Pathways to Registration
According to the Health Professions Act (HPA), everyone who practices dental assisting in Alberta must be registered with the College of Alberta Dental Assistants (the College) and hold a valid practice permit.
Practising dental assisting includes more than providing clinical and technical services directly to patients. It also includes, but is not limited to, teaching the practice of the profession to dental assistants or students, and supervising dental assistants who provide professional services to the public.
You may not work or volunteer as a dental assistant or use the dental assisting protected titles (Dental Assistant / Registered Dental Assistant) or designations (DA/RDA) in Alberta until you’re registered with the College and hold a valid practice permit. Working and/or volunteering as a dental assistant includes participating in an employment clinical interview, orientation or training.
Find your registration pathway
There are several pathways to registration with the College.
How you qualify for registration depends on things like:
- whether you graduated from an accredited dental assisting program
- if your education was in Canada or international
- whether you are a dental assistant in another Canadian province
- if you’re working toward or have the National Dental Assisting Examining Board certificate
Pathways to registration
Canadian program graduate applicants
This pathway is for Canadian program graduates who:
- have successfully completed the National Dental Assisting Examining Board qualifications
- are not registered to practise in another Canadian province that regulates the profession
Provisional applicants
This pathway is for applicants who:
- completed their education at a dental assisting program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada or who successfully completed the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) clinical practice evaluation within the last three years
- are not registered to practice in another Canadian province that regulates the profession
- are scheduled to sit the NDAEB theory exam
Internationally educated applicants
This pathway is for applicants who:
- graduated from a dental assisting program, or substantially equivalent program of study, outside of Canada
- are not registered in to practice in another Canadian province that regulates the profession
Labor mobility applicants
This pathway is fordental assistants currently registered to practise in another Canadian province that regulates the profession.
These provinces regulate dental assisting in Canada:
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Saskatchewan
Courtesy applicants
This pathway is for dental assistants who are currently practising elsewhere and require short-term registration for a specific purpose.
Contact us at application@abrda.ca for information about applying for courtesy registration.
Dental assistant reinstatement applicants
This pathway is for previous College registrants who are returning to practise.
Applying for registration
- Review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you’ll follow to registration
- Confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you’re ready to apply.
- Visit our portal to complete your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pathway do I follow if I’m practising in a non-regulated province?
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You will choose either the Canadian program graduate or the internationally educated pathway, depending on where you completed your dental assisting or equivalent education.
How do I apply if I was previously registered with the College and cancelled my registration?
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You’ll choose dental assistant reinstatement.
How can I tell if my program was accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC)?
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Contact the CDAC office at 613-801-4034 to see if your program was accredited at your time of completion.
Where can I get a copy of my NDAEB assessment results and NDAEB certificate?
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If you have a profile with NDAEB, check the NDAEB Portal, otherwise you must contact the NDAEB office at office@ndaeb.ca or 613-526-3424.
How long does it take to get registered?
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It typically takes us up to 10 business days to assess an application. When an application is approved, you’ll receive an automated email from our system to return to the portal to pay the Registration Fee. As soon as you pay the registration fee, your registration becomes active and you have immediate access to your practice permit in the portal.
What type of criminal record check do I need when I apply for registration?
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We require a basic criminal record check. A vulnerable sector check is only required upon request during an application assessment.
If I had a criminal record check done for school or another purpose, can I use it when I apply for registration?
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You can use any criminal record check provided it’s not older than 90 days.
If a person has a criminal record, can they still get registered as a dental assistant in Alberta?
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It depends on several factors like the nature and circumstances of the charge(s), when the charge(s) occurred, compliance with any penalties and or sanctions, and patterns of behaviour. We can’t issue a registration decision without a complete application. When we assess an application for good character, in addition to criminal record check results, we also consider whether the applicant has been disciplined or is currently being investigated by any professional regulatory body. If you have a criminal record and are considering dental assisting education or moving to Alberta and becoming a dental assistant, we encourage you to contact our office and speak with our Registrar & CEO to discuss your criminal record first.
