In a significant step towards addressing the shortage in the Canadian dental technology workforce, the Canadian Alliance of Dental Technology Regulators (CADTR) is proud to announce the launch of the Access to Dental Technology (ADT) Phase II project, in collaboration with its members the Dental Technology Regulators across Canada. The announcement, made on March 1, 2024, by the Honourable Shaun Chen, Member of Parliament for Scarborough North, on behalf of the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages, marks a significant milestone in the cognition of foreign credentials and the assimilation of internationally educated professionals into the Canadian healthcare system.
Canada’s dental technology profession faces a critical labor shortage exacerbated by the evolving needs of the patient and the public. This shortage underscores the pressing need for skilled, agile, and inclusive workforce development strategies that can adapt to the rapidly evolving labor market. The federal government’s commitment to investing in patients and the public through the foreign credential recognition program has been unwavering since 2015 and relies on the collaboration with provinces and territories.
The ADT Phase II project has been awarded up to $611,732 in funding through the federal government’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program. This funding is part of a broader government investment totaling $86 million, aimed at increasing the capacity for foreign credential recognition of approximately 6,600 internationally educated health professionals.
This CADTR initiative builds on the success of the federally funded ADT Phase I project which created a single national point of entry, harmonized alternative pathways to education requirements, and implemented a modernized competency assessment. The ADT Phase II project aims to revolutionize the education pathway for domestically and internationally educated and trained dental lab associates and assistants. By assessing individuals based on their informal learning and relevant experience, known prior learning recognition, they will be able to demonstrate knowledge and competence leading to a fulfilling career in Canada as a registered dental technologist or technician (RDT). The initiative will pilot test the prior learning pathway with 50 applicants at no cost, further demonstrating our commitment to removing educational barriers to the dental technology profession.
As we move forward, we remain committed to ensuring that the dental technology profession remains vibrant, diverse, and responsive to the needs of all Canadians. Together, we’re not merely forging the path for dental technology as a recognized and respected profession; we’re guaranteeing a more luminous and inclusive future for oral healthcare across Canada.