dental hygiene schools in ontario

ok....so i have done quite a bit of research on dental hygiene school in and around the toronto area.
my findings are, that as many of you have said...community colleges are cheaper than the private shchools. and for this reason, they are very hard to get into. what i want to make sure is that i am not missing a community college in the area. i have found george brown, yorkville, and niagara college. can anyone out there let me know if there are anymore, in and around that region?
also....with my findings, i have figured that it really doesnt matter if you go to an accredited one or not. if your good, and pass the exam in the end, you should be fine? correct?
also....jobs in dental hygiene are slowely dwindeling, due to so many private schools taking in so many students?
i think thats it for now, but if anyone could please help we or give me a bit more insight, i would be very appreciative!
thanks everyone!

Yes an accredited college matters - any school not accredited by 2012 (I think) will be closed down by the Ministry of Education. Graduates of unaccredited schools have to take a clinical examination set by the CDHO and a high percentage do not pass.

Community Colleges in the Toronto area are: George Brown College (downtown Toronto), Durham College (Oshawa), Niagara College (Welland), Georgian College (Orillia), Fanshawe College (London)

cdho.org/Registration/EducationalInstitutes.pdf This is a link to a list of all accredited schools in Ontario.

cdho.org/Home/CompetencyResults.pdf This is a link to a list showing how the non-accredited schools do at the clinical competancy exam.

www.ndhcb.ca/en/exam_results.php This is a link to the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board and will give you an insight as to how each individual school does in getting their students through.

So having passed all our college courses and become an RDH you have to get a job to pay back all your student loans and make a living - sorry, there are very few jobs out there and you should read the many postings about that on this board - you can even input your town/city and see how many jobs are listed on INDEEDJOBS - then ask yourself if it is worth it to invest all that time and money in a profession that has limited availability very few benefits in terms of health or pension plans etc. and the possibility of losing your job if your employer takes an instant dislike to you. You will be working for very small businesses and have little or no possibility for promotion or change within your job.

Plakka,
Well said...I would really advise ALL HYGIENISTS to review the results of the National Board Exam for Dental Hygiene. Look at number of students writing the exam, percentage of passing per school, per province. Look at the actual numbers writing in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and number of DHs working in each province as of December 2009.

**** There are THREE TIMES as many DHs writing the Board Exam in 2009 as there were in 2005, but there is NOT 3 times as many jobs out there for them all to go to when they graduate.****

There are alot of stats of interest that show what has been going on and it would be prudent of us all to truly investigate this on our own for clarity and transparency. Intelligent, informed questions are your responsibility to our profession and I would encourage everyone to start asking the powers that be...

Yorkville is not a community college to my knowledge. George Brown is the only community college to offer the dental hygiene program in Toronto. The next closest community college is Durham College in Oshawa.

Plakattaka in Aurora, Ontario said: Yes an accredited college matters - any school not accredited by 2012 (I think) will be closed down by the Ministry of Education. Graduates of unaccredited schools have to take a clinical examination set by the CDHO and a high percentage do not pass.

Community Colleges in the Toronto area are: George Brown College (downtown Toronto), Durham College (Oshawa), Niagara College (Welland), Georgian College (Orillia), Fanshawe College (London)

cdho.org/Registration/EducationalInstitutes.pdf This is a link to a list of all accredited schools in Ontario.

cdho.org/Home/CompetencyResults.pdf This is a link to a list showing how the non-accredited schools do at the clinical competancy exam.

www.ndhcb.ca/en/exam_results.php This is a link to the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board and will give you an insight as to how each individual school does in getting their students through.

So having passed all our college courses and become an RDH you have to get a job to pay back all your student loans and make a living - sorry, there are very few jobs out there and you should read the many postings about that on this board - you can even input your town/city and see how many jobs are listed on INDEEDJOBS - then ask yourself if it is worth it to invest all that time and money in a profession that has limited availability very few benefits in terms of health or pension plans etc. and the possibility of losing your job if your employer takes an instant dislike to you. You will be working for very small businesses and have little or no possibility for promotion or change within your job.

I read your comment, you are partiall correct, according to the milestones, the college journal, it said that the college will not register those hygienist that graduate from a non accredited program-starting in 2013.
that is a problem for those that did not know about it.and spent the money .

thanks everyone for your help! i really appreciate it! you guys have definitely given me a lot to think about. thanks again.

Hey,
I got into a couple accredited schools but I'm trying to decide on what school to go too. Durham, Cambrian( the one I want to go too). Georgian, Concordia. Does it really matter what school or if they are accredited. I keep reading this boards and I'm really starting to freak out about even going to school for this now. I got in last year and picked Fanshawe and then found out the tuition was 27000 for the two years so decided to wait another year. I want to go to Durham or Cambrian beacuse the are reasonable prices. Any advice?

sam...yes, I have some advice...DON'T!

Don't go to any school for DH..please read all the posts on all the forums for dental hygiene. It's going thru a huge upheaval right now, and in big trouble. Too many RDH for too few jobs.

Please re read Plakattika's post...

Do your research if you don't think the current market applies to you. Call the temp agencies, call DDS offices..ask them what they think about DH and it's future.

THINK about this decision..!!

Go with that gut feeling that's telling you to think twice. LISTEN to it.

Dental assistants are the ones getting work
dental hygienist are having a lot of trouble
1,000 people apply for one position
and now with quality assurance and portfolio and on site
it is even more stressful.

lada in Kamloops, British Columbia said: ok....so i have done quite a bit of research on dental hygiene school in and around the toronto area.
my findings are, that as many of you have said...community colleges are cheaper than the private shchools. and for this reason, they are very hard to get into. what i want to make sure is that i am not missing a community college in the area. i have found george brown, yorkville, and niagara college. can anyone out there let me know if there are anymore, in and around that region?
also....with my findings, i have figured that it really doesnt matter if you go to an accredited one or not. if your good, and pass the exam in the end, you should be fine? correct?
also....jobs in dental hygiene are slowely dwindeling, due to so many private schools taking in so many students?
i think thats it for now, but if anyone could please help we or give me a bit more insight, i would be very appreciative!
thanks everyone!

Hi, Insight and info...DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A DH PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, you will be out money (very expensive to train, and no real recoup at this point in time), wages are going down, negotiating pay, hours, ben's...we are not in a position to even ask for them, what the schools and BLS tell you IS NOT TRUE, DH IS NOT A GROWING FIELD...RATHER, ONE SLOWLY IN A DECENT IN ALL ASPECTS. If the oversaturation was not present, we would be in good shape, but sadly it is NOT the case. What is your second choice of career? P.S. THINK BENEFIT/RETIREMENT PKG. FROM EMPLOYER....DH, PRETTY MUCH...NON-EXISTENT.

exp in Exeter, New Hampshire said: Hi, Insight and info...DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A DH PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, you will be out money (very expensive to train, and no real recoup at this point in time), wages are going down, negotiating pay, hours, ben's...we are not in a position to even ask for them, what the schools and BLS tell you IS NOT TRUE, DH IS NOT A GROWING FIELD...RATHER, ONE SLOWLY IN A DECENT IN ALL ASPECTS. If the oversaturation was not present, we would be in good shape, but sadly it is NOT the case. What is your second choice of career? P.S. THINK BENEFIT/RETIREMENT PKG. FROM EMPLOYER....DH, PRETTY MUCH...NON-EXISTENT.

I agree EXP.....we just need to trust that these searching potential students will be doing due diligence into the job market for Dental Hygiene. Ask around RDHs IN THE FIELD....what the situation is....not just read the advertisement of the school trying to recruit you!

one problem with graduating and not working is the issue of keeping your license. the best advise given is to pay for the registgration each year, keep your portfolio and quality assurance up to date. even if it becomes costly,
the alternative is to become inactive and let it lapse.
the three years of inactive is strictly controlled in ontario.
if you do not reactivate even the day before the three years you
are back to square one- doing a practical exam , find patients,
and studying and passing exams.
This is the problem. keep your license active at all times
and pay for the fees,
and do some temp hygiene and do anything dental to keep your face in the dental office till the situation improves.
Here in Ontario by 2013 with the new rules of CDHO registering
hygienist from accredited school will slow down the oversaturation. but meanwhile what is one supposed to do.
Any other ideas.? This is my idea. On the other hand if you fail
your portfolio phone review and get red flagged then if you fail your on site-suppose you have an office to do an onisite.. then
it is another story.

Hello Shyla:
Could you tell me this again, please? I can't believe what I've read! I've had an inactive Ontario licence coming up to three years this fall. So what you're saying is that if I'm inactive in Ontario for more than three years, that I have to be tested on my clinical skills and theory to get licensure in that province again? In other words, I should pay the CDHO their full fees to avoid this ridiculous run-around and not let the inactive go beyond the three year mark, should I ever move back to Ontario. That's ludicrous! What is their rationale for this? I'm working in another province and am abiding by their rules and regulations. Is this yet another cash grab? All I can do is shake my head in disbelief. Thank you for the "heads up"!

do it now on line // do not// i repeat do not wait// or you will be very very sorry.. it us 3 years exactly, and if it is 3 yrs
plus one day///too bad back to square one..
soorry for the shocker
--but pay 250 dollars registration
--and odha or canaidan dental hygiene association for your proof of malpractice
don't forget your portfolio
and quality assurance
even if you are inactive, it means that you have kept up your learning
because you may be one of the ten percent that the portfolio's are called in each year.
and if you have not been sent a love letter for this year
there is always next year
and if one gets a letter in 2011- you have one to submit a portfolio for three previous years
2011 portfolios cover
2009,2010, 2011 each year has to have 20 goal hours and 5 other QA
you should read it up on the cdho website
good luck
better to be informed and then very very sorry

rdh4 in Victoria, British Columbia said: Hello Shyla:
Could you tell me this again, please? I can't believe what I've read! I've had an inactive Ontario licence coming up to three years this fall. So what you're saying is that if I'm inactive in Ontario for more than three years, that I have to be tested on my clinical skills and theory to get licensure in that province again? In other words, I should pay the CDHO their full fees to avoid this ridiculous run-around and not let the inactive go beyond the three year mark, should I ever move back to Ontario. That's ludicrous! What is their rationale for this? I'm working in another province and am abiding by their rules and regulations. Is this yet another cash grab? All I can do is shake my head in disbelief. Thank you for the "heads up"!

Phone or e-mail the CDHO - if you are working as an RDH in another province you may well be OK but check with them to be sure. For regulatory matters don't that the word of someone on a newsgroup/chat room go to the source.

Plakattaka in Aurora, Ontario said: Phone or e-mail the CDHO - if you are working as an RDH in another province you may well be OK but check with them to be sure. For regulatory matters don't that the word of someone on a newsgroup/chat room go to the source.

I will check ASAP from the source. Thanks!

I checked with the CDHO regarding Shyla's last comment about the 3 year inactive status. According to the Registrar, if you are practising dental hygiene in a recognized jurisdiction (such as BC), you are not required to do a dental hygiene refresher course if you wish to return to Ontario and desire to work there. You may have an inactive status indefinitely in Ontario, as long as you are working in a recognized jurisdiction. The only time a refresher course is required to practice in ON is if you have not practiced dental hygiene in a recognized jurisdiction for more than three years.

Hi. Anyone know of any tutoring services to help organize the 3 yr portfolio for Ont hygienists? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

rdh4 in Victoria, British Columbia said: I checked with the CDHO regarding Shyla's last comment about the 3 year inactive status. According to the Registrar, if you are practising dental hygiene in a recognized jurisdiction (such as BC), you are not required to do a dental hygiene refresher course if you wish to return to Ontario and desire to work there. You may have an inactive status indefinitely in Ontario, as long as you are working in a recognized jurisdiction. The only time a refresher course is required to practice in ON is if you have not practiced dental hygiene in a recognized jurisdiction for more than three years.

I wonder what is going to happen if a bunch of these hygienists are not able to find work and their 'practicing hours' are so minimal that they do not get enough for their license...?

30 year vet in Edmonton, Alberta said: I wonder what is going to happen if a bunch of these hygienists are not able to find work and their 'practicing hours' are so minimal that they do not get enough for their license...?

According the latest CDHO publication it states...

"There is no minimum number of practice hours required in Ontario. However, if a dental hygienist
has been away from practice for more than three years, she/he will be required to successfully
complete a refresher course."

So what exactly is minimum? I am guessing 0 or 1 hour.

nojobs in Mississauga, Ontario said: According the latest CDHO publication it states...

"There is no minimum number of practice hours required in Ontario. However, if a dental hygienist
has been away from practice for more than three years, she/he will be required to successfully
complete a refresher course."

So what exactly is minimum? I am guessing 0 or 1 hour.

Are you serious...? there is no minimum number of hours PER YEAR to have worked in DH in order to renew your DH liscense? You could have worked like 2 hours and the ODHA will renew you??? Are you freaking serious?? Ontario is SO SCREWED with this stuff!