Welcome Internationally Educated Applicants!
Registered dental hygienists in Canada are primary healthcare providers who have received dental hygiene-specific education.
Designations include dental hygienist, registered dental hygienist, or oral hygienist.
Anyone performing dental hygiene services must register with the College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba prior to practicing the profession of dental hygiene.
How to Apply
The dental hygiene profession is currently self-regulated in all Canadian provinces except Prince Edward Island. Each province has its own dental hygiene regulatory body with similar requirements for registration. Applicants must contact each province separately to apply for registration in a particular province.
Manitoba applicants must first contact the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC).
Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC)
All applications to practice the dental hygiene profession in Canada require contacting the FDHRC and completing the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam (NDHCE). Depending on where you graduated, you may also be required to complete a Competency Assessment. In order to register to practice in Manitoba the first step is to complete the NDHCE.
You are eligible to write the NDHCE if you meet the following:
1. Graduated from an accredited* dental hygiene educational program (or be within 4 months of graduating from such program at exam registration time) or,
2. Be a graduate of a dental hygiene program that is not accredited but meets all the required criteria necessary to have your educational credentials assessed, which will determine eligibility to write the NDHCE.
*Accredited means: accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA/CODA)
i) Education Equivalency Assessment
As an internationally educated dental hygienist, an assessment of your education will be conducted. The results of your assessment will determine your eligibility to write the NDHCE. All information pertaining to the education assessment process, and other resources can be found on the FDHRC website.
Assessment Results: A positive assessment means that you are eligible to write the NDHCE and will receive a letter indicating your eligibility status. A negative assessment means that you are not eligible to write the NDHCE and a letter providing the reasons for ineligibility will be provided.
At this time, there is no language proficiency test as part of this assessment. Please note that the NDHCE is available in the two official languages of Canada: English and French.
ii) Clinical Competency Assessment
If you received your dental hygiene education from an accredited institution outside of Canada (other than the United States of America), and you have successfully completed the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam you may be required to complete a clinical competency assessment. This clinical competency assessment may not be available in Manitoba. Please contact the CDHM office at 204-219-2678 for additional information.
NOTE: The FDHRC Equivalency Assessment can take up to a month, and the NDHCE is offered three times a year, usually in January, May and September. If a Clinical Competency Assessment is required, they are scheduled three times a year.
What is the Next Step After Passing the NDHCE?
Once you have passed the NDHCE and any other assessment requirements, you may begin the CDHM application process.
The first step is to complete the ‘CDHM Declaration Form for Internationally Educated Applicants’ and return the signed document to the CDHM office via email or regular mail. Ensure you complete the section called ‘Authorization to Collect Information’ section so we can retrieve documentation from the FDHRC to process your application.
Declaration Form: CDHM Declaration Form for Internationally Educated Applicants
Steps for Applying to the CDHM: Application Process for Internationally Educated Applicants
Fees Associated with Registration: CDHM Fee Schedule
You are encouraged to contact the CDHM office at 204-219-2678 with any questions about the application process, and view the CDHM Fee Schedule for fees associated with registration.
Resources
Immigration
Visit www.immigratemanitoba.com
Financial Support
There may be financial supports available to you to assist you as you work through the application process. They include the following:
Manitoba Careers for Internationally Educated Professionals Program
This program supports internationally educated professionals (IEPs) towards their goal of working in their professional fields in Manitoba. It provides non-repayable financial assistance to help IEPs with assessment and training costs while pursuing registration. To be eligible, individuals must have started the registration process with a Manitoba regulator, and be motivated and able to complete the process in a timely, efficient and continuous manner. For more information and to apply, visit their website.
Recognition Counts
This program provides supports to skilled immigrants wishing to work in their field of expertise or an alternative career in Manitoba. The program offers financial counselling, as well as the opportunity to apply for a loan of up to $30,000 with Assiniboine Credit Union to help with the cost of having qualifications recognized in Manitoba and obtaining related employment. To learn more, visit their website.
Manitoba Student Aid
This is a supplemental financial assistance program for Manitobans who do not have enough resources to pay for post-secondary education (university or college) on their own. This program provides various types of funding through the Manitoba Student Aid Program and the Canada Student Loans and Grants Programs. Funding includes repayable government student loans and non-repayable grants and/or bursaries. For more information, visit their website.