Employer Responsibilities
If you employ or have previously employed a dental assistant, you have a responsibility to report certain conduct. These reporting responsibilities help maintain safe, ethical practice, and protect patients, staff, and your workplace.
Your reporting responsibilities as an employer are set out in section 57 of the Health Professions Act (HPA). The definition of employment is broad and includes work as a paid/unpaid employee, consultant, contractor, or volunteer.
When employers must report conduct
There are two scenarios under which the employer must report to the College.
Changes in employment due to unprofessional conduct
You must notify the Complaints Director if, in your opinion as the employer, a dental assistant has engaged in unprofessional conduct and their employment is:
- terminated,
- suspended, or
- the dental assistant resigns.
Serious conduct that must be reported regardless of employment status
You must notify the Complaints Director if you have reasonable grounds to believe that the conduct of a dental assistant constitutes unprofessional conduct based on behaviour that, in your opinion, is sexual abuse or sexual misconduct, or the dental assistant has procured or performed female genital mutilation. You must report this conduct even if the dental assistant’s employment is not terminated, suspended, or ended through resignation.
Notifying the Complaints Director
To report conduct as an employer, please notify the Complaints Director as soon as possible by submitting a completed Employer Reporting Form including any supporting documentation.
Send your completed form to:
College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Complaints Director
166-14315 118 AVE NW
EDMONTON AB T5L 4S6
Email: professionalconduct@abrda.ca
Verifying a dental assistant’s registration and authorization
Where an individual meets the requirements under section 46 of the HPA to be registered as a dental assistant, employers are responsible for verifying whether this individual is registered. The HPA strictly prohibits an employer from employing an individual who meets the requirements in this section but is not registered.
Verify a dental assistant through our registry
How to check authorized practice
Dental assistants may provide direct patient care services, including restricted activities, if:
- we’ve authorized them to provide the service
- they’re competent after proper education, training, and experience
- the service is prescribed and directed by a dentist, dental hygienist, or a denturist
Not all dental assistants are authorized to provide all services. Please check the registry to see if the dental assistant has a current practice permit and what they’re authorized to do. Authorized practices include entry and advanced practice.
For entry practices, a dental assistant may not be authorized for all competency areas. In that case, there will be a condition on their practice. For advanced practices, a dental assistant may only be authorized in one competency area, not all of them, so it’s important to check the registry.
Review information about authorized practice
What the registry shows
Individuals listed on the registry fall into the following categories:
- Registered, Provisional and Courtesy Dental Assistants: These dental assistants have met our requirements and are authorized to practise.
- Suspended and Cancelled: These individuals are not authorized to practise and can’t use the protected titles of Registered Dental Assistant or Dental Assistant.
We maintain three registers: general, provisional and courtesy.
General Register
Most of our registrants are on our General Register. Dental assistants on this register have met all of our requirements for registration.
Provisional Register
Dental assistants on our Provisional Register are working toward meeting our requirements for registration. They must have already completed formal education and be in the process of completing national board requirements or upgrading.
Courtesy Register
Our Courtesy Register is for out-of-province dental assistants who need to practice dental assisting in Alberta for a specific purpose and on a short-term, temporary basis only. For example, attending education that involves providing dental assisting services or teaching dental assisting. Their practice is restricted to the purpose for their registration.
Practice conditions and authorizations
All dental assistants, regardless of which register they’re on, must hold a valid practice permit to be able to practise. They may provide care, including entry practices and advanced practices, according to any conditions or authorizations on their practice. You can find these details by using our registry.
Once registered, dental assistants must continue to meet the College’s requirements to remain on a register. This includes maintaining good character, completing annual renewal, and meeting continuing competence requirements.
Dental assistants may cancel their own registration at any time. The College may also cancel a registration if requirements are not met or as a result of a disciplinary decision. When a registration is cancelled, the individual is removed from the register on which they were listed.
Working under direction
Dental assistants may, within the practice of dental assisting, perform restricted activities under the HPA under the direction of a dentist, dental hygienist, or denturist who is authorized to perform or to order the performance of restricted activities. Under direction means a dentist, dental hygienist, or denturist is onsite and able to assist.
Frequently asked questions
When am I required to report a dental assistant to the College?
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You must report to the College if, in your opinion, a dental assistant has engaged in unprofessional conduct, and their employment is terminated, suspended, or they resign as a result.
Are there situations where I must report conduct even if the dental assistant is not terminated or suspended?
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Yes, you must report to the College if you have reasonable grounds to believe that a dental assistant’s conduct involves sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or female genital mutilation. This must be reported even if the employer doesn’t take any action.
Who is considered an employer for reporting purposes?
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It includes anyone who employs or engages a dental assistant as a paid or unpaid employee, contractor, consultant, or volunteer. If a dental assistant is working under your authority, these reporting obligations may apply to you.
How and when do I report a dental assistant to the College?
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You must notify the Complaints Director as soon as possible. Complete the Employer Reporting Form, including any relevant supporting documentation, to submit your report.
What are my responsibilities for verifying an individual’s registration and authorization?
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You’re responsible for verifying an individual is registered and authorized to practice. The HPA prohibits employers from employing individuals who meet the registration requirements but are not registered. You must also verify what services they are authorized to perform and only delegate those services.
How do I know what services a dental assistant is authorized to perform?
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Not all dental assistants are authorized to perform the same services. The registry shows what register the assistant is on, whether they hold a valid practice permit and whether they are authorized for entry-level or advanced practice and in which competency area.
Why is it important to comply with HPA reporting and verification requirements?
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These requirements are designed to protect patients, maintain professional standards, and support safe practice across the health system. When employers don’t comply, it may place patients at risk.
