Your Annual CCP Requirements

Each year, dental assistants are required to meet the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) requirements to maintain their practice permit. The CCP supports ongoing learning and reflective practice, helping ensure dental assistants maintain current knowledge, skills, judgment, and professional competence throughout their careers.

Meeting your CCP requirements

To meet CCP requirements, you’ll complete a set of annual activities that support learning, current practice, and professional accountability.

Using the CCP checklist will help you keep track of meeting the CCP requirements.

Complete your learning objectives

Complete a minimum of two learning objectives for the current registration/plan year in the portal. Plan years are the same as the registration year and run from December 1 to November 30 of the following year.

Demonstrate current practice

Upload verification in the portal showing at least 300 practice hours completed within the past three years, or documentation demonstrating substantial equivalence requirements.

Plan for the next registration year

Before you renew your practice permit, complete a self-assessment using the self-assessment tool or your own self-directed assessment and propose a minimum of two learning objectives for the upcoming registration/plan year in the portal.

Participate in an audit

If you’re selected for a CCP audit, you’ll be notified and provided with instructions on next steps. Learn more about the CCP audit.

The Continuing Competence Process

You complete a learning objective by following the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) process of Assess, Achieve, and Analyze. A learning objective is successful when you can identify a change in your practice, knowledge, or skills. Learning objectives are documented in the portal. Here is how:

Example: Completing a learning objective using the CCP process

This example outlines how the CCP Assess–Achieve–Analyze process works. When you complete your learning objective, you must enter the information in the required fields in the portal. The portal wording and layout may look different from this example.

Learning goal (Assess)
Improve my radiographic techniques to reduce the need for retakes and minimize patient radiation exposure.

Learning activity (Achieve)
Completed a radiography-focused learning activity reviewing proper positioning techniques and quality assurance practices.

Successful learning objective (Analyze)
Applied improved radiographic positioning and quality assurance techniques in daily practice, resulting in fewer retakes and reduced patient radiation exposure.

Demonstrating current practice

To demonstrate current practice, you must have at least 300 practice hours completed within the three years before you apply to renew your practice permit.

For example, if you apply for renewal on November 15, 2026, you must have proof of 300 practice hours that fall between November 15, 2023, and November 15, 2026.

Practice hours must be obtained through professional services in the dental field that require or benefit from a dental assisting background. Both employment and volunteer hours may be eligible.

You can use the Practice Hours Verification form, signed by your supervisor/employer, as verification of hours. We also accept T4s, paystubs, ROEs or a signed letter from your supervisor. Please ensure your SIN number is blacked out.

We recommend uploading proof of your practice hours each year.

Substantial equivalence

If you don’t have 300 practice hours, you may meet the requirement through substantial equivalence.

You may have substantial equivalence if you:

• successfully completed an approved clinical refresher course within the last three years
• successfully completed the National Dental Assisting Examining Board Clinical Practice Evaluation within the last three years
• graduated from a dental assisting program within the last three years
• hold current practice rights as a dental assistant in a Canadian province where dental assisting is regulated.

Proof of substantial equivalence may include a school transcript, certificate of completion, or a written statement explaining how you meet the requirements.