Overview
Are you looking for a fast-growing and rewarding profession within the health sector? Become a Registered Dental Hygienist by enrolling in this two-year diploma! Dental hygiene is the 6th largest regulated heath profession in Canada with over 31,170 practitioners. Registered Dental Hygienists are highly educated, licensed and regulated healthcare professionals whose education and practice focus on the prevention of oral disease and the promotion of overall health and well-being. Dental Hygienists can work independent of or alongside a Dentist and are an important part of the health care team.
As a Dental Hygienist, you will have the flexibility to work full or part time in a variety of settings. Dental Hygienists provide services and programs to people of all ages, addressing issues related to oral health. Responsibilities of the dental hygienist include:
- Medical history taking
- Patient assessment
- Identification of patient health status and needs
- Planning for patient care
- Delivering education and patient services
- Assessing the outcomes of care provided
- Performing routine head and neck examinations
- Dental and periodontal examinations
- Exposing dental images
- Oral hygiene education
- Administration of local anesthetic
- Debridement of teeth
- Preventative fluoride applications.
To be successful as a dental hygienist student and professional, the student requires:
- a caring nature and interest in the well-being of others
- excellent interpersonal skills
- excellent time management skills and study habits
- good eyesight, hearing, and hand-eye coordination. It is strongly recommended that students have an eye examination and obtain corrective eyewear if needed.
- ability to accurately follow verbal and written directions
- ability to manage a fast-paced, demanding, and stressful work environment
- computer literacy especially experience with word processing and internet
- ability to model the same standard of oral health that they encourage in their patients
Careers
Our graduates are career-ready and are highly employable. CNC graduates are highly sought after and benefit from good working conditions and a competitive salary. Working as a Dental Hygienist, you will practice in a variety of settings, such as:
- private dental practices
- independent dental hygiene practice
- public health facilities, hospitals
- long term care facilities
- educational institutions
- dental research industry
Accreditation
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. When you graduate, you’re eligible to write Canadian and American national certification exams. Our graduates consistently attain a very high pass rate on their board exams.
New graduates seeking licensure with the Alberta College of Dental Hygienists (ACDH) should be aware that their process for licensure is different from other regulatory colleges. The ACDH requires a substantial equivalency process by all dental hygiene programs across Canada, including the College of New Caledonia's (CNC), at a minimum of every three years. This is a process that takes considerable time to initiate and obtain approval. Students intending to register in Alberta should be aware it is their responsibility to initiate this process and work with the appropriate channels to ensure accuracy. As an alternative to the substantial equivalency process, new graduates can register and complete 600 hours of practice in another Canadian jurisdiction. Upon completion of the 600 practice hours, registrants may then apply for registration with the ACDH. For more information regarding this process see the ACDH registration link.
Learning experience at CNC
At CNC, we pride ourselves in having an outstanding reputation for educating skilled dental professionals.
The CNC dental hygiene program offers small class sizes and a 1:6 ratio of faculty to students in the clinical setting. Our clinic is equipped with 20 dental operatories and 4 radiography rooms with computerized dental stations and digital radiography and record keeping abilities. Students are activity involved in our dental clinic providing patient-centered oral healthcare care services.
Our dental hygiene curriculum also includes community-based student activities. For example, CNC Dental Studies works collaboratively with community partners to provide dental hygiene services to elementary school aged children. Students experience community service learning through working with organizations like the Northern Health Authority and the Emergency Dental Outreach Clinic. They also deliver education and oral health services to local community organizations and complete a complex care visit with senior residents in long term care.
Dental Hygiene Diploma Courses
CNC's Dental Hygiene program prepares graduates to practice as licensed, regulated, health care professional team members. Dental hygienists are preventative oral health care providers, providing specialized services in oral health education, clinical therapy and health promotion. Dental Hygienists practice in a wide variety of settings, including private clinics and community health settings.
Semester 1: Required Courses
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE | CREDITS | LENGTH |
|---|
| BIO-230 | Head and Neck Anatomy | 3 | 15 weeks
|
Semester 2: Required Courses
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE | CREDITS | LENGTH |
|---|
| DHYG-220 | Professional Practice 1 | 2 | 15 weeks
|
Semester 3: Required courses
Semester 4: Required courses
Locations & Dates
CNC programs have varying lengths and start dates to meet your needs, and are offered across multiple campuses where possible. Don’t see the campus you’re looking for? Check back with us soon as this page is updated throughout the school year.
| START DATE |
CAMPUS |
DELIVERY |
LENGTH |
| Fall 2024 |
Prince George |
In Class |
2 years |
Entry Requirements
The following courses or their equivalents, with an average GPA of 3.0 (“B”) with no grade lower than a “C”:
- 6 credits of first year Biology (Anatomy and Physiology), must include labs
- 6 credits of first year Chemistry, must include labs
- 6 credits of first or second year English
- 6 credits of first or second year Psychology
- 3 credits of first or second year Statistics
- 3 credits of first or second year elective
Note: Conditional acceptance in the program is based on applicants completing at least half of the required courses with an average GPA of 3.0 (”B”) and no grade lower than a ”C”, and showing registrations for
the remaining courses. All final transcripts showing admission requirements have been met must be submitted by the fee deadline to finalize your acceptance into the program.
Program requirements and general information
Completed program information package must be submitted by the date indicated in the package. Incomplete certifications or documentation will prevent students from entering clinical practice. Clinical practice is required for graduation. All certifications
must remain valid throughout the program.
- Proof of current immunization status, including Hepatitis B, as outlined by the BC Centre for Disease Control and as outlined in the Practice Education Guidelines BC Immunization. See Practice Education Guidelines.
- Dental examination and hygiene care within the last 9 months
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Level C, or Basic Life Support (BLS). CPR online courses must include face-to-face practice components.
- WHMIS training certificate
- Proof of Violence in the Workplace training completed
- Program Awareness Questionnaire
- Criminal Record Check (RCMP criminal record checks are not accepted)
Students must complete a provincial Schedule B criminal record search because there is a clinical practice component involving work with vulnerable people. A search which identifies relevant criminal convictions may prevent students from registering for
clinical practice. To graduate from the Dental Hygiene program, each clinical practice component must be successfully completed.
Note: All costs associated with certifications, courses and/or documentation requirements are the student’s responsibility.
Selection process
If there is room in the program, you will be accepted once you have met all the admission requirements. This is called “first qualified, first accepted.” If you qualify after the program is full, you will be put on a wait list.
Self-identified Canadian Aboriginal applicants meeting the admission requirements will be given priority for 20% of seats in the program until the institutionally recognized release date.
Qualified international student applicants meeting the admission requirements will be given priority for 20% of seats in the program until the institutionally recognized release date.
Invest in your future
The estimated cost for this program is $29,677.
- Tuition: $21,747
- Common fees: $1,367
- Dental Fees: $6,563
These costs are estimates and do not include books. Costs may change without notice.
Check the fee schedule for more details.
Supplies for this program can be purchased from the bookstore.