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Practice Resources for Dental Technicians

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 Professional Standards for the Oral Health Team (effective June 30, 2025). 

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 Professional 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 Note that eventually, all legacy practice resources will be rescinded and replaced by new BCCOHP standards that apply to all regulated oral health professionals.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 being 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. 

Professional Standards for the Oral Health Team in effect as of June 30, 2025

BCCOHP’s unified Professional Standards for the Oral Health Team are now in effect for all oral health professionals. These comprehensive new standards outline the minimum expectations for ethical conduct, performance and professional behavior for all oral health professionals in BC. They are designed to support professional accountability and help ensure consistent, competent care across the professions.

Cover page for the Professional Standards for the Oral Health Team

Read the new Professional Standards >>

View a video series about the Professional Standards for oral health professionals here >>

Learn about the standards development project >>

Eventually, all legacy practice resources will be rescinded and replaced by new BCCOHP standards that apply to all regulated oral health professionals.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>>

Practice Standards and Guidelines

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  • A Dental Technician who owns, operates or manages a place of business offering dental technology services must
    • ensure that all prescriptions and records pertaining to dental technology services and containing personal information are safely and securely stored,
    • retain prescriptions for dental technology services for a period of not less than 16 years from the date of receipt,
    • ensure that all prescriptions and business records containing personal information are disposed of only by
      • transferring the record to another registrant or with the consent of the patient, to another health care agency or health care practitioner,
      • effectively destroying a physical record by utilizing a shredder or by complete burning, or
      • erasing information recorded or stored by electronic methods on tapes, disks or cassettes in a manner that ensures that the information cannot be reconstructed, and
    • make appropriate arrangements in the event that the registrant ceases to practice, becomes unable to practice or dies, to ensure the obligations to this section are carried out by another registrant, and
    • on written request of a patient or his or her authorized representative, provide copies of the patient’s prescription and any records pertaining to dental technology services provided to or on behalf of the patient.
  • Copies requested must be provided as soon as practicable but in any event not more than 45 days following the request.
  • A registrant may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed 25 cents per photocopied page.

The dental laboratory environment is potentially a source of many infectious diseases.

Health professionals working in a dental laboratory environment may be exposed to hepatitis, aids, herpes or other infectious diseases through contact with blood, saliva and debris on impressions, dentures, crowns, bridges, appliances and other items or, in some instances, through direct patient contact.

Awareness of infectious disease control is the responsibility of the health professional. Dental technician registrants should be aware of the potential risk to themselves, or the potential loss of income or legal action that may occur if they spread infectious diseases to someone else. There are many sources of information and education regarding appropriate infection control measures for the commercial laboratory.

BCCOHP does not promote or support any specific product or system to address infection control. It does however currently recommend that:

  1. Personnel handling prosthesis, models, impressions or other items sent by dental offices be vaccinated against Hepatitis B and other infectious diseases in order that the possibility of disease acquisition and transmission can be minimized.

Registrants observe minimal standards of infection control and ensure there is a system in place to disinfect:

  • incoming work
  • work spaces
  • tools and accessories
  • work ready for shipping

The College recommends that all dental technicians have the following MINIMUM program in place:

  1. Wear utility gloves when opening or handling incoming packages.
    1. (Use eye protection and a face mask if aerosols are expected and advise drivers of the risk of leaking or improperly closed packages.)
  2. Discard disposable packaging material and disinfect all reusable or returnable containers.
  3. Rinse impressions, dentures, try-ins, repairs, etc. Under running water, using care not to splash
  4. Soak or spray all items with an appropriate approved disinfectant
  5. Clean and disinfect all work stations and shipping/receiving benches between each case, and at least daily.
  6. Replace pumice for each new case and repair at least mix with an appropriate and approved disinfectant and use a disposable plastic liner.
  7. Soak brushes, rag wheels, etc. Overnight in an appropriate and approved disinfectant.
  8. Registrants who see patients for minor repairs or shade verification must follow accepted clinical infection control procedures.
  9. After work is completed, treat the finished case again with an appropriate approved disinfectant before returning to the dental office.

Read Fabrication of Dental Appliances/Restorations that Involve Contact with the Public here (PDF) >>