Dental hygiene is a fast-growing and rewarding profession for men and women interested in a career in the health sector. Dental hygiene is the 6th largest regulated heath profession in Canada with over 28,000 practitioners. Registered Dental Hygienists are highly educated, licensed and regulated healthcare professionals whose education and practice focus on the prevention of oral disease and the promotion of overall health and well-being. Dental Hygienists can work independent of or alongside a dentist and are an important part of the health care team.
Dental hygienists practice in a variety of settings, including private dental practices, independent dental hygiene practice; public health facilities, hospitals, long term care facilities, educational institutions, research and dental industry. Dental Hygienists often have the flexibility to work full or part time in these various settings.
Dental hygienists provide services and programs to people of all ages, addressing issues related to oral health. Responsibilities of the dental hygienist include:
Patient assessment; identification of patient health status and needs; planning for patient care; delivering education and patient services and assessing the outcomes of care provided.
Specific clinical duties may include medical history taking; performing routine head and neck examinations; dental and periodontal examinations; exposing of dental images; oral hygiene education; administration of local anesthetic; scaling of teeth and preventative fluoride applications.
Careers
Our graduates are career-ready and are highly employable. CNC graduates are highly sought after and are employed in dental practices, residential care facilities, public health units, community care centers, educational programs and independent dental hygiene practices. Average hourly salary in BC is approx. $42 per hour. Yearly average salary is approximately $67,000.
Accreditation
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. When you graduate, you’re eligible to write Canadian and American national certification exams.
Learning experience at CNC
CNC dental hygiene program offers small class sizes and a 1:6 ratio of faculty to students in the clinical setting. Our clinic is equipped with 20 dental operatories and 4 radiography rooms with computerized dental stations and digital radiography and record keeping abilities. Students are activity involved in our dental clinic providing patient-centered oral healthcare care services.
Our dental hygiene curriculum also includes community-based student activities. For example, CNC Dental Studies works collaboratively with the Northern Health Authority to deliver a Seal in a Smile program to elementary school aged children annually. Students experience community service-learning, and deliver education and oral health services to local community partners. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the Health Care Traveling Roadshow.
Join this fast-growing and rewarding profession for men and women interested in a career in the health sector.