What Does a Dentist Do?

Dentists do more than just keep our teeth clean. Dentists care for their patients’ oral health in many ways. They provide education to help patients take care of their oral health. They diagnose and manage oral health conditions and can also identify other health conditions such as hypertension and cancer. Dentists can restore damaged teeth and gums, correct issues such as crooked teeth, and replace lost teeth with substitutes such as dentures and implants.

 

How to Become a Dentist

Education

Aspiring dentists must complete a CDAC-accredited dental degree program. This can be a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. You can find an accredited dentistry program by visiting our Find a Program page.

Admission to a DDS or DMD program usually requires that the applicant have already completed some or all of a previous undergraduate degree program. Applicants may also be required to complete the Dental Aptitude Test and/or Casper test before applying to their selected program.

Different programs have different admissions requirements, so we recommend that you carefully review the requirements for each program you wish to apply to and contact the program directly with any questions.

Certification

In order to become a licensed dentist in Canada, graduates from an accredited DDS or DMD program must complete the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) certification process.

For more information on the NDEB certification process, please visit the NDEB website.

Licensure

The final step in becoming eligible to practice as a dentist in Canada is licensure. Licensing of dentists is overseen by the provincial regulatory authorities. Please visit the website for the regulatory authority in the province in which you wish to practice for more information on licensure. A list of dental regulatory authorities can be found.

 

Resources

For more information on what dentists do and how to become a dentist, view the ‘Becoming a Dentist’ section on the Canadian Dental Association’s website.

For a list of related regulatory authorioties by profession please see below:

Related Organizations

The following organizations work in conjunction with the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) to ensure the integrity of the accreditation and licensure process in Canada.

Certification and Examination Agencies

For specific questions related to certification and examination requirements for dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants in Canada, contact the applicable organization provided below:

Regulatory Authorities

Regulatory authorities are responsible for the registration and/or licensure of dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. For specific questions related to registration and/or licensure in Canada, contact the applicable organizations provided below:

  1. Regulatory Authorities for Dentistry
  2. Regulatory Authorities for Dental Hygiene*
  3. Self-regulating Regulatory Authorities for Dental Assisting*

    * Two provinces self-regulate dental assisting. Among the 8 provinces, Ontario and Quebec do not regulator dental assisting. In Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador the respective dental regulatory authorities regulate dental assisting. In BC the College of Oral Health Professionals regulates dental assisting (along with all other dental health professions including dentists, dental hygienists, and dental therapists).

Professional and Educational Associations

CDAC works in concert with educational and professional associations. For more information on these organizations, contact the applicable organization provided below: