The Health Professions Act

On April 3, 2009, the College of Dental Surgeons of BC became legislated under the Health Professions Act (HPA).

We are updating our website and all documents to reflect the requirements of the HPA and the new College Bylaws. Many documents relating to the Dentists Act have been removed.

The expectations and requirements of dentists and certified dental assistants are largely unchanged, but if you require specific information please call the College at 604-736-3621.

About the HPA

There are four main components involved in dentists and CDAs being regulated under the Health Professions Act. These include the CDSBC Bylaws, the Dentists Regulation, the Health Professions General Regulation and the Health Professions Act.

Please note:

The Government of B.C. is responsible for providing the most current copy of the Health Professions Act and Health Professions General Regulation. If you have trouble accessing the above links, please call the BC Laws customer service line at 1-866-236-5544 for hard copies of these documents.

1. Health Professions Act - the Act is umbrella legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for health professions in B.C.

2. Regulations - Regulations are created by government for each individual health profession governed under the Act. Each regulation contains a scope of practice statement and a set of restricted activities that outline what members of that profession are authorized to do.

3. Bylaws - each regulatory College has its own bylaws. The bylaws set out the details of the operation of the organization, including the duties and responsibilities of a governing board, committees and the registrar; qualifications for registration; and the regulation of professional conduct and ethics.

For more information, read our HPA Overview document.

Overall role remains the same

Although many aspects of the regulation of dentists and CDAs are undergoing change, the day-to-day practice of dentists and CDAs will not be significantly affected by the transition to regulation under the HPA.

The overall role of the College will continue to be the protection of the public through ensuring safe and appropriate dental care for the people of British Columbia.