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In order to be legally entitled to practise dental hygiene in British Columbia, dental hygienists must be registered with the British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals.
Only registrants of the British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals are licensed and legally entitled to practice dental hygiene in BC and use the title “Registered Dental Hygienist.”
If you have questions, please use our contact form or call us at the numbers listed below:
If you are a non-practising or former dental hygienist who was previously registered with BCCOHP, you must reinstate your registration in order to return to practice.
Dental hygienists who wish to reinstate your registration must:
Note: Please use a laptop or desktop computer as some applicants have experienced difficulties using a mobile device or tablet.
The online reinstatement system for dental hygienists accepts payment by Visa, Mastercard and Visa Debit.
If you have questions, please use our contact form or call us at the numbers listed below:
If the applicant is currently registered in good standing in the ‘Registered Dental Hygienist’ category or equivalent in another Canadian jurisdiction recognized under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), they are eligible to register in BC without being required to take any additional examinations prior to registration.
All information required regarding registration in good standing and CFTA is requested in the Registration Application. Please review the Registration Application carefully and provide all information required regarding registration in another Canadian jurisdiction. You can find more information about the registration process in our Registration Information Guide, as well as our checklist of the requirements.
The BCCOHP will require a valid letter of good standing from any and all jurisdictions where the applicant has been registered to practice dental hygiene. All applicants must notify BCCOHP of all jurisdictions in Canada and internationally where they have been registered to practice dental hygiene.
If you are applying for registration in BC and are currently or have previously been registered in another Canadian jurisdiction, BCCOHP requires a Certificate/Letter of Standing from that jurisdiction.
The Certificate/Letter of Standing is valid for up to 60 days from the date that it was signed. If you do not have your registration process completed within 60 days, a new Certificate/Letter will be required.
The Certificate/Letter of Standing form can be found here.
If you are registered with BCCOHP and would like to request our office to provide letters of standing to other jurisdictions, the consent for release of information form can be found here.
Please allow up to 15 business days for processing.
Note: we send your Certificate/Letter of Standing directly to the organization you have on the form unless otherwise requested.
In order to be eligible for registration in BC, foreign-trained dental hygienists and recent graduates of programs not approved by BCCOHP (see Schedule C of the bylaws for approved list, page 152; also included in the accordion below) must successfully complete the Canadian Performance Exam in Dental Hygiene (CPEDH) offered by the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC). This College approved exam determines an individual’s competence and readiness to practice. This requirement does not apply to those who have already passed a clinical exam in another Canadian jurisdiction or have been registered in good standing within Canada.
The CPEDH is offered annually and applicants are encouraged to contact the FDHRC well in advance of the published application deadline to reserve a space.
For information on upcoming CPEDH Sessions please contact: info@fdhrc.ca
Please contact the FDHRC to request a CPEDH application form and to receive additional information regarding the exam.
Information about the CPEDH can be found here.
If your registration has lapsed and you wish to regain practising status, you must meet specific requirements. Please email registration@oralhealthbc.ca for further information.
Below is a list of the dental hygiene diploma and degree programs in BC:
The following BC Continuing Education Local Anesthesia Courses are recognized by BCCOHP for the purpose of certification for administration of local anesthesia: