I am interested in becoming a dental hygienist. Do you have any advice?

For the last few years, many private colleges have opened in Ontario and are offering dental hygiene programs. Unlike community colleges, private colleges are not given funding assistance by the government, so tuition costs can be high. In addition, some private colleges are not accredited by the Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada. The graduates of non-accredited colleges are subject not only to the national exam conducted by the National Dental Hygiene Examining Board (NDHEB) but also a Clinical Practical Evaluation (CPE). The examination results of many graduates of non-accredited dental hygiene programs are often substandard, and a failing mark means that these students do not qualify for licensure. Our advice would be to attend an accredited college. All community colleges and some private colleges are accredited. For more information go the the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario website, www.cdho.org

Also, make sure you do your research on the financial viability of a private college. Recently, a private college offering a dental hygiene program in London, Ontario, went out of business, leaving many students in the lurch.

Furthermore, it appears that Ontario has more hygienists than jobs. Presently, employment prospects for dental assistants are much better than for dental hygienists. ODAA has recently received inquiries from dental hygiene graduates wanting to become certified as dental assistants.