Notice of Election and Call for Nominations 

January 18 Update: Nominations were open from December 1 to January 3 for the four registrant board member positions and are now closed. Details of the election (including candidate statements) are now available here >> 

The BC College of Oral Health Professionals (BCCOHP) will be holding a board election in January 2024 for four registrant board member positions. Of the 12 members on the Board, half are elected and half are appointed (public) members. 

In this election period, dental hygienists, dental technicians, dental therapists, dentists and denturists are invited to consider nomination for the Board. 

There are four registrant positions to be filled by election: 

• Dental Hygienist board member (3-year term) 
• Dental Technician board member (3-year term)
• Dentist/Dental Therapist board member (3-year term) 
• Denturist board member (3-year term) 

The start date for all of these positions is April 1, 2024.  

The terms laid out above are subject to change due to the anticipated transition to the new Health Professions and Occupations Act (see more below).

Note that two public board member positions are also ending in 2024, and will be appointed by the Minister of Health.

Voting

All six types of oral health professionals regulated by BCCOHP can vote for all four elected board member positions.  

Voting took place online in the new year, via a secure, third-party service. Electronic ballots were emailed to eligible voters, along with instructions on how to vote.

Voter eligibility requirements can be found in section 2.04 of the BCCOHP Bylaws
here >> 

Regulatory Landscape 

In late 2022, the provincial government passed new legislation that governs health regulatory colleges, called the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA). When it comes into force, it will replace the Health Professions Act (HPA). Under the HPOA, there is a move away from board elections, with a superintendent to make merit-based recommendations for board positions to the Minister. 

BCCOHP has previous experience with government-appointed boards as the Minister of Health appointed the first board for BCCOHP upon amalgamation in 2022. The legislation is owned by government and provides our authority as health regulatory colleges. Along with our health regulatory colleagues in BC, we are working together with government to prepare for the change in legislation. The government has stated that the HPOA is intended to enhance patient safety, provide oversight of the regulatory colleges, and improve governance. Please see BCCOHP’s announcement about this or visit the Ministry of Health Professional Regulation site for more information. 

Election timeline: Key dates and deadlines

Contact Us
For specific questions, contact registrarsoffice@oralhealthbc.ca  

This notice is provided per section 2.05 of the BCCOHP Bylaws.