Prescribing Services that Dental Assistants Perform

By Jennifer Tewes, Registrar – College of Alberta Dental Assistants

Dental assistants are regulated professionals and are responsible to limit the services they provide to those within their own authorized practice. If you employ dental assistants and/or prescribe services for dental assistants to perform, it is important that you understand their authorized practice. In particular, the intra-oral, patient care services they may provide.

Late in 2019 the College of Alberta Dental Assistants began working toward a common entry practice for all dental assistants. Our first step was grouping dental assisting intra-oral services into Entry Practices and Advanced Practices. Next, we adjusted how authorized practices are shown on dental assistants’ Practice Permits. The following summary will provide you with key information.

Entry Practices

Entry Practices are intraoral, patient care services that most dental assistants in Alberta are authorized to provide. Typically, new dental assistants will be authorized for all Entry Practices. However, there are some exceptions.

If dental assistants aren’t authorized for an Entry Practice, it shows as a Condition on their Practice Permit and on our Dental Assistant Registry (go to abrda.ca and click “Find a Dental Assistant”). You can check the Registry to verify that a dental assistant has a current Permit and see their Conditions and Authorizations.

Advanced Practices

Advanced Practices are also intraoral, patient care services. However, most dental assistants are only authorized for some of them.

Newly registered dental assistants must apply for Advanced Practice authorization after obtaining their Practice Permit. Practicing dental assistants who complete post-graduate or continuing education for Advanced Practices must also apply and be authorized before providing the service.

If dental assistants are authorized for an Advanced Practice, it shows as an Authorization on their Practice Permit and on our Dental Assistant Registry (go to abrda.ca and click “Find a Dental Assistant”).

To see which practices are entry or advanced, visit our Skills and Authorized Practice webpage at abrda.ca under Protecting the Public/ What do Dental Assistants Do?

Remember that for dental assistants to perform any Entry or Advanced Practice, the service must be prescribed by you, or another regulated oral health care practitioner who is authorized to order the service. It is also important to note that if a dental assistant is not authorized for a practice, they may not provide that service.