INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
Dental hygienists have been providing oral health services to Albertans since 1951. The profession has been self-regulating since 1990 and is currently regulated under the Health Professions Act (the Act, or HPA) the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation (DHPR), and the Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation (HPRAR).
The introduction of Bill 46 in 2020 separated regulatory colleges from associations and unions to ensure that colleges always put patients and the public interest first. In order to meet the Bill 46 requirements, the Alberta College of Dental Hygienists (ACDH) divested from all association-type activities and now operates under a singular mandate of public protection.
THE ROLE OF THE ACDH
The Health Professions Act, Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation, and Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation authorize the ACDH to:
- Set entry-to-practice requirements
- Set and administer standards of practice
- Resolve concerns and complaints about dental hygienists and administer disciplinary measures when necessary
As the regulatory authority, the ACDH requires Alberta dental hygienists to:
- Meet or exceed the requirements for registration and renewal of practice permits
- Meet or exceed the requirements of the Continuing Competence Program
- Comply with the ACDH’s practice standards
By meeting these professional expectations, Alberta’s dental hygienists are well prepared to provide safe, effective oral healthcare services to their clients.
OVERVIEW OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE PROFESSION
In their practice, dental hygienists do one or more of the following:
- Assess, diagnose and treat oral health conditions through the provision of therapeutic, educational and preventive dental hygiene procedures and strategies to promote wellness
- Perform restricted activities as authorized by the HPRAR
- Perform advanced restricted activities as authorized by the ACDH in accordance with legislation and the HPRAR
- Provide services as clinicians, educators, researchers, administrators, health promoters and consultants
- Dental hygienists provide clinical services in a wide variety of settings, including interdisciplinary health centres, dental hygienist-owned practices, dentist-owned practices, community health, continuing care and home care settings, administration, and education.
PROTECTED TITLES
A regulated registrant of the ACDH may use the following protected titles, abbreviations and initials:
- Dental hygienist
- Registered dental hygienist
- DH
- RDH