Common questions the College receives about VSCs and Annual Renewal.
The Renewal deadline for the 2024-2025 permit year was 11:59 pm MT on October 31, 2024.
If you successfully renewed, you can find your new permit for the 2024 - 2025 permit year by clicking "Print My Practice Permit" link on the right-hand side of any tab in the Registrant Portal.
Renewal for the 2025-2026 permit year will open in early September.
Note: Registrants with a 2022 - 2025 reporting period are required to obtain and submit a VSC document to the College by the Renewal deadline of October 31, 2025. If you were required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Check by October 31, 2024, but have not yet done so, the Vulnerable Sector Check form is still available to you.
Your VSC must be obtained from the police service or RCMP detachment in the jurisdiction in which you reside. A VSC can only be obtained from a police service or RCMP detachment and cannot be obtained by a third party provider of criminal record checks.
Some law enforcement agencies may provide online forms to request a VSC, but others may require you to attend in person. Check with your local detachment in advance to determine how to apply for a VSC, the cost, and any additional requirements (e.g., identification, letter).
If your local police service or RCMP detachment requires a letter in order to complete a VSC, please provide them with this document: ACDH Vulnerable Sector Check Letter. This letter has been updated as of June 2024.
Registrants residing outside of Alberta but within Canada can request a VSC from their local police service or RCMP detachment.
The College will not accept any form of criminal record check from international police services or other international record providers. If you are currently outside of Canada, contact the police service or RCMP detachment that serves the Canadian jurisdiction you were most recently residing in.
Go to the Registrant Portal and click on the VSC tab. Here, you can confirm your reporting period and VSC requirement. If you are required to submit a VSC to the College this year, click the "Vulnerable Sector Check" link in the Links table on the right hand side of the Portal.
In the form, enter the required information and upload a clear scan or photo of your VSC document. Enter your full name in the signature box and click "Submit."
Do not email, fax, or mail your VSC to the College.
A vulnerable sector check is a type of criminal record check. According to the Edmonton Police Service, “A Vulnerable Sector Check involves a search of the automated criminal records (pardoned sex offender) retrieval system maintained by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to identify the existence of sex offences for which a record suspension or pardon exists.”
Section 28(1)(h) of the Health Professions Act allows Colleges to require criminal record checks for registration and practice permit renewal. Because dental hygienists in Alberta routinely provide services to seniors, children, or other vulnerable persons, and that the College's primary responsibility is public safety in all practice settings, the type of criminal record check required is a vulnerable sector check.
Criminal record checks that do not include a vulnerable sector check will not be accepted.
The processing time for a vulnerable check may take anywhere from seven days to several months. The College encourages you to obtain and submit your VSC as early as possible in the final year of your reporting period.
Fees for a vulnerable sector check are determined and collected by the police service or RCMP detachment providing them. Check with the police service or RCMP detachment in your region to confirm the applicable fees.
Registrants are responsible for the cost of obtaining their VSC.
The policy states that registrants must obtain and submit a VSC that is issued within the final year of their 3-year Continuing Competence Program reporting period. Registrants with a 2022 - 2025 reporting period must provide a VSC that was issued between November 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025.
The College will not accept password-protected documents. If you are unable to remove the password from the original document, please screenshot or scan the original document and upload it to the form. Make sure you screenshot or scan the entire document, including all pages and any signatures and dates. Upload these screenshots as part of one document. Submissions with incomplete documents will be passed back for you to upload the complete document.
College staff will review each submitted VSC to verify the document. If your VSC contains positive records or findings (e.g., criminal charges), the College will assess those findings on a case-by-case basis and may request additional information.
In most cases, the issue date will be at the bottom of the form or letter, next to the name or signature of the person who completed the check. However, checks from the Calgary Police Service have the issue date at the top of the letter.
College staff will review your document and if necessary, reach out to you to provide the original, or the issuing agency to verify the document.
Yes. If an incomplete document is uploaded, College staff will pass your submission back to you to upload the complete document. Upload all the pages of your VSC document in one file (e.g., PDF).
The VSC document you upload must have all of the following:
If additional information or documentation is required after your submission is reviewed by College staff, you will be contacted by email.
There is a separate form for registrants wishing to cancel their registration with the College. Do not fill out the Renewal form if you wish to cancel.
Once you have logged into the Registrant Portal, click the "Cancel My Registration" Link on the right hand side of any tab.
Complete the form, include your reason for cancelling, and the full list of declarations. You can choose any cancellation date, from one day after the date you are filling out the form, up until October 31, 2024. Your registration will be canceled on the date you enter in this form.
If you cancel your registration and would like to return to the General Register at a later date, ensure you understand the requirements and fees for Reinstatement.
Your new practice permit will be available as soon as your Renewal application is approved. During the Renewal period, click the "Print My Upcoming Practice Permit" link on the right hand side of any tab in the Portal.
As of November 1, click the "Print My Practice Permit" link to access your current practice permit.
Registrants are required to complete and maintain CPR certification intended for health care providers (e.g., Basic Life Support BLS or Health Care Provider HCP level). Read the detailed CPR requirements in the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy.
Although a lapse in CPR certification of no more than 30 days is permitted, your CPR certification must be current (i.e., issued within the past 12 months) at the time you submit your application for Renewal.
Example Scenarios:
CPR lapse prior to Renewal: A registrant completed BLS CPR on July 5, 2023. Their CPR certification is no longer considered to be current as of July 5, 2024, per College policies. The registrant is permitted a lapse of no more than 30 days and must complete their new CPR certification by August 4, 2024 at the latest.
CPR lapse during Renewal: A registrant completed BLS CPR on September 1, 2023. Their CPR certification is no longer considered to be current as of September 1, 2024, per College policies. The registrant is allowed a lapse of no more than 30 days until October 1, 2024; however, the system will not permit them to submit a Renewal application with a CPR certification that is not considered to be current. They will be required to complete and upload a current CPR certification in the Continuing Competence tab of the Registrant Portal before submitting a Renewal application.
Your Professional Liability Insurance must meet the minimum requirements listed in the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy. This includes having full coverage for the current permit year of November 1, 2024 to October 31, 2025 with no gaps.
Please ensure you have obtained full coverage and the appropriate proof (ie., insurance certificate) of professional liability insurance before starting your Renewal application. Membership cards and receipts are not acceptable proof of PLI.
Once you have submitted a learning activity for program credits, the credits are calculated and immediately reflected in the Credits Eligible column. As per the Continuing Competence Program Manual, registrants can claim hour-for-hour program credits in 15-minute increments. For example, a course that took two hours to complete can be claimed for two credits. A module that took 15 minutes to complete can be claimed for 0.25 credits.
There is no approval of credits at the time of submission, however, the College maintains the ability to seek additional verification of the registrant’s attendance, participation, and/or completion of activities. This includes verification of time reported for hour-per-hour program credits. Registrants must be able to justify that reported learning activities have significant intellectual or practical content related to their practice of dental hygiene, oral health, or the professional responsibility and ethical obligations of the registrant.
The Competence Committee has the authority to adjust the number and category of credits accepted for any reported activity.