C.ED

CDHNS Continuing Competency Requirements

Applicable legislation:

Dental Hygienists Act of Nova Scotia

Section (4) The Council may, with the approval of the Governor in Council and subject to this Act, make regulations
d) respecting a quality assurance program, including requirements for members to participate in any such program, and including continuing education requirements or practice-hour requirements of members for registration or licensing;

Regulation Section 8(1)

(d) for an applicant who graduated from an accredited dental hygiene program more than 3 years before their application, they must
(i) have completed, in the 3 years immediately before their application, 45 hours of continuing competency requirements approved by the Council, and
(ii) have been practising dental hygiene in the 3 years immediately before the date of their application;

This applies to persons applying for a new licence. Members who are renewing licences must obtain 45 points in their assigned 3 year cycle or in the case of initial cycles as the CDHNS has assigned. 

Quality Assurance Program

A Quality Assurance Program for the CDHNS will be developed over time which will encompass other aspects of Quality Assurance.

The regulation above spells out the Continuing Competency Requirements as a three year cycle with 45 hours. Initially the administration of these will need to be adjusted to suit the College year and to begin a new program. Practicing members received their initial adjusted cycles with their licences for 2010.

The Council of the CDHNS approved the following Guidelines for the Continuing Competency Requirement Program on September 20, 2009. This document was prepared by the Continuing competency committee of the CDHNS. This committee will approve courses and review audit material for the CDHNS. Members may contact the committee through the CDHNS at info@cdhns.ca

To review the Continuing Competency Guidelines click here.

Appendix A – CDHNS Continuing Competency Record Form