June 8, 2026 | British Columbia

Dental Assisting in British Columbia is a regulated profession, and that regulation comes with a clear set of steps between completing your training and legally practising in a dental office. 

Two bodies sit at the centre of that process: the British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals (BCCOHP) and the National Dental Assisting Examination Board (NDAEB). Knowing how they work together, and where your training fits in, gives you a real advantage as you plan your career path. 

What Is the BCCOHP? 

The BCCOHP is the regulatory college responsible for overseeing oral health professionals in British Columbia, including dental assistants. Registration and licensure through the BCCOHP is mandatory. There is no legal pathway to practise as a dental assistant in this province without it. 

In practical terms, the BCCOHP sets entry-to-practice standards, defines the scope of what dental assistants are authorised to do, and ensures every registered professional continues to meet those standards throughout their career.  

For you as a prospective dental assistant, this means your credential carries real legal standing and market value across every dental office in the province. 

What Is the NDAEB Exam? 

The NDAEB administers the written certification exam that is mandatory for anyone seeking registration as a dental assistant in BC. Graduating from a training program does not automatically qualify you to register with the BCCOHP. You must pass the NDAEB exam first. 

The exam tests theoretical knowledge across the core competency areas of dental assisting, including clinical procedures, infection control, radiography, and professional ethics. It is a national standard, meaning the same benchmark applies whether you are registering in BC, Alberta, or another participating province. 

Who Is Eligible to Sit the NDAEB Exam? 

Eligibility to apply for the NDAEB exam is tied to your educational credentials. Graduates of dental assisting programs that are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) are eligible to apply. This is not a minor detail. Choosing a CDAC-accredited program is a prerequisite for sitting the exam and, by extension, a prerequisite for registration with the BCCOHP. 

CDI College Dental Assisting Program in BC is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada, which means graduates meet the educational eligibility criteria to apply for the mandatory NDAEB certification exam. 

How Your Dental Assisting Training Connects to Licensure 

The pathway to becoming a certified dental assistant in BC does not begin at the exam or the BCCOHP application. It begins in the classroom and the clinic. The training you complete determines whether you are exam-eligible, and its depth determines how well-prepared you are when you sit. 

CDI College's Dental Assisting Program in Burnaby and Surrey spans 55 weeks and 1,375 hours across three terms. It covers the full scope of competencies the NDAEB assesses and the BCCOHP enforces. 

Ethics and Jurisprudence

This course covers the legal and ethical framework governing dental assisting in BC, including the role of regulatory bodies, the limits of scope of practice, and the professional conduct standards expected in the workplace. This foundational knowledge is directly relevant to how the BCCOHP governs the profession once you are registered. 

Radiography Training

The theory component introduces radiation physics, safety precautions, digital radiography, and quality assurance. The practical component takes students through bisecting and paralleling techniques using Safety Code 30 standards. Dental assistants in BC are authorised to expose, process, and mount dental radiographs once certified, and this training is what prepares them to do that competently and safely.  

Infection Control and Safety

Those are covered in a dedicated course that grounds students in clinical infection control standards, hazardous materials handling, WHMIS/GHS protocols, and dental office waste management. These are core NDAEB exam topics and ongoing compliance requirements under the BCCOHP.  

Intra-Oral Dental Assisting

This component covers the regulated direct patient care duties that distinguish fully certified dental assistants, including polishing clinical crowns, applying topical fluoride and anaesthetics, placing and removing matrices and wedges, applying fissure sealants, taking study model impressions, and more. Students are required to demonstrate mastery of these regulated skills on manikin, peers, and real patients under professional supervision in CDI's own dental facilities.  

Beyond coursework, the program includes 175 mandatory hours of outside practical work in real dental offices across two phases of the program, giving students direct exposure to the professional environment they will enter after graduation. To learn more, visit What Courses Are Tough in a Dental Assistant Program? 

After Graduation: The Path to BCCOHP Registration 

Once you have completed your training and received your diploma, the registration process follows a defined sequence: 

• Graduate from a CDAC-accredited dental assisting program 
• Apply to sit the NDAEB written certification exam 
• Pass the NDAEB exam 
• Apply for registration and licensure with the BCCOHP 
• Meet any additional registration requirements set by the BCCOHP 

Registration is not a one-time event. The BCCOHP requires dental assistants to maintain their registration through ongoing compliance, including continuing competency requirements. Your professional standing is something you actively maintain throughout your career, not something you earn once and set aside. 

Certified vs. Non-Certified: Why the Distinction Matters in BC Dental Offices 

Not all dental assistants in BC are certified, and the difference in what each can legally do in a dental office is significant. 

This distinction matters practically because most dental offices, particularly those offering specialty services in areas such as endodontics, periodontics, paediatric dentistry, and oral surgery, prioritise candidates with full certification. It also matters for your long-term career trajectory.

The scope of duties you can legally perform directly shapes the value you bring to a dental team and the range of positions available to you. Want to understand the full picture before enrolling? Read Become a Certified Dental Assistant in BC for a step-by-step overview. 

Final Thoughts: Ready to Take the First Step? 

The regulatory pathway to practising dental assisting in BC is clear, and the training that gets you there matters. CDI College's Dental Assisting program is structured around the competencies the NDAEB tests and the standards the BCCOHP enforces, from ethics and jurisprudence in the first weeks of the program through to intra-oral clinical hours in the final term. 
 

Besides, Surrey and Burnaby campuses both achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Dental Assisting Board Examination (NDAEB)*. Surrey campus repeated this feat in September 2025, marking four years and 16 exams with 100% pass rates, maintaining three percentage points above the national average.

Explore the CDI College Dental Assisting Program to learn more about how the program is structured, what to expect as a student, and how to take the first step toward a dental assisting career in BC. 

*NDAEB Exam Reports, September 2021 - September 2025.*