How to Choose a Dental Hygiene College/School
Dental Hygiene is an excellent career and profession. Congratulations on your decision! Now that you have decided on your profession you need to decide where you will get your education and surely you have many questions.
What is the difference between publicly funded Dental Hygiene programs or the private vocational colleges?
First, you need to understand a little history. Originally, only publicly funded institutions were available to the public. In early 2000, legislature allowed private companies to offer college programs for Dental Hygiene. There were several colleges established.
There is no difference between the diploma received from a publicly funded college and a private vocational Dental Hygiene college (as long as the college is accredited by the CDAC).
Private Colleges do not have the luxury of unlimited financing from the government so most do not take a summer vacation and extended holidays. Therefore, although the content of the program is the same, privately run Dental Hygiene Colleges will usually finish the program in a shorter period of time. For example: The Ontario program offered by the Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. is completed in 18.5 months, while the publicly funded course at George Brown College takes about 32 months.
Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. Comparison Chart
It is quite difficult to get accepted into a publicly funded College since they have a very limited number of spots and fewer start dates.
The costs of the publicly funded programs are generally lower on the surface than private colleges.
Since students from private colleges graduate almost 14 months sooner than a publicly funded college, the graduate can start working 14 months earlier than a graduate from a publicly funded college. Therefore, the graduate can start earning income and the cost of the education is actually a lot lower in the above example.
What if I want to go to another province other than Ontario ?
Dental Hygiene education is run provincially, not nationally. This means that each province requirements will be different.
Private Collages are only in Ontario and British Columbia at this time. There is no opportunity to enter a private program in the other provinces.
So What Are the B.C Options ?
There is only one privately run Dental Hygiene College in British Columbia. It is in Vancouver and is The Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc. This is the sister College of the Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc.
Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc. Comparison Chart
The Dental Hygiene Programs in B.C are different than Dental Hygiene Programs in Ontario because of the requirements you need to get into the College, whether it be private or publicly run (remember the requirements are the same and the Diplomas are the same).
There are 30 First Year University credits that you need to apply to a Dental Hygiene College in British Columbia. Graduates from any of the Colleges in B.C have additional qualifications as they can administer Local anesthesia (give needles). There is also an option if you go to University for one more year after graduation and take the specific courses, you can get a Degree in Dental Hygiene.
Remember it does not matter which province you graduate from the Private College. It may be “accelerated” but you get the same qualifications and options upon graduation.
If I decide to go to a Private College, Which College should I go to?
In B.C there is only one option, it is in Vancouver and is The Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc.
In Ontario there are several and you need to do your research.
- The College should be an established institution
The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. was established in 2004 shortly after the passing of the legislature to allow private colleges to offer the Dental Hygiene Program so it is one of the oldest established private colleges.
- The College should have a great reputation.
The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc.has a great reputation. Dentists like to hire graduates from the Toronto College and the graduates have a very high score on the NDHCB (National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Exam). In the last exam in September 2011 both Toronto and Vancouver scored a 100%.
- The College Must be Accredited.
There are some colleges that are not accredited by the NDEBC. These colleges will be closing down after 2013 because they are not allowed to continue without accreditation after 2013. It used to be allowed to graduate from a non accredited program and have to write a practical exam to get a license but now this will be eliminated.
- Speak to previous graduates.
The best way to understand a program is to speak to those who have been through it themselves. If people that graduated from a college and they have positive things to say about it, then it is probably a good program. Click here to view testimonials.
- Who are the owners of the College ?
The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. and the Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc.were both started by and are owned by a dentist and a hygienist. They have 27 and 20 years of experience in dentistry respectively. An owner of a dental college who has dental experience has a better idea of what dental hygiene education should be, than someone who does not have any dental qualifications.
- Take a tour and feel the College atmosphere
The Vancouver and Toronto Colleges have a great spirit and once you take a tour and speak with the students you will know that this is a great College to study at.
- The Faculty should have a lot of Dental Hygiene experience and be part of the profession
The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. and the Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc.both have an excellent set of faculty that not only have a lot of experience in the dental field but are involved in the profession through many associations.
What does it mean being accredited by the CDAC?
All colleges, Private and Publicly-run, need to be accredited by The Commissions of Dental Accreditation of Canada. This is a separate independent board that evaluates all colleges and ensures each college is up to the standard required to run a Dental Hygiene Program. The Toronto College has been accredited since its opening in 2004 and will hold that status until the next visit in 2014.
What is the NDHCB exam?
The NDHCB exam is the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Exam that everyone must take and pass after graduating from a private or Public College before getting a Dental Hygiene registration. Once you graduate from any college you cannot work until you pass the NDEBC exam. The Toronto College and the Vancouver College had a 100% result on the last National Board Exam in September 2011. This means that all the students that graduated from the two colleges and wrote the exam and all passed.
As a matter of fact the Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc. has the highest overall average of students writing this exam of any college in Canada .---a proud 100% !! This means that every single student that graduated from the Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene Inc. passed the National Board Exam on their first try. No other College, private or public has this result.
