DH license from Ontario to BC

Hey there,

I'm sure there are a lot of you who decided to take a DH program in ontario instead of BC. For those of you who decided to come back to BC and work, what sort of process did u you have to go through? interms of license transfer etc.

also, I heard rumors about how dentists look down on hygienists graduating from ontario because the quality of education there is not 'up to par' with BC's programs. is this true? how hard was it to get a job coming from ontario?

thank you.

Hello there!

I went to school in ontario and am writing my boards in a week. I am moving to BC when I am done school and the process is pretty simple. If you go to the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia it is explained very well. As for how hard it is getting a job comming from Ontario I have not found it difficult. There are lots of jobs available in BC and I have had many callbacks from jobs I have applied to dispite being trained in Ontario. Remember we all write the same exam for entry to practice. Please keep in mind that with regards to the education being not 'up to par' you are correct in some cases. That being said, DDS in ontario are wary to hire from people who attended certain school so i suggest you do your research and make sure that if you do decide to come to Ontario that you choose a school with a good reputation. I assure you there are some very good schools in ontario which are 'up to par' with the BC programs. The biggest thing to look for is accreditation....there are alot of schools popping up in ontario which are not accredited and a assure you that people graduating from these schools have a much more difficut time finding jobs here in ontario let alone in any other province. Hope you find this helpful!

Hi Kelly,
Thank you so much! That is exactly the answer I was looking for.

May I ask which college you attended in ontario?

I graduated from Algonquin College in Ottawa and although I may be bias I think its a fantastic school. I have also heard from someone at the NDHCB that its a good school and DDS all over ontario all seem to think so too (not to mention I've had no problems with DDS in BC). Another school that I've heard has a great reputation is George Brown in Toronto. Im sure there are other greats schools but those are the only 2 that I can speak personally about. Hope this helps!

Kelly, your lucky you attended a community college. I think maybe some DDS look down at private schools because the education may not be up to standard.

Best of luck.

But the thing is..doesn't accreditation mean that they meet the national standard? thus does it not mean that a DH program at a private institution should be just as good as a program at a community college?

:(
i hope CADH is ok.

you are right that if they are accredited it should mean that they meet the national standards but there is a stigma attached to private schools especially in Ontario :(

To be honest I've never heard of CADH.... maybe someone else can shed some light on the program.

the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene....anyone? :P

Hi Kelly,

I'm going to DH program at Algonquin College in September.
Do you have any used textbooks to sell?
I'm looking for Dental anatomy self study guide, dental upper/lower subs, Mosby's dental dictionary for BIO 4305, Dental hygiene clinical manual and dental hygiene clinical manual appendices for DEN 4334.

If you know somebody from your program who wants to sell textbooks, please let me know.

Thanks.

P.S. I live in Ottawa.

The appendices you are looking for are grade sheets that must be purchased from the bookstore. (Carbon copy sheets) The book store also sells used books for reasonable prices, though you may want to check out amazon.ca or other online sources where they are MUCH cheaper.

Also, you can wait for the class to start prior to purchasing the books, as the profs review what is needed the first class. BTW- the first class is usually a review of the course and its outline.(GOOD TO PRINT FROM "BLACKBOARD" IN AUGUST)

I hope this was helpful to you! And congrats on getting in, Its an AMAZING program and the people are wonderful.

Hi Laura,

Thanks for the info. It was very helpful. I'm excited to hear that the program and people are wonderful!

I would have said the same thing as Laura but she beat me to it! Besides I actually dont have any books to sell since I borrow mine from a friend!

student in Port Mann, British Columbia said: Hey there,

I'm sure there are a lot of you who decided to take a DH program in ontario instead of BC. For those of you who decided to come back to BC and work, what sort of process did u you have to go through? interms of license transfer etc.

also, I heard rumors about how dentists look down on hygienists graduating from ontario because the quality of education there is not 'up to par' with BC's programs. is this true? how hard was it to get a job coming from ontario?

thank you.

It is super easy to get a job in BC when coming from Ontario. Even if they may look down on the education, they are still desperate and will take new grads at a great pay.

Hello DH student in Toronto :) I just graduated from the DH program at Algonquin (with Kelly actually), and have lots of text books if you are still interested. Feel free to e-mail me at cheryldunlap@hotmail.com. I am in Ottawa too. Congrats on getting in, you are going to have a great 2 years. Cheryl

I graduated from CADH!
I don't think that CADH is the worst (or best) school out there. Just be ready to work hard, find your own clients in order to complete all your cases, and learn how to fake a smile! Good luck!

Its great that someone who graduated from CADH was able to post here so that your able to hear from someone who went there! Congradulations ladies on finishing!! Oh and Cheryl and Laura congrats on PASSING THE BOARDS!!!! (Laura also went to school with us Cheryl!)

Hi Cheryl,

I was wondering if you have received my e-mail.
I'm interested in buying text books for the first semester!

Thanks

Dear Cheryl,
could you please tell me wthat is the total cost of the DH program in Algonquin

Thank you very much in advance.

I am from sweden and i was looking to travel to canada and work as Dh. I am currently employed in stockholm sweden.
which province is has the most job vacancy? and how long is the process?

Hey!

There are more jobs out west in alberta and bc then in ontario or the maritimes. But just prespects are good everywhere and unless your in a small city you shouldnt have a problem finding work anywhere. As for the process and how long it is I suggest you call the college on whatever province you want to work as they will most likely be the best source of information for that. Good luck Canada is amazing and you'll love it!

Hi,

Transferring the license takes a lot of time. At first, your educational credential has to be met.
After they evaluate and if you are qualified, you need to pass the National Exam and the clinical exam to be licensed in Canada. A friend of mine has gone through this process and got a license. She was from Asia.
Also, you need to be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to be able to work.
I hope this helps. Good luck!

www.ndhcb.ca/en/exam1.php?menu=ee (National Dental hygiene Certification board)
www.cdhbc.com/news/international.aspx (College of dental Hygienists of British Columbia)

student in Port Mann, British Columbia said: the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene....anyone? :P

Hi,

I am currently a student at CIDH in Hamilton, and I've had 2 friends graduate from CADH last year who are from BC. Both of them loved the school, and have had no problems at all finding or getting a job back in BC. Make sure the school is still accredited, and has been around for a few years. Try to ask them for previous students to get their opinion as well. Good luck

DH student in Toronto, Ontario said: Hi Cheryl,

I was wondering if you have received my e-mail.
I'm interested in buying text books for the first semester!

Thanks

Hello again DH Student from T.O! Sorry, I didn't get your e-mail,try cheryldunlap@yahoo.com sometimes my hotmail does funny things. Cheryl :)

Nizami in Baku, Azerbaijan said: Dear Cheryl,
could you please tell me wthat is the total cost of the DH program in Algonquin

Thank you very much in advance.

Total costs....hmmm...not sure about the exact cost, but somewhere in the $15-$18k range for the two years I think. If you go to this site and tally up all the cost you should get a good idea. It isn't cheap that's for sure!

extraweb.algonquincollege.com/fulltime_programs/programOverview.aspx?show=fees&id=0927X01FWO&

Hello, I have just recently been accepted into the hygiene program at CADH and I was wondering if anyone knew about the total cost of tuition and fees or had any advice about this particular school or program! Thanks!

Hi Brianne,

Is the admission test difficult. Could you post some sample questions if you remember any? Thanks in advance

Hi, I graduated from a private school in Ottawa CNIH last August,, passed the boards 1st time, then went on to pass the CDHO practical,, I think that if you want it-- you can have it,, all you have to do is try!!!!! The school I went to wasn't accredited, and we did have to search hard for patients,, in the end, it all worked out... Lots of girls and guys from out of province at CNIH too!!

Brianne Hicken in Winnipeg, Manitoba said: Hello, I have just recently been accepted into the hygiene program at CADH and I was wondering if anyone knew about the total cost of tuition and fees or had any advice about this particular school or program! Thanks!

Hey Brianne,
i am currently a student of CADH. For the entire program it is averaging about $36000. I dont have anything against school, considering that i heard preety harsh things about lot of other schools the way they treat students. One thing i can assure you is that it going to be one hell of boot camp, but u'll get through it. Faculty is very helpful as well.

Hey Brianne,
i am currently a student of CADH. For the entire program it is averaging about $36000. I dont have anything against school, considering that i heard preety harsh things about lot of other schools the way they treat students. One thing i can assure you is that it going to be one hell of boot camp, but u'll get through it. Faculty is very helpful as well.

Hi I'm going to be attending CADH this coming November and I was just wondering what was most stressful about this program? I'm a bit nervous because when I came in for registration Grant asked me if I had any stress issues? Considering the question asked, i'm assuming that this is going to be one challenging program. Since you are a current student at this school it would be helpful if you could give me any feedbacks. Thanks.

Sarah in Sudbury, Ontario said: It is super easy to get a job in BC when coming from Ontario. Even if they may look down on the education, they are still desperate and will take new grads at a great pay.

Hi, I'm a new graduate and was wondering what is an appropriate rate to ask for when applying for a permanent position, and also for temping? and is there a difference from lets say surrey/delta to vancouver?

I am trying to get into the hygiene program at Algonquin and wondering if anyone might have some helpful suggestions on how to study for the spatial relations part of it. Are they maybe any books out there etc... Thanks to anyone who can help

Erin in Ottawa, Ontario said: I am trying to get into the hygiene program at Algonquin and wondering if anyone might have some helpful suggestions on how to study for the spatial relations part of it. Are they maybe any books out there etc... Thanks to anyone who can help

I don't know so much for the spatial relations aspect, but I used LSAT for Dummies and I got into the program at Algonquin. (I now work in Tofino,BC) It really helped me get into the mindset needed for the entrance exam. There were 40 spatial relations questions and 6 minute time frame( 6 seconds a question) If you really don't know, it never hurts to guess. Make sure all the answer blocks are filled! Reading comprehension and the vocabulary will earn you big points if you do well in them.

Eat a good breakfast too! Holler if you need help with anything else :)

student in Port Mann, British Columbia said: the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene....anyone? :P

I know of people who went to that school and I have heard nothing but bad comments.

Julie in Woodbridge, Ontario said: Hey Brianne,
i am currently a student of CADH. For the entire program it is averaging about $36000. I dont have anything against school, considering that i heard preety harsh things about lot of other schools the way they treat students. One thing i can assure you is that it going to be one hell of boot camp, but u'll get through it. Faculty is very helpful as well.

Hi I'm going to be attending CADH this coming November and I was just wondering what was most stressful about this program? I'm a bit nervous because when I came in for registration Grant asked me if I had any stress issues? Considering the question asked, i'm assuming that this is going to be one challenging program. Since you are a current student at this school it would be helpful if you could give me any feedbacks. Thanks.

Hey i plan on attending CADH hopefully in May if i can do well on the admissions test. Any helpful tips or examples of what might be on? I'm clueless as to what to study because i know its really nothing you can prepare for.

I was wondering how much the tuition would be at CIDH in hamilton? If anyone knows could you let me know? Thanks so much!

mizcheeevious in Mississauga, Ontario said: Hey i plan on attending CADH hopefully in May if i can do well on the admissions test. Any helpful tips or examples of what might be on? I'm clueless as to what to study because i know its really nothing you can prepare for.

Hi, I just wrote and got accepted for May. I'm still trying to decide if it's worth it. Re: future jobs. Try to study spacial relations, english composition and comprehension, math related x + y = 4 eg. The websites have free apptitude tests online Speed and accuracy is the key. Good Luck. Shauna

Hi, To all you new RDH's how is the job hunt going? Are there job's available, in your area's?

There are very few jobs left in BC. I went to CADH. I came back to BC in October and there are a few P/T jobs here and there, but nothing close to where I live. I called the BC association to find out what is going on and I was told the market has taken a dive. Partly due to the fact that so many people are going to Ontario and coming back to BC to work. There used to be a huge demand for dental hygienist, but it's not the case at the moment anymore. School is very challenging. I believe out of our 3 terms we started with about 30 students and about 10 had to repeat terms or failed and could not repeat right away.

I am also from BC and I have worked in dental for 7 years, where are you from that there are no jobs, as I am having a hrad time believing that when there are sooo many jobs posted on line. Thx

LP in Tofino in Campbell River, British Columbia said: I don't know so much for the spatial relations aspect, but I used LSAT for Dummies and I got into the program at Algonquin. (I now work in Tofino,BC) It really helped me get into the mindset needed for the entrance exam. There were 40 spatial relations questions and 6 minute time frame( 6 seconds a question) If you really don't know, it never hurts to guess. Make sure all the answer blocks are filled! Reading comprehension and the vocabulary will earn you big points if you do well in them.

Eat a good breakfast too! Holler if you need help with anything else :)

Another really good study guide is the dental prep books for wanting to enter the DDS programs.

Marie in Hamilton, Ontario said: I was wondering how much the tuition would be at CIDH in hamilton? If anyone knows could you let me know? Thanks so much!

Hey I am currently a student at CIDH the tuition was $35,500 last year when I paid. If you have any questions let me know-Nikki

Nikki in Hamilton, Ontario said: I am also from BC and I have worked in dental for 7 years, where are you from that there are no jobs, as I am having a hrad time believing that when there are sooo many jobs posted on line. Thx

Hi Nikki,

Are you currently living in BC? I am from White Rock. I do see postings online for mostly BBy and North Van...they often want experience too. I have been looking at the BC Association and the Dentists Association for postings. When I called the association they also told me hygienists' in BC never used to have to hand in a resume or interview for a job...but they do now that there are many more hygienists'. I have met some very nice people in our White Rock dental community who said they will keep me in mind if they ever need someone or they will pass my resume to their colleagues if they are in need. Where are you seeing all of the jobs posted online? Luckily, I do have an interview next week sometime for an office in Cloverdale, but it is P/T. My dentist told me as well, it's hard to find work now and that most likely I will be working P/T in a few offices.

Here is an email I received from somebody on craiglist with her opinion:
"Yes,there is not much work for hygienists in the lower mainland.The reason for this is the private dental hygiene programs--especially from Ontario. Unfortunately--private industry is capitalizing on the need for hygienists--they set up programs,recruited students who could pay 50,000 for 18 months of education--and now there are lots of dental hygienists. They are continuing to recruit people into the program--to keep the cash flowing --however they are not accurate with their job numbers now.
The College of DH and the BCDHA has some awareness of the situation. There is a national movement by accreditation committees to raise the standards of school acceditation--so the level of education will have to be much higher in order to achieve accreditation"

Hey Lisa,

Small world, I grew up in White Rock and worked there and Guildford for 7 years prior to coming to On for hyg. There are ads, but yes they are mostly part-time which for me is perfect as I'm not sure if you worked in dental prior but being in more then 1 office is usually a good thing as you avoid all the drama that way. I'd like to give u a few names but not over this forum if you understand. My e-mail is pandanut@hotmail.com, drop me a line and I can give the info and names of DDS and some amazing temp agencies that do permanent placements at no cost to you as well.
Nikki

Lisa in Surrey, British Columbia said: Hi Nikki,

Are you currently living in BC? I am from White Rock. I do see postings online for mostly BBy and North Van...they often want experience too. I have been looking at the BC Association and the Dentists Association for postings. When I called the association they also told me hygienists' in BC never used to have to hand in a resume or interview for a job...but they do now that there are many more hygienists'. I have met some very nice people in our White Rock dental community who said they will keep me in mind if they ever need someone or they will pass my resume to their colleagues if they are in need. Where are you seeing all of the jobs posted online? Luckily, I do have an interview next week sometime for an office in Cloverdale, but it is P/T. My dentist told me as well, it's hard to find work now and that most likely I will be working P/T in a few offices.

Here is an email I received from somebody on craiglist with her opinion:
"Yes,there is not much work for hygienists in the lower mainland.The reason for this is the private dental hygiene programs--especially from Ontario. Unfortunately--private industry is capitalizing on the need for hygienists--they set up programs,recruited students who could pay 50,000 for 18 months of education--and now there are lots of dental hygienists. They are continuing to recruit people into the program--to keep the cash flowing --however they are not accurate with their job numbers now.
The College of DH and the BCDHA has some awareness of the situation. There is a national movement by accreditation committees to raise the standards of school acceditation--so the level of education will have to be much higher in order to achieve accreditation"

Hey, which part of Craigs list was this posted on, thats quite a bold statement. THx

Does anyone know how much it cost to take the Clinical exam in BC before you get your license?

Sheila in Toronto, Ontario said: Does anyone know how much it cost to take the Clinical exam in BC before you get your license?

Go onto the college website, it lists the fees.

Nikki in Hamilton, Ontario said: Hey Lisa,

Small world, I grew up in White Rock and worked there and Guildford for 7 years prior to coming to On for hyg. There are ads, but yes they are mostly part-time which for me is perfect as I'm not sure if you worked in dental prior but being in more then 1 office is usually a good thing as you avoid all the drama that way. I'd like to give u a few names but not over this forum if you understand. My e-mail is pandanut@hotmail.com, drop me a line and I can give the info and names of DDS and some amazing temp agencies that do permanent placements at no cost to you as well.
Nikki

Hey Lisa, if you would like some names or offices pls let me know, I might be able to help you out.

Hi Nikki :) Thank you for thinking of me. I sent an email to you at pandanut@hotmail.com. It's under lisawatson@telus.net.

Take care,

Lisa

I just wanted to put in a good word for the dental hygiene program at Cambrian College in Sudbury Ontario. This college program is and has been accredited for years and is very well known, especially in Northern and Central Ontario. I am a mother of a daughter who is currently attending there. My sister, cousin and sister in law all graduated from there. Yes, it is a very stressful course, but with constant reviewing and studying, and keeping focused, students will do fine. It is also possible to hold down a little part time job on weekends. No party time.
Plenty of time for that later. Everyone, good luck in your studies.

Shauna in Brampton, Ontario said: Hi, To all you new RDH's how is the job hunt going? Are there job's available, in your area's?

I gratuated 8 months ago and I still cannot find a job Nobody is hiring or they want at least 2 -3 years experience.