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Depending on your qualifications and professional circumstances, you may apply for different classifications of registration with BCCOHP.
Registrants may be able to move between some registration classes if they meet certain requirements, such as Quality Assurance Program requirements. We advise contacting BCCOHP to confirm eligibility and requirements prior to making any changes to your registration.
BCCOHP offers the following registration classifications:
Available to dental hygienists who meet all of the following requirements:
* Graduates from dental hygiene programs not listed in Schedule C and who are not currently registered within Canada (see AIT) may satisfy this requirement by successfully challenging the Canadian Performance Exam in Dental Hygiene (CPEDH).
Registrants with the following qualifications are eligible to apply to the Dental Hygiene Practitioner (DHP) registration classification:
Approved Institutions
BCCOHP Board approved institutions for completion of a degree in dental hygiene:
If you meet the requirements for Dental Hygiene Practitioner registration as listed above, you have the option to apply for a registration class transfer to the Dental Hygiene Practitioner class by completing and submitting the application form found here.
There is an Alternate Pathway to apply to the DHP classification for current RDH registrants who hold a BCCOHP-approved, non-dental-hygiene bachelor’s degree. If registrants are interested in pursuing this pathway, they should contact the Registration Department.
Information about certification requirements to administer local anesthetic (LA) in BC is available on the Certification to Administer Local Anesthesia information below.
Non-practising registration is available to dental hygienists who currently hold or have previously held registration. Non-practising registrants must not practice dental hygiene. Non-practising registration will be granted to those who meet the requirements for Registered Dental Hygienist registration with the exception of:
A Non-practising registrant may transfer to practicing registration by providing proof of completion of all requirements and paying the applicable fees.
Please be advised that moving to Non-practising registration does not pause a dental hygienist’s QAP cycle and that requirements will have to be met upon reinstatement into a practising registration classification. Should you have further questions specific to your QAP cycle, please contact us.
Temporary registration may be available to dental hygienists who are registered in good standing in another jurisdiction for the purpose of participating in or conducting an educational program sponsored by an agency approved by the BCCOHP Registration Committee.
More information is available by contacting the BCCOHP Registration department.
Certification to administer local anesthesia is optional in BC. Dental hygienists who are authorized and certified to administer local anaesthetic (LA) in BC have the indication of “(C)” next to their licence class. For example: Registered Dental Hygienist (C) or Dental Hygiene Practitioner (C). The “(C)” stands for “certified to administer LA”.
Registered dental hygienists who do not have a “(C)” following their class of registration on their license are NOT certified to administer LA.
Registrants who are certified to administer LA must renew their certification (C) annually during the license renewal period to practice dental hygiene. Registrants who no longer wish to administer LA can opt out of LA certification and would no longer be licensed to administer LA.
Starting in 2022, registrants must complete the LA Module as part of their five-year QAP cycle, prior to renewing their LA certification.
If you do not already have your “C”, in order to obtain LA certification, you are required to successfully complete a BCCOHP-approved Local Anesthesia course and/or demonstrate eligibility to perform Local Anesthesia in the jurisdiction of practice within the past five years.
The following courses are approved by the BC College of Oral Health Professionals to obtain LA certification:
The following list provides dental hygiene program local anesthesia courses approved by BCCOHP, from across the rest of Canada. Successful completion of an approved course meets the local anesthesia education requirement to obtain LA Certification.
Approved Local Anesthesia Courses Offered in Dental Hygiene Programs across Canada:
If you have not completed an LA course as part of an approved dental hygiene program and you wish to obtain LA certification in BC, you can take any of the following continuing education (CE) LA courses. All CE courses listed below are approved by the BC College of Oral Health Professionals :
The following institutions are providers of continuing education local anesthesia courses that have been reviewed and approved by BCCOHP. Successful completion of an approved course meets the local anesthesia education requirement to obtain Local Anesthetic Certification.
Contact information for the courses listed below have been provided for your convenience. Session dates and availability are not guaranteed and must be confirmed with the course provider to ensure accuracy. Please contact the course provider directly if you have any questions about these courses.
Approved Continuing Education Local Anesthesia Courses Offered in Canada:
University of British Columbia
Continuing Dental Education Department
Local Anaesthesia for Registered Dental Hygienists
Location: 2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC
Phone:604-822-6156
Email: cde@dentistry.ubc.ca
Website: https://www.dentistry.ubc.ca/cde/calendar/
Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene
Continuing Education Department
Local Anesthetics for Dental Hygienists
Location: 1205 6th Avenue, New Westminster, BC
Phone: 604-215-7611
Email: info@vancouver-college-dental.org
Website: http://www.vancouver-college-dental.org/local-anesthetic-program.html
Camosun College
Continuing Education Department
Local Anesthesia Certification for Dental Hygienists (Offering currently suspended)
Location: 3100 Foul Bay Road, Victoria, BC
Contact: Karen Hood-Deshon
Phone: 250–370–3176
Email: hoodk@camosun.ca
Website: http://www.camosun.ca/ce/
College of New Caledonia
School of Access & Continuing Education Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienists
Location: 3330-22nd Ave, Prince George, BC
Phone: 250-561-5846
Email: continuinged@cnc.bc.ca
University of Alberta
Continuing Education Local Anesthesia Course for Registered Dental Hygienists
Location: 5-566, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 11405 – 87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta
Phone: 780-492-5391
Website: https://www.ualberta.ca/school-of-dentistry/continuing-dental-education
University of Manitoba
Continuing Education Local Anesthesia Course: Pain Management Workshop
Location: D113- 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Phone: 204-789-3562
Website: http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/health_sciences/dentistry/cpd-dent.html
Dalhousie University
Local Anesthesia for the Dental Hygienist at Continuing Dental Education
Location: Carleton Campus, 5981 University Avenue, PO Box 15000, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2
Phone: 902-494-1674
Email: cde.dentistry@dal.ca
Website: https://www.dal.ca/faculty/dentistry/continuing-education.html
Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Local Anesthesia Continuing Education
Location: 4500 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan
Phone: 1-866-467-4278
Website: https://saskpolytech.ca/programs-and-courses/part-time- studies/course/local-anesthesia/ANES-262/
If you are uncertain about your current LA certification status, please log in to your registrant profile and check your registration class. Registrants who have LA certification will see a “(C)” next to their registration class. For example: Registered Dental Hygienist (C) or Dental Hygiene Practitioner (C). Please contact the College if you have any questions.