Registration and Licensure in Canadian Provinces/Territories

The National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) is not a regulatory body. The registration/licensure of dental assistants in Canada rests with the provincial Dental Assisting Regulatory Authorities (DARA) often referred to as a "regulatory college", "board", "council" or "association". All provincial Dental Assisting Regulatory Authorities (DARA) with the exception of Quebec, require initial dental assistant registrants to hold the NDAEB certificate to become licensed/registered/certified as a dental assistant. If you are not certain as to the requirement for the NDAEB certificate in the province you intend to work in, contact the DARA before registering for the NDAEB written examination or Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE).

Candidates applying to write the NDAEB examination or registering for the Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) do so voluntarily. The NDAEB assumes you are aware of the regulatory requirements in your province before submitting your written exam or CPE application.

Registration/licensure requirements, scope-of-practice, etc. vary between jurisdictions. Dental assistants seeking information on regulatory issues in various provinces/territories are urged to contact the DARA as listed below.

Dental Assisting Regulatory Authorities (DARAs)

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Board
6th Floor, The Fortis Building
139 Water Street
St. John's, NF
A1C 1B2
(709) 579-2391

Nova Scotia

Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia
Suite 102
1559 Brunswick Street
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 2G1
(902) 420-0083

New Brunswick

New Brunswick Dental Society
520 King Street, Carleton Place #820
Box 488, Stn A
Fredericton, NB
E3B 4Z9
(506) 452-8575

Prince Edward Island

Dental Council of Prince Edward Island
184 Belvedere Ave
Charlottetown, PEI
C1A 2Z1
(902) 566-5199

Quebec

Dental assisting is not regulated in Quebec. For information contact:

Ordre des Dentistes du Quebec
625 boulevard Rene Levesque Ouest
15 Etage
Montreal, QC
H3B 1R2
(514) 875-8511

Ontario

Dental assisting is not regulated in Ontario. The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) requires their members to assign Level II duties to dental assistants holding the NDAEB certificate.

Manitoba

Manitoba Dental Association
103 698 Corydon Avenue
Winnipeg, MB
R3M 0X9
(204) 988-5300

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Dental Assistants Association
P.O. Box 294
703 3rd Street
Kenaston, SK
S0G 2N0
(306) 252-2769

Alberta

College of Alberta Dental Assistants
#166-14315 118th Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB
T5L 4S6
(780) 486-2526

British Columbia

College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia
500-1765 West 8th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6J 5C6
(604) 736-3621

Yukon Territories

Licensing Officer
National Health and Welfare
Government of Yukon Territories
P.O. Box 2703
Whitehorse, YK
Y1A 2C2
(867) 667-5111

Planning a move to another Canadian jurisdiction?

Dental assistants moving between provincial/territorial jurisdictions are urged to contact the DARA in the province/territory they intend to work in prior to moving. Being aware of provincial regulatory requirements and licensure/registration issues before moving may help alleviate unforeseen barriers to entering the workforce. Dental assistants may wish to contact the Canadian Dental Assistants Association at (800) 345-5137 for information regarding the Mutual Recognition Agreement Dental Assisting which came into effect on July 1, 2001.

Planning a move to the United States?

Dental assisting in the USA is state regulated in a manner similar to provincial regulation in Canada. For information on dental assisting in the USA, contact the American Dental Assistants Association in Chicago, Illinois at: (312) 541-1550 or the dentistry regulatory body in the state you wish to work in.