The importance of dental health becomes apparent when there’s a problem. Even our self-esteem and appearance is affected. Well-trained dental hygienists are much in demand.

Canadian College of Dental Health opened in 2004 and is affiliated with Canadian Therapeutic College – a community leader in healthcare training. The dental college has quickly earned a reputation for excellence in education and attracts students from across Canada.

In this highly competitive field, prospective students must go through a stringent application process. The first step is an entrance exam, which takes about 3.5 hours and covers spatial relations, cognitive abilities, science and English. Candidates must have two senior-level sciences from secondary school. The next stage is a personal interview with the program director who will discuss the candidate’s background.

“Our testing is challenging because it’s a very intense program it, heavily weighted in the sciences,” explains Sarah Burns, administrative/marketing assistant for the college. “We want to make sure that a student entering the program is qualified and will be successful.”

Once enrolled in the 18-month program, students start working on simulated heads called “Dexter” heads, eventually progressing to a public clinic, working with live patients from the community, where their dental hygiene skills are further developed and refined. Each clinic is supervised by industry professionals ensuring a positive experience for all participants.

Since the college also emphasizes the role of oral health promotion in the community, students participate in a community outreach program. “Students go out into the public and teach others how to maintain proper oral health and how that helps balance overall health,” Burns added.

Licensed dental hygienists can find employment in private dental practices as well as in hospitals, public health units, community health clinics, and educational institutions, in industry and in research.

New legislation now allows hygienists to open their own practices once they’ve worked with a dentist for a certain number of hours.

“One of our graduates is currently working independently on her own,” Burns said. “She takes all her equipment and goes into retirement homes and helps seniors with their oral health.”

For more information about Canadian College of Dental Health visit www.ccdh.ca.