Profession-specific resources provide important information for oral health professionals in meeting BCCOHP expectations. These profession-specific resources are to be read and considered in conjunction with the Standards for the Oral Health Team.
Oral health professionals are responsible for reading BCCOHP’s news and publications to ensure they are aware of current expectations, and are accountable for understanding and interpreting any limits or conditions that might appear in Ministry Regulations and BCCOHP Bylaws regarding restricted titles and scope of practice.
Many of these resources listed below were developed by the legacy colleges before the amalgamation of BC’s four oral health regulatory colleges in 2022 and the introduction of BCCOHP’s Standards for the Oral Health Team. The following legacy documents remain applicable while BCCOHP is in the process of rescinding and replacing legacy resources. Note that eventually, all legacy practice resources will be rescinded and replaced by new BCCOHP standards that apply to all regulated oral health professionals. Learn more and review the inventory of documents replaced by these new standards here >>
Please reach out to BCCOHP’s Professional Practice team if you have any questions regarding the provision of any aspect of practice or defined restricted activities.
BCCOHP’s unified Standards for the Oral Health Team are in effect for all oral health professionals. These comprehensive standards outline the minimum professional, ethical and practice requirements for all oral health professionals in BC. They are designed to support professional accountability and help ensure consistent, competent care across the professions.
Eventually, all legacy practice resources will be rescinded and replaced by new BCCOHP standards that apply to all regulated oral health professionals. Learn more and review the inventory of documents replaced by these new standards here>>
The practice standards contribute to the legal framework for dental hygiene practice in British Columbia. These practice standards were put in place by the legacy College of Dental Hygienists of BC. Practice resources include standards and additional information for adjunctive aspects of practice.
Dental hygienists have a legal and professional responsibility to be familiar with the practice standards and policies. By reviewing them regularly, dental hygienists may self-evaluate their practice and identify areas for continuing competency focus.
Oral health professionals are reminded that they are ultimately accountable and responsible for understanding and interpreting any limits or conditions that might appear in Ministry Regulations and BCCOHP Bylaws regarding restricted titles and scope of practice. Please reach out to BCCOHP’s Professional Practice team if you have any questions regarding the provision of any aspect of practice or defined restricted activities.
All regulated professions have an acknowledged standard of practice. The standard may or may not be documented. The Practice Standards for dental hygiene are the minimum, competent, safe level of care provided by dental hygienists when they apply dental hygiene knowledge, skills and attitudes to their practice.
The Practice Standard Policies have been developed to complement the Practice Standards statements. They provide detail about how to meet each of the Practice Standards.
The wording has a legislative tone because the Practice Standards are a requirement of the College’s bylaws and because the Policies complement the Standards. “Must” statements are a required standard of practice and “may” statements are a recommended standard of practice, but discretionary.
They are intended to:
Because they form part of the legal framework for dental hygiene practice in B.C., dental hygienists have a legal and professional responsibility to be familiar with the Practice Standards and the Practice Standards Policies. Reviewing the Practice Standards and Policies on a regular basis would enable dental hygienists to re-evaluate their practice on an ongoing basis. Any weak areas should then be the focus of continuing study.
Dental hygienist
A qualified health professional who is registered with BCCOHP.
Dental hygiene practice
A problem-solving process of assessment, dental hygiene diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. This process integrates five areas of responsibility: clinical therapy, health promotion, education, administration and research.
Dental hygiene practice settings
Dental hygiene practice takes place in various settings including (but not limited to): dentist and dental hygienist owned practices, long term care and hospital facilities, community health agencies and centres, education institutions, professional and regulatory offices, dental and health businesses and industries, the military, and research facilities.
Dental hygiene care
Encompasses the services provided during the practice of dental hygiene and the manner in which they are provided.
Dental hygiene services
Actual techniques and procedures used during dental hygiene practice.
Client/Patient
A potential and/or actual participant in dental hygiene services, including individuals, groups and communities.
As noted on the cover page, this document remains applicable while BCCOHP is in the process of rescinding and replacing legacy practice resources. Please note that effective April 1, 2026, all Registered Dental Hygienists and Dental Hygiene Practitioners transition to a single Dental Hygienist licence class, and those holding a Dental Hygienist licence will be able to own a private dental hygiene practice. All references to “Dental Hygiene Practitioner” in this document should be read as “Dental Hygienist” starting April 1, 2026.
BCCOHP assists oral health professionals (OHPs) who are facing addiction or any health matters that could affect their ability to provide safe patient care*.
All health matters are treated confidentially and oral health professionals may participate voluntarily in BCCOHP’s Health Monitoring Program (Page 115, PDF). The Investigation Committee can also order an oral health professional to undergo a capacity evaluation.
Upon receipt of expert medical advice, the licensee may be asked to voluntarily withdraw from practice until such time as they have been determined fit to practice. BCCOHP’s aim is to see the individual recover and return to work in a sustainable way. BCCOHP works with oral health professionals to determine a pathway back to safe practice.
If you are (or know of) a BCCOHP licensee suffering from a health matter, please contact BCCOHP’s Monitoring department using our contact form.
*a number of health matters may fit into this category of altered physical and/or cognitive competency. A health condition includes a physical, cognitive or mental condition or ailment or an emotional disturbance.
The professional associations for each of the oral health professions may offer confidential supports and resources for oral health professionals and their families.
Health regulators recognize that addiction is a disease for which recovery pathways exist, and that those recovery pathways should be separate from complaints and discipline. BCCOHP operates in this manner and works with oral health professionals seeking treatment. The way BCCOHP deals with health matters is confidential.
If you suffer from an addiction/dependency disease, you have a duty to protect the safety of patients and legal/ethical obligation to cease practice immediately and notify BCCOHP in confidence through Manager, Monitoring and Compliance, Moninder Sahota’s direct phone line: 672-202-0448 (ext. 5345).
Additionally, if you are aware of another oral health professional’s addiction/dependency, it is your professional, ethical and legal duty to report it to BCCOHP.
What will happen next?
BCCOHP’s collaborative approach to treatment and monitoring guides oral health professionals through treatment and provides a pathway back to safe practice. The essential elements of the addiction recovery pathway typically include:
1 | Practitioner’s agreement to voluntarily withdraw from practice until deemed medically fit to return (failing a voluntary agreement, BCCOHP has the ability to take action under the Health Professions and Occupations Act – section 259) – Confidential supports and resources may be available from the professional associations for each of the oral health professions. – Access to practitioners able to step in as locums (to maintain the practice on behalf of the practitioner while undergoing treatment) should be explored by the oral health professionals by contacting their professional associations. |
| 2 | Assessment by a physician with addiction medicine expertise recognized by BCCOHP |
| 3 | Treatment (in accordance with expert recommendations) |
| 4 | Post-treatment assessment and planning for return to work |
| 5 | A formal agreement with BCCOHP to fulfill certain conditions for return to practice (and during continued practice) |
| 6 | Upon return to work, a period of ongoing monitoring by the addiction medicine expert and the treatment team, which includes monitored return-to-work protocols |
What happens if I relapse?
Addiction is a chronic brain disease with a complex etiology and a tendency for relapse; however, success rates for professionals who enter a structured program are high. The data for physicians who undergo rigorous standards of treatment and monitoring indicates that 5-year abstinence rates from substance abuse disorders are in excess of 80 per cent, which far outperforms other treatment programs*.
Should relapse occur:
*Six lessons from State Physician Health Programs to Promote Long Term Recovery: DuPont, M.D. and Skipper, G.E. 2012; Journal of Psychoactive Drugs Vol. 44(1), 72-78
All health professionals who are regulated under B.C.’s Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) have a professional, ethical and legal responsibility to report any unsafe practice of any other regulated health practitioner.
The duty to report under the HPOA applies across professions. This means that a professional who is licensed with one regulatory college is legally required to report a professional from any regulatory college (including their own).
Regulated health practitioners are legally required to report if they have reasonable grounds to believe that another regulated health practitioner is not fit to practice and the continued practice of their profession presents a significant risk of harm to the public. This may cover a wide range of conduct.
For example, practitioners are obligated to report when they have a good reason to believe that the public is in danger as a result of another practitioner suffering from a physical or mental ailment, an emotional or cognitive disturbance, or an addiction to drugs or alcohol that impairs their ability to practice.
Sexual misconduct, sexual abuse and discrimination must also be reported. Where concerns about sexual misconduct, sexual abuse and discrimination are based on information provided by a patient in the context of a professional – patient relationship, the consent of the patient or their parent/guardian must be obtained before making the report.
Where a professional is hospitalized for psychiatric care or treatment, or for treatment for addiction to alcohol or drugs, and is therefore unable to practice, a licensee who is an employee fo the health care facility, is obligated to report the professional to the regulatory body with which they are licensed.
It can be a difficult decision to decide whether to report a colleague to their regulatory body. A duty to report can be triggered by “reasonable grounds” that a reportable situation exists. Such grounds exist when a health professional believes there is a reliable basis for their suspicion and when a reasonable person in our society would also believe that the evidence supports such a belief.
If a health professional is concerned, they should contact the college of the professional in question to obtain clarification about the situation, or to determine if it is necessary to make a formal report. Making an inquiry (without specifying the name of the practitioner) does not automatically turn into a formal report.
In non-emergency circumstances that concern potentially substandard practice, it may be appropriate to contact the professional directly for clarification before deciding whether a report to their regulatory college is necessary. BCCOHP occasionally receives complaints from dentists about colleagues that are founded on simple misunderstandings that could have easily been clarified without the need to report to BCCOHP.
No. The HPOA provides immunity to health professionals who comply with the duty to report as long as the report is made in good faith and is based on reasonable grounds.
A health professional is in violation of the law if they do not meet their legal, professional or ethical responsibility to report a practitioner under the HPOA’s duty to report requirements.
In addition, the practitioner may be subject to disciplinary measures taken by their regulatory college and may also be the subject of a complaint filed by the college to which the professional with the impairment, ailment, addiction or ethical issue belongs.
It is understandable that a professional may wish to protect their identity when reporting a fellow practitioner, as this may be an uncomfortable situation; however, the duty to report is a legal obligation that is necessary for the protection of the public. A regulatory report may not be made anonymously, but an application for an identity protection order may be made in accordance with section 235 of the HPOA.
Regulatory bodies investigate and assess reports submitted under the duty to report based on the protection of the public, the maintenance of public confidence in professions and the legitimate expectations of complainants, professionals and the public that allegations will be fairly assessed and investigated.
While public safety is always the primary concern, B.C.’s health regulators also strive to respect the dignity and privacy of the health professional. Appropriate treatment and medical monitoring may be put in place if warranted.
Where you are required to make a formal report, you must submit the report in writing to the regulatory body with which the health professional is registered. Practitioners are advised to contact the college of the individual they are reporting to discuss the format and procedure for submitting their concern.
In a situation where several practitioners share a concern, they may submit one report. However, the report must be signed by all the practitioners submitting it.
