Specialty Certification & Licensure

Dentists must be licensed to practice dentistry in Canada. Dental licensure is a provincial responsibility. Each province/territory has a dental regulatory authority/licensing body that establishes regulations and requirements for the licensure of specialists within their jurisdiction. The fees for licensure and specialty certification in each province may change annually.

Canadian and U.S. Specialists

To be eligible for licensure as a specialist in a Canadian province, you may be required to take the National Dental Specialty Examination (NDSE) administered by the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC). The RCDC offers examinations in all the recognized dental specialties in Canada.

Contact the regulatory authority in your jurisdiction to obtain detailed information about licensure, registration, and fees.

To find out more about the specialty certification exam (NDSE) administered by the RCDC, contact the RCDC directly.

Non-Canadian and Non-U.S. Specialists

Regardless of education, licensure or experience, non-Canadian and non-U.S. specialists must obtain a Canadian license to practise dentistry in Canada. To obtain this license, you must enter a 2-year qualifying program at one of the 10 Canadian dental schools accredited by the Commission of Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC).

To enter a qualifying program, you are required to complete the Eligibility Examination (EE) administered by the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD). To obtain further information about the EE, contact the ACFD directly.

You can search for qualifying programs accredited by the CDAC on this Web site.

Once you have graduated from an accredited qualifying program, the dental regulatory authority in your jurisdiction may require you to complete the certification exam administered by the National Dental Examining Board (NDEB) of Canada. The NDEB administers this exam to ensure graduates are clinically competent in the field of general dentistry.

You may also be required to take the National Dental Specialty Examination (NDSE) administered by the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC). The RCDC offers examinations for all the recognized dental specialties in Canada.

To find out more about the certification exam administered by the NDEB of Canada and the specialty certification exam administered by the RCDC, contact these organizations directly.

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