How to Become a Dental Assistant in Alberta
Do you need a licence?
Licence required
You must be registered with the College of Alberta Dental Assistants to work as a dental assistant in Alberta or to use a protected title.
- Protected titles
- Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“Under Alberta’s Health Professions Act [pdf], Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation [pdf] and Dental Assistants Profession Regulation [pdf], registration with the College of Alberta Dental Assistants (CADA) is mandatory.”
From alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/dental-assistant, checked October 10, 2026.
At a glance
- Licence status
- Licence required See the source
- Routes
-
- Trained in Canada: 5 steps, listed one-time fees $105 (1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total)
- Licensed in another province: 3 steps
- Trained outside Canada: 5 steps, listed one-time fees $105 (1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total)
- Annual fees
- Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Your roadmap
Tick each step as you finish it. Your ticks are kept in this browser only.
Trained in Canada
0 of 5 done
- Listed one-time fees: $105
- 1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total
- 3 steps without a listed fee
-
You review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you will follow to registration.
Source
“Review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you’ll follow to registration.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
You confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you are ready to apply.
Source
“Confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you’re ready to apply.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
You navigate to your pathway to access the application form.
Source
“Navigate to your pathway to access the application form.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
After the College receives your application, you pay the application assessment fee following instructions in a confirmation email.
- Application assessment fee: $105
Source
“The email will include instructions for paying your application assessment fee of $105.00.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/canad...
Source
“When we receive your application, we will send you a confirmation email. The email will include instructions for paying your application assessment fee of $105.00.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/canad... - Application assessment fee: $105
-
If your application is approved, you pay the registration fee to complete the application process.
- Registration fee: $225 (if your application is approved)
Source
“If your application is approved, you will need to pay the registration fee of $225.00 to complete the application process.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/canad...
Source
“If your application is approved, you will need to pay the registration fee of $225.00 to complete the application process.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/canad... - Registration fee: $225 (if your application is approved)
Listed fees for this route
One-time total listed: $105
| Fee type | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $105 | 100% |
| One-time total | $105 | 100% |
1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total.
3 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Licensed in another province
0 of 3 done
- 3 steps without a listed fee
-
You review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you will follow to registration.
Source
“Review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you’ll follow to registration.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
You confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you are ready to apply.
Source
“Confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you’re ready to apply.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
You navigate to your pathway to access the application form.
Source
“Navigate to your pathway to access the application form.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration
Listed fees for this route
No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
3 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Trained outside Canada
0 of 5 done
- Listed one-time fees: $105
- 1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total
- 3 steps without a listed fee
-
You review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you will follow to registration.
Source
“Review the registration requirements and identify the pathway you’ll follow to registration.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
You confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you are ready to apply.
Source
“Confirm you meet the requirements for your chosen pathway and gather the required documents, information, and a credit card so you’re ready to apply.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
You navigate to your pathway to access the application form.
Source
“Navigate to your pathway to access the application form.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration -
After the College receives your application, you pay the application assessment fee following instructions in a confirmation email.
- Application assessment fee: $105
Source
“The email will include instructions for paying your application assessment fee of $105.00.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/inter...
Source
“When we receive your application, we will send you a confirmation email. The email will include instructions for paying your application assessment fee of $105.00.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/inter... - Application assessment fee: $105
-
If your application is approved, you pay the registration fee to complete the application process.
- Registration fee: $225 (if your application is approved)
Source
“If your application is approved, you will need to pay the registration fee of $225.00 to complete the application process.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/inter...
Source
“If your application is approved, you will need to pay the registration fee of $225.00 to complete the application process.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/inter... - Registration fee: $225 (if your application is approved)
Listed fees for this route
One-time total listed: $105
| Fee type | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $105 | 100% |
| One-time total | $105 | 100% |
1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total.
3 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Requirements
Education
You must have successfully completed an approved dental assistant program, the NDAEB written examination, and the NDAEB Clinical Practice Evaluation if your program was not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.
Source
“To register as a dental assistant in Alberta, you must have successfully completed: - An approved dental assistant program - The National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) written examination - The NDAEB Clinical Practice Evaluation, if you completed a program not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada”
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/dental-assistant
Police check
You must provide a basic criminal record check.
Source
“We require a basic criminal record check.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registrationA criminal record check used for your application cannot be older than 90 days.
Source
“You can use any criminal record check provided it’s not older than 90 days.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration
Insurance
You must have professional liability insurance and show it by attaching proof such as a PLI Certificate of Insurance to your application.
Source
“You can show that you have the required professional liability insurance by attaching to your application a copy of one of the following:”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/canad...
Good character
When assessing an application for good character, the College considers criminal record check results and whether the applicant has been disciplined or is being investigated by any professional regulatory body.
Source
“When we assess an application for good character, in addition to criminal record check results, we also consider whether the applicant has been disciplined or is currently being investigated by any professional regulatory body.”
abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration
Already licensed in another province?
Not stated
Dental assistants registered and in good standing with a regulatory body elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for registration in Alberta if their scope of practice and competencies are similar, but the pages do not state whether this is without extra steps. Source
“Dental assistants who are registered and in good standing with a regulatory body elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for registration in Alberta if their scope of practice and competencies are similar.”
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/dental-assistant
Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Credential assessment
Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Exams
-
National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) written examination
Source
“The National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) written examination”
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/dental-assistant -
NDAEB Clinical Practice Evaluation
Source
“The NDAEB Clinical Practice Evaluation, if you completed a program not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada”
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/dental-assistant
Language tests
Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Canadian experience
Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Supervised practice
Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Alberta Dental Assistants
Demand and pay
| Where | Low | Median | High | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $24.00 | $32.00 | $38.00 | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Canada | $21.00 | $27.00 | $35.00 | — |
Dental assistants in other provinces and territories
- British Columbia Licence required
- Saskatchewan Licence required
- Manitoba Licence required
- Ontario Licence required
- Quebec Not confirmed yet
- New Brunswick Licence required
- Nova Scotia Licence required
- Prince Edward Island Licence required
- Newfoundland and Labrador Licence required
- Yukon Not confirmed yet
- Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet
- Nunavut Not confirmed yet
Sources checked
- Dental Assistant: Certifications in Alberta - alis alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/dental-assistant · fetched October 10, 2026
- Pathways to Register as a Dental Assistant in Alberta abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration · fetched October 10, 2026
- Canadian Program Applicants - College of Alberta Dental Assistants abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/canad... · fetched October 10, 2026
- Internationally Educated Applicants abrda.ca/for-applicants-and-students/pathways-to-registration/inter... · fetched October 10, 2026
Frequently asked questions
2
Do you need a licence to work as a dental assistant in Alberta?
Yes. Registration with the College of Alberta Dental Assistants is required to practise in Alberta.
Which exams are required?
National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) written examination, NDAEB Clinical Practice Evaluation.
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