectively manage adverse reactions to the product. Dental hygienists must make evidence-based decisions regarding when it is appropriate to use a product for a client. Each case is client-specific.
All registered dental hygienists are expected to determine the need for treatment and identify the appropriate sites for treatment following the ADPIE model of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
All Schedule 1 drug needs to be prescribed for the client by a health professional who has the required authorization. Refer to the National Drug Schedules.
No.
Dental hygienists without approved advanced training must not provide treatment to a client who is receiving nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation unless an authorized provider remains in the operatory with the unauthorized dental hygienist and the client for the entire duration of the treatment.
Under the Health Professions Act and Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation, registered dental hygienists can perform restorative procedures of a temporary nature as part of their scope of practice. However, they must possess the competencies to perform these procedures safely and effectively. In the case of Atraumatic Restorative Therapy (ART), these competencies include but are not limited to:
Because the more comprehensive temporary restorative procedure called ART is recognized as part of the scope of practice of Alberta dental hygienists, interim stabilization therapy (IST) is not a term or procedure recognized in Alberta. Registrants are reminded that the College does not recognize an IST course as equivalent to an ART course. Members who complete an IST course may apply for credit under the ACDH Continuing Competence Program but they will not be deemed to have acquired the competencies to perform ART and will not be authorized to perform IST in Alberta
The College considers the following to be restorative procedures of a temporary nature:
1.1. a dentist is not on-site or readily available to treat the client,
1.2. there is no evidence of abscess, and
1.3. the client is experiencing any of the following symptoms as the result of an untreated carious lesion, a fracture of the tooth or loss of a filling:
2. Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) on primary or permanent teeth using glass ionomer or resin based materials when:
2.1. a dentist is not on-site or readily available to treat the client,
2.2. there is no evidence of abscess, and
2.3. the client is experiencing any of the following symptoms as the result of an untreated carious lesion, a fracture of the tooth or loss of a filling:
2.4. the client meets the criteria for ART as part of an early childhood caries prevention program in a community health setting
Dental hygienists placing temporary restorations of any type must ensure that the client is aware of the temporary nature of the restorations and must advise clients or the client’s guardian to obtain further dental care from a dentist.
Dental hygienists are expected to recognize and respond to adverse events, including medical emergencies, using appropriate emergency protocol. An appropriate response to a medical emergency may be to perform a restricted activity that is not authorized for the dental hygiene profession (e.g., administer epinephrine by autoinjector).
Although the Health Professions Act restricts health professionals from performing unauthorized restricted activities, it still allows an unauthorized person to perform the restricted activity to provide physical comfort or to stabilize a person who is ill, injured or unconscious as a result of an accident or other emergency if there is no authorized person available (HPA s 1.6(2)). This means that if there is no authorized person available (e.g., dentist, paramedic), a dental hygienist may provide this restricted activity despite not being authorized.
If you are going to respond to a medical emergency by providing a restricted activity, you must ensure you have appropriate training and can safely and competently perform the restricted activity (i.e., know the procedure, be able to identify contraindications, understand if any follow-up is required, etc.). Ensure you are familiar with the emergency protocols in your practice setting.