First Application for a Dental Assistant License in Canada

Please note that we are transitioning from paper application forms to an online application form. We expect the online process to be implemented by May 17, 2024. We thank you for your patience.

In order to be registered and licensed to practice dental assisting in Nova Scotia, you will be required to upload the following documents within your online application:

1. A passport-style photo taken within the previous 12 months

2. A certified photocopy copy of your graduation certificate from a dental assisting program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), or the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)

3. A letter from your school verifying your graduation from a dental assisting program

4. A certified copy of your Canadian birth certificate, Canadian citizenship card, or proof of permanent Canadian residency status

If an applicant is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, the applicant must provide details about their current citizenship status and a certified copy of the authorization issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada which permits them to engage in the practice of dental assisting in Canada.

5. Verification (receipt) of active membership in the Nova Scotia Dental Assistants' Association (Contact: Ms. Lynda Foran at 902-405-1122 or www.nsdaa.ca)

6. Two written character references from non-family members who have known you for the past four years. The reference letters must:

• be signed,
• be dated,
• indicate how long the person has known you; and
• have been written within the past 12 months

7. A Vulnerable Sector Search and a Criminal Record Check (performed within the previous 12 months)

8. Verification of your current certification in CPR/BLS (must be an in-person hands-on course from a recognized provider)

9.  A copy of your National Dental Assistants Examining Board (NDAEB) certificate

If you do not yet have an NDAEB certificate, you will be issued a Conditional License and you will have one year from your date of licensure to successfully complete the NDAEB exam and submit a copy of your certificate to the PDBNS. If you do not submit a copy of your NDAEB certificate within one year, your name will be struck from the dental assistants’ register and your employer will be notified.

Dental assistants with a conditional license are permitted to perform all the duties in the scope of practice for dental assistants.

10. Translation of documents (if applicable)

When you submit your application, you will be sent an email asking you to pay a non-refundable application fee of $65, through our online portal, after which time your application will be reviewed.

Once your application has been approved, you will be required to pay the following non-refundable fees through our online portal:

• $65 initial registration fee
• $309 annual license fee (May 1 – April 30)

(Note that the license fee is reduced to $155 if licensing after October 31.)

Also, please note the following:

• If you do not have all your documents on hand, you may begin your online application, save it, and return to the application at a later time.
• If you are currently or have previously been licensed in another jurisdiction, you must request that a Certificate of Standing be sent directly to our office from each of those jurisdictions.
• Applications will be deleted from our system if not completed within 3 months. After that time, applicants will be required to restart their application process.
• By submitting an application, you consent to the Registrar or PDBNS staff obtaining clarification of documents as deemed necessary.
• Information on certifying documents can be found on our website under the applicants tab.

NOTE: If licensing for the first time in Nova Scotia and you are coming from a province that does not regulate dental assistants and you have been practicing you will be required to provide proof of continual practice (defined as having practised Level II dental assisting skills for a minimum of 900 hours in the preceding 5 years), by providing a letter from your employer or a signed affadavit.

If you have not met the continual practice requirement as described above, you will be required to pass the Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) administered by the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB). (Individuals who do not have an NDAEB certificate will be required to pass the Written Exam prior to registration for the CPE).

Licensing Process

The application and supporting documentation are reviewed by Registrar.

The Provincial Dental Board will contact the applicant to schedule an appointment to meet with the Registrar to discuss their application.

In circumstances where the Registrar needs to obtain additional information, the registration process will require additional time to complete.

Applicants cannot begin to practise without a license.

Successful applicants who meet all of the licensing requirements will be entered into the Dentists' Register and issued a license.

Applicants who have been declined licensure may appeal the Registrar's decision to the Registration Appeal Committee.