Terms Associated With Dental Assisting

Continuing Education:
Many provinces now legislate that Licensed Dental Assistants are required to participate in CE programs to maintain licensure. Continuing Education is mandatory in Nova Scotia. For more information contact the Provincial Dental Board in Nova Scotia.

Licensed Dental Assistant:
A Dental Assistant whose name has been registered in the Dental Assistants' Register at the Provincial Dental Board and who holds a current license issued pursuant to the Act to engage in the practice of Dental Assisting.

Registered Dental Assistant:
A person whose name has been registered in the Dental Assistants' Register, whether or not that person holds a current license to engage in the practice of Dental Assisting.

Portability:
It is the vision of the CDAA that DA's will be able to relocate in any province in Canada and be able to practice Dental Assisting. Their profession will be portable.

With the establishment of the National Dental Assisting Examining Board in 1998 a new phase to this vision is implemented. CDAA is working at the provincial levels on a unified examination process whereby provincial licensing jurisdictions will recognize a National Board Exam Certificate as a component of Provincial Licensure.