How to Become a Dentist in Canada

Regardless of where you are in your journey to becoming a dentist in Canada, DATCrusher can help you navigate the initial process and the steps you’ll need to take to enter dental school and become a dentist!

Depending on where you have studied, the process may look a little different so take a look at which category you may fit into:

• Undergraduate Degree
• Dental Degree from Canada/an accredited program
• Dental degree outside of Canada

Undergraduate Degree

While some countries offer direct entry into a dental program upon the completion of high school, Canadian dental schools, and many of the accredited schools you will potentially apply to, will require at least some undergraduate education. The great thing is that if your end goal is dentistry, you have a lot of freedom in picking the program that most interests you!

However, keep in mind that all 10 dental schools in Canada have various prerequisites so while you are welcome to pick your program, ensure you are allowing space in your schedule to incorporate the courses required by the schools you would like to later apply to. They also may be highly useful in helping you obtain a foundation for science concepts going into the Canadian DAT!

For more information on each dental school in Canada and their requirements (both academic and non-academic), check out our informative article here! Check early into your program and keep updated with changing requirements so you can plan your degree efficiently.

Once you’re all set with the criteria your preferred schools require, the last step here is to apply to dental school.

Dental Degree from Canada or an Accredited Dental Program

Once you have completed dental school in Canada, where all 10 schools offer programs accredited by The Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), you will need to take the required National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) examination. This ensures a national standard for all dentists wishing to practice here.

Along with the 10 schools in Canada, general dentistry programs accredited by the countries’ respective commissions/councils in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, are also accredited by the CDAC. Therefore, if you completed an accredited dental degree program outside of Canada but in one of those four countries, you can follow the same certification process outlined below.

The NDEB exam will consist of 2 components where each require a minimum test equated and re-scaled score of 75 to pass and can be taken up to a maximum of 3 times:

• Written Examination
  
  • Single-answer multiple choice questions
  • Assesses your basic and clinical science knowledge + judgmen
     
• Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
  
  • Single-answer and multi-answer multiple choice questions + constructed response questions
  • Puts your clinical judgment to the test – diagnosis, treatment planning, prognosis, treatment methods, and clinical decision making

NOTE: In 2023, the two components above will be combined into a single electronic examination: the NDEB Virtual OSCE

Upon NDEB certification, you must be licensed with the Dental Regulatory Authority (DRA) of the province in which you wish to practice. Check out NDEB’s list here to be redirected to your provincial licensing body’s website where you can see which requirements must be met in order to achieve licensure.

Dental Degree from an Unaccredited Program

If you did not graduate from a dental school in Canada or the four countries mentioned above, you will need to take a few additional steps before you are able to practice here as a dentist. There are 2 options you have so take some time to think about what works for you! As a first step, however, to determine your eligibility, click here to learn how to apply with NDEB.

• Apply for and successfully complete a Qualifying or Degree Completion Program at one of the 8 out of 10 Canadian dental schools offering this option
  
  
  1. Click here to see which schools offer these 2- or 3-year programs before consulting their websites for individual admission requirements
      
  2. As a common admission requirement for all programs, however, you must complete NDEB’s Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge (AFK) single-answer multiple choice examination to test your biomedical science and applied clinical science knowledge
     
     • Requires a test equated and re-scaled score of 75 to pass
     • Can be taken up to a maximum of 3 times
        
  3. Upon completion of this program, you will be eligible to take the NDEB exams and go through the certification process as outlined above for accredited programs. You may then obtain licensure in your province of residence.
      
• Complete the NDEB Equivalency Process
  
  
  1. Successfully complete NDEB’s Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge (AFK) examination
     
     • See above for details
        
  2. Successfully complete NDEB’s Assessment of Clinical Judgement (ACJ) single-answer and multi-answer multiple choice examination which will assess your ability to present a diagnosis, make clinical judgments, and test your knowledge of oral radiology
     • Requires a test equated and re-scaled score of 75 to pass
     • Can be taken up to a maximum of 3 times
        
  3. Successfully complete NDEB’s Assessment of Clinical Skills (ACS) evaluation held over two days to assess your clinical competence
     • Four-point system grading for 12 procedures will determine a passing score
     • Can be taken up to a maximum of 3 times
        
  4. You will now be eligible to take the NDEB exams and go through the certification process as outlined above for accredited programs. You also may then obtain licensure in your province of residence.