Step 1: Confirm that your educational program meets the College’s requirements
IMPORTANT NOTE: Non-accredited dental hygiene programs completed within Canada or the USA on or before March 26, 2015, will not be considered to meet the College’s registration requirements and are not eligible for assessment by either the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC) or the College.
Graduates from non-accredited educational programs (outside of Canada and the USA)
The College accepts non-accredited educational programs in dental hygiene only from outside of Canada and the USA that are considered comparable (i.e., substantially equivalent) to an accredited program.
You must first have your education credentials evaluated by the FDHRC. They will determine if you are eligible to sit the entry-to-practice examinations. If so, the College accepts this as evidence that the educational program was substantially equivalent to an accredited program. Learn more by visiting the FDHRC’s website.
If the FDHRC determines that you are not eligible to sit the entry-to-practice examinations, the College’s Registration Committee may evaluate the educational program. Learn more about requesting an evaluation of educational credentials.
Graduates of international dentistry educational programs
In Ontario, dental hygiene is a separate and independently regulated health profession from dentistry. You must have graduated from an educational program in dental hygiene that meets the College’s registration requirements. Programs in dentistry do not generally cover areas such as the dental hygiene process of care relative to the controlled acts of scaling and root planing.
Applicants who completed an educational program in dentistry will likely have to complete a new program in dental hygiene to become registered. When applying to an educational institution, you may be able to seek credit for prior learning. However, this process is separate from the College. Work experience is not considered a substitute for training in a supervised educational setting.
Step 2: Register for and complete the Entry-to-Practice Examinations
The FDHRC administers the National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination (NDHCE, or written exam) and the Canadian Performance Exam in Dental Hygiene (CPEDH, or clinical exam) that you must successfully complete before becoming registered. For information about the NDHCE and CPEDH, including eligibility criteria, application requirements, fees and upcoming examination dates, see the FDHRC’s website.
Step 3: Complete the Jurisprudence Examination
All applicants must successfully complete the College’s Jurisprudence Examination. It tests your understanding of the laws applicable to Dental Hygienists in Ontario. The exam is multiple choice and open book, and is available through the College’s Self-Service Portal. You will need to create an account to access the Jurisprudence Examination. The account you create will also be used to complete the application form (see below for more details).
The exam must be completed within one year of applying. You need to obtain a grade of 80% or higher and you have an unlimited number of attempts.
The College offers a Jurisprudence Education Module and a Self-Study Guide. It’s advisable to review both before attempting the exam. The College also recommends having the Registrants’ Handbook available for reference.
Step 4: Complete a Refresher Course or Competency Assessment (if applicable)
Some applicants may need to complete an approved refresher course or undergo a professional competency assessment. This includes applicants who:
- Graduated from their educational program in dental hygiene three years or more before applying to the College, and have not practised dental hygiene in the past three years; or
- Were previously registered as a Dental Hygienist in Ontario or in another jurisdiction but have not practised dental hygiene in the past three years.
The refresher course or competency assessment must be completed in the 18 months before any Certificate of Registration is issued. Learn more about refresher courses and competency assessments.
Step 5: Complete and submit your application
To access the application form, please log in to the Self-Service Portal (the account you created to complete the Jurisprudence Examination).
Note about translation: All documents submitted as part of an application must be in either English or French. If they are not, the documents must be accompanied by an official translation in either English or French. Applicants are responsible for translation costs.
Submit your transcripts/proof of graduation
Contact your educational institution to have them send your official transcript directly to the College. The transcript can be sent by email to registration@cdho.org or by mail to:
CDHO – Registration
175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, Suite 601
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R8
Canada
The College does not accept unofficial transcripts, copies of diplomas or documents sent directly by applicants.
For colleges that have closed, contact the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for a transcript by emailing pcc@ontario.ca. If you cannot obtain copies of your official transcripts, please email registration@cdho.org.
Eligibility to work in Canada
Submit a copy of one of the following documents showing that you are currently eligible to work in Canada:
- Canadian birth certificate
- Canadian passport
- Canadian citizenship certificate
- Permanent resident card
- Valid work permit
All documents must be valid at the time of registration.
Police record check
All applicants must submit a Canadian police record check. A police record check is a name-based search of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system. The College only requires a Level 1 check (criminal record check), but will accept any other check provided as long as it is no more than one year old at the time of application.
You can obtain a police record check from any local police department in Canada or online. Requests should include all your previous names and aliases. Costs and processing times will vary. For more information about police record checks, including what information is included, see the RCMP’s website.
Past conduct declarations
Applicants must provide details of any of the following:
- Any charge for any criminal or other offence, unless the matter resulted in a verdict of not guilty.
- Any current proceeding for or a past finding of professional misconduct, incompetency, incapacity or similar findings in relation to any profession in any jurisdiction.
- Any past unsuccessful applications for registration as a Dental Hygienist in any jurisdiction.
- Any attempt to pass a licensing or certification examination for any profession in any jurisdiction that did not result in a passing grade.
- Any findings of academic misconduct.
If any of the above matters arise after you submitted your application but before a Certificate of Registration is granted, you must report this new information to the College immediately. The application form includes questions regarding your past conduct. If you answer “Yes” to any of these declarations, provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances and submit supporting documentation to the College.
Certificates of standing (if applicable)
If you are or have been registered in a regulated or licensed profession, in Ontario or anywhere else, you must provide a certificate or letter from that organization that details whether you are or were in good standing.
Contact the regulatory/licensing body and provide them with the Request for Certificate of Standing from Another Regulatory/ Licensing Body form to complete. Costs and processing times will vary depending on the organization. Certificates of standing must be sent directly from the regulatory body to the College by email to registration@cdho.org or by mail to:
CDHO – Registration
175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, Suite 601
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R8
Canada
Get professional liability insurance
All applicants must provide proof that they hold professional liability insurance that meets the following requirements:
- Minimum coverage of $1 million per occurrence.
- Minimum annual aggregate coverage of $5 million.
- Maximum deductible of $4,000 per occurrence.
- Run-off coverage (enduring or tail coverage) for a minimum of two years.
- Provided by an insurer licensed by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario or the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada.
- Includes an endorsement that provides coverage for sexual abuse therapy and counselling for every person eligible for funding, under subsection 85.7(4) of the Health Professions Procedural Code, as a result of sexual abuse by the Registered Dental Hygienist.
You can obtain professional liability insurance from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association or any insurance broker.
Fees and timelines
Please note the following:
- If your application is processed and approved between October 15 and December 9: You will need to pay your initial registration fee and the renewal fee for the following year. You may choose to wait to complete your registration in January.
- If you are applying for registration after December 9: Your application will be processed in January.
You have one year to complete the full application process, including submitting all required documentation. Incomplete applications automatically expire one year after paying the application fee. After that, a new application form and fee are required.
All fees must be paid online by credit card (Visa and MasterCard) through the Self-Service Portal. View the application fees.
The College aims to process completed applications within 10 business days of receiving all required information and documentation. Learn more about timelines.
If there are doubts as to whether an applicant meets the registration requirements, the Registrar will decide whether to:
- grant the application; or
- refer the application to the Registration Committee within 30 days of receipt of the completed application.