For applicants currently registered and in good standing to practice as a dental hygienist in another Canadian jurisdiction.
As of November 15, 2024, postal services across Canada have been interrupted. At this time, certain services may be delayed or not delivered at all. Documents being sent to the College by mail may not be received in a timely manner.
If you have questions about documents required for your application, please email registration@acdh.ca.
If you have been registered as a dental hygienist, but have never been registered with the ACDH (or CRDHA or ADHA) you must apply for initial registration.
If you have previously been registered with the ACDH (or CRDHA or ADHA) you must apply for reinstatement instead.
The requirements for initial registration are outlined on this page. There are different requirements for dental hygienists working in Canada and dental hygienists working outside of Canada. Please read the information below about these requirements carefully.
This section applies to applicants who are currently registered and in good standing to practice as a dental hygienist in another Canadian jurisdiction.
You must have active registration in another Canadian jurisdiction in order to apply for registration with the ACDH.
As part of the required online application form, applicants must enter or upload the following:
Please note: All uploaded documents and information provided must be verifiable by the College. The College may contact third parties such as educational institutions, regulatory bodies, agencies, or employers to verify documentation or the information provided in an application for registration.
Reference: Health Professions Act (HPA) – Sections 28, 29.1, 33(4)(b)
Reference: Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation – Section 4
Canadian RDH Application Information
Initial Registration Checklist
Click here to Create an Applicant Profile to start the application process.
Applicants will have to submit the non-refundable $350 application fee.
When an application for registration is approved, the applicant must pay the $599 Permit Fee before the College can enter their name on the General Register and issue a unique Registration Number and Practice Permit. The breakdown of fees is as follows:
| Application Type | Application Fee | Permit Fee |
TOTAL |
|
Dental hygienists working in other Canadian jurisdictions |
$350 |
$599 |
$949 |
More information about Council-approved fees can be found on the Fee Schedule page on our website.
If you do not hold current registration in another Canadian jurisdiction, you are not eligible to apply for registration using this pathway. In order to apply for registration in Alberta, you can either:
If you have been using a temping agency, you may be able to obtain a record of your assignments from them. This could be a signed letter on agency letterhead. If you were an independent contractor, you could provide pay stubs, letters from frequent employers, or copies of paid invoices.
Practice hours are counted if they were worked in the 3 years immediately preceding when your application for registration is considered complete.
For example, if all of your required documentation is submitted to the College and the information in your application is correct on September 1, 2024, The College will consider hours worked between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2024.
There is no requirement for self-initiation in Alberta. The Health Professions Act does not require supervision of dental hygienists. There is no requirement for a dentist to examine a patient prior to dental hygiene treatment or for the dental hygienist to obtain an “order” to provide services.
Because dental hygienists in Alberta do not work under the supervision of another health profession, they retain full accountability for their actions.
Authorization for Advanced Restricted Activities must be applied for separately from your registration application. Visit the Applying for Advanced Restricted Activities webpage for more information.
You will need to provide evidence of completion of additional education in that activity as well as currency practice with your application. This would be a letter from an employer (clinic) stating that you provided LA as part of your regular practice.
For more information about application timelines, processes, and next steps, visit the general Registration FAQs webpage.
For more information about maintaining your registration and the annual renewal process, visit the Maintaining Your Registration webpage.
To read about how the College maintains the privacy of applicants and registrants, read the Privacy Statement.
This section applies to applicants who have graduated from a CDAC or CODA accredited dental hygiene program and who have been working as a dental hygienist outside of Canada. If you are an internationally-trained dental hygienist, go to the Internationally Trained page for information about how to register.
As per section 5.1(b) of the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy, practice hours obtained outside of Canada are not accepted by the College. The reason for this is the scope of practice for dental hygienists varies significantly between countries. As a regulatory body, ACDH has the responsibility to ensure that applicants are able to demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and judgement to practice safely and competently in Alberta.
Under sections 3(2)(d) and 5(2) of the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation, applicants working outside of Canada may be required to demonstrate that they are currently competent to practice dental hygiene in Alberta.
As part of the required online application form, applicants must enter or upload the following:
Please note: All uploaded documents and information provided must be verifiable by the College. The College may contact third parties such as educational institutions, regulatory bodies, agencies, or employers to verify documentation or the information provided in an application for registration.
Reference: Health Professions Act (HPA) – Sections 28, 29.1, 33(4)(b)
Reference: Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation – Section 4
RDH Working Internationally Application Information
Click here to Create an Applicant Profile to start the application process.
Applicants will have to submit the non-refundable $350 application fee.
When an application for registration is approved, the applicant must pay the $599 Permit Fee before the College can enter their name on the General Register and issue a unique Registration Number and Practice Permit. The breakdown in fees is as follows:
| Application Type |
Application Fee |
Permit Fee |
TOTAL |
|
Dental hygienists working outside of Canada |
$350 |
$599 |
$949 |
More information about Council-approved fees can be found on the Fee Schedule page on our website.
No, under the Registration and Practice Permit Renewal Policy, only practice hours obtained in Canada can be reported. The reason for this is the scope of practice for dental hygienists varies significantly between countries. As a regulatory body, ACDH has the responsibility to ensure that you are able to demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and judgement to practice safely and competently in Alberta. Please contact the College to discuss your options.
The HPA requires that applicants are either a Canadian citizen or lawfully permitted to work in Canada. The ACDH does not require evidence of this at initial registration, however, it is expected that applicants and registrants meet this requirement and maintain their eligibility to practice in Canada if necessary.
For more information about application timelines, processes, and next steps, visit the general Registration FAQs webpage.
For more information about maintaining your registration and the annual renewal process, visit the Maintaining Your Registration webpage.
To read about how the College maintains the privacy of applicants and registrants, read the Privacy Statement.