I am pleased to learn that a formal petition for Rule-Making, regarding section 18VAC60-20-60 of the Regulations Governing Dental Practice is being reviewed. I am hopeful that the board will amend section 18VAC60-20-60 to accept programs accredited by the CDAC. 

I am a graduate of the Dental Hygiene Program at Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario Canada. When I graduated in October of 2011 Georgian College was accredited by the CDAC and continues to maintain accreditation. I have recently moved to the state of Virginia and would like to obtain my dental hygiene license to be able to practice. In an attempt to apply for licensure in the state of Virginia, I was told that my application would be declined as Georgian College is not CODA accredited. At this time I was also advised that there is a reciprocal agreement between CODA and CDAC but this agreement does not grant CODA accreditation, which is required for licensure in Virginia. 

I was very surprised to learn that although there is a reciprocal agreement between CODA and CDAC I am still not eligible for licensure. It clearly states on the CODA website that "graduates of Canadian dental schools and dental hygiene programs (accredited by the commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada) have the same eligibility for licensure examinations as United States graduates". 

I successfully passed the NBDHE this year and had my results forwarded to your state board. This being said I have been informed that in order to obtain licensure in the state of Virginia I must attend and graduate from a CODA accredited school. I understand that it is your right to decipher and apply the requirements for licensure in a manner you see fit, however it seems unfair that my qualifications are not being accepted and I would have to start from the beginning in order to qualify. 

I have been practicing Dental Hygiene in Ontario for the last three years, some of my duties / depths of responsibilities included; taking and interpreting radiographs, dental assessments including periodontal diagnose(s), planning of treatment(s) required, implantation of recommended treatment plans and evaluation of treatment outcomes.  Extensive experience in deep scaling via hand and ultraSonic instrumentation resulting in maintenance of up to 7mm periodontal pockets and client based OHI/DHE.  All treatments and treatment planing is centered around  ensuring client centered care for optimal oral health. 

I have forwarded a certificate of professional conduct from the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario to your organization. Please feel free to contact me regarding any more information you may need in order to confirm the accreditation of my Ontario License and education. As well, I welcome you to review the CDHO website at www.cdho.org, to further verify their standard of practice and review the commonalities between their college and your own. Thank you for your time and understanding in this matter. 

Sincerely, 

Amarah Benny