Do you need the NDAEB certificate to work as a dental assistant in Canada?
A lot of dental assistants ask the same thing: do I need the NDAEB certificate to work? The honest answer is that it depends on where you work.
Here is how the regulators and the NDAEB describe it.
Short answer
Where dental assisting is regulated, yes. The NDAEB says the provincial dental assisting regulators require new registrants to hold its certificate, with Quebec the exception.
The NDAEB isn't a regulator, though. Registration and licensing are decided by each province's regulator.
Dental assisting isn't regulated in Ontario, Quebec or the territories. In Ontario, the dentists' regulator still ties Level II duties to the certificate.
Who decides
The National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) runs the exam and issues the certificate. It says it is not a regulatory body. Registering and licensing dental assistants rests with the Canadian Dental Assisting Regulatory Authorities, or CDARAs, which are often called provincial regulatory colleges, boards, councils or associations.
The NDAEB says all CDARAs with the exception of Quebec require initial dental assistant registrants to hold the NDAEB certificate to become licensed, registered or certified. Dental assisting is not regulated in Quebec.
The regulators the NDAEB lists
| Province | Regulator |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | BC College of Oral Health Professionals |
| Alberta | College of Alberta Dental Assistants |
| Saskatchewan | College of Dental Assistants of Saskatchewan |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Dental Association |
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick Dental Society |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Regulator of Dentistry and Dental Assisting |
| Prince Edward Island | Prince Edward Island Dental College |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Board |
Ontario and Quebec work differently
Dental assisting is not regulated in Ontario, so there is no registration to attach a requirement to. There is still a link. The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) requires its members, who are dentists, to assign Level II duties to dental assistants who hold the NDAEB certificate. The NDAEB page doesn't define Level II duties, so ask the RCDSO what they cover.
The NDAEB also says its certificate does not represent HARP certification in Ontario. The HARP certificate is a separate provincial requirement.
Dental assisting is not regulated in Quebec either.
If you're not sure
The NDAEB says candidates apply to write the exam voluntarily. In a province that requires the certificate, though, you'll need it to register. If you aren't sure whether the province where you intend to work asks for it, the NDAEB says to contact that regulator before you register for the exam.
Your province's regulator, and sometimes your employer, decides what you need. The NDAEB certificate matters in some places and not in others.
If you are not sure, ask the regulator directly before you register for the exam.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NDAEB certificate a licence?
No. The NDAEB is not a regulatory body. Licensing and registration are decided by each province's regulator.
Do I need the certificate to work as a dental assistant in Ontario?
Dental assisting isn't regulated in Ontario. The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario requires dentists to assign Level II duties to assistants who hold the NDAEB certificate. The HARP certificate is a separate provincial requirement.
Do I need it in Quebec?
Dental assisting is not regulated in Quebec, and the NDAEB names Quebec as the one exception when it says the regulators require the certificate.
Do I have to write the NDAEB exam?
The NDAEB says candidates apply to write it voluntarily. Whether you need the certificate to register depends on where you plan to work, so check with that province's regulator first.
Sources
- NDAEB: Registration and Licensureinitial dental assistant registrants to hold the NDAEB certificateChecked October 18, 2026