Practising in Canada after studying abroad has become easier in recent years thanks to reciprocal agreements ratified by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) and the accreditation bodies from other countries.
In addition to the long-standing agreement signed with the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation, mutual recognition agreements have been ratified with:
- Australia (March 2010)
- New Zealand (December 2011)
- Ireland (December 2012)
Credentials of accredited programs in those countries are now recognized as equivalent to that of Canadian programs, meaning that Canadians studying abroad are no longer required to complete a 2-year bridging program to practise at home. “Dentistry students graduating after those dates are considered on par with Canadian standards and will receive the same privileges as Canadian and American dental school graduates,” explains a CDAC staff member. “Therefore, they are automatically eligible to write the National Dental Examination Board of Canada (NDEB) exams.”
International graduates whose programs are not formally recognized by CDAC are required to successfully complete an accredited qualifying or degree-completion program to practise in Canada.
To learn more about the dental programs recognized in Canada, visit http://www.ndeb.ca/accredited