FAQs

The main Dental Hygiene Program at 28 Vanley Cres. The Toronto location has been accredited since 2004 and continues to be accredited by The Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. (CDAC), Any student attending the Dental Hygiene Program at the 28 Vanley Location is attending an Accredited program.

In August 2026 Toronto College opened another program at an alternate location at 2727 Steeles Ave West Toronto . Since this is a new program it must go under the process of the accreditation before it can be labeled as accredited. The process of accreditation of a program first involves CDAC pre-approving a program to start. The Dental hygiene program is then labeled as “Dental Hygiene -pending accreditation program “. Once the initial cohort reaches their last semester the program is again evaluated by CDAC. If successful, the program is then labeled as Dental Hygiene -Accredited Program.

This TCDHA Steeles location Dental Hygiene Program has been pre- approved by CDAC to open in August 2026 and is currently labeled as “Dental Hygiene-Pending Accreditation Program“. The group of students that began their dental hygiene education at this location in August 2026 will be in their last semester in November 2027. The program will then be evaluated by CDAC to establish if the program can then be changed to Dental Hygiene – Accredited Program. If accredited, all students including the ones that joined the program during the Dental Hygiene -Pending Accreditation Program will graduate from an accredited program. If in the unlikely event that the program will not be accredited then the students must pass a clinical exam after graduation to obtain their license. The cost of this exam is approximately $2000 . TCDHA therefore discounts the Dental Hygiene - Pending Accreditation Program tuition by $3000.

If you would like to purchase an additional Transcript please fill out the attached form from the link below and submit the form along with a valid piece of Government Issued photo ID to Transcripts@toronto-college-dental.org. The fee for Additional Transcripts is $20.00 (all credit card payments will be charged an additional 4% processing fee totaling $20.80). Debit payment must be made in person.
Credit Card Authorization Form

Upon successfully completing the program offered at the TCDHA the student will receive an official diploma.

The Dental Hygiene program offered at the TCDHA is 18 months in duration. The program is divided into four semesters with one week off in between semesters.

Students that attend our program appreciate the fact that they are able to finish the program in a short period of time so that they can begin working as a dental hygienist.

The reason that students are able to complete the program in 18 months is a result of not taking extensive summer vacations or holidays.

Yes, all graduates of the Dental Hygiene programs across Canada will write the same “Board Exam” regardless of which province they graduate from.

Yes, there is a fee associated with writing the NDHCE exam and is the full responsibility of the student separate of the fees payable to the TCDHA for the dental hygiene program. The fees are determined by the NDHCE and may change annually.

The Dental Hygiene program runs continuous for the 18 months. There is a one week break given in between each of the 4 semesters to the students - 3 weeks in total. If the program runs during the Christmas holidays then the students will be given additional time off for Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. accepts monthly payments as an option to assist the student with their finances during the program.

YES! All Provincial Students Loans across Canada are available as an option of payment at TCDHA.

Student Loan options in other Provinces and Territories

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Students enrolled in the Dental Hygiene Program may be eligible, if qualified, for loans, grants, or awards granted under the Ontario Students Assistance Program (OSAP). Financial assistance may be available for those who qualify. The OSAP website is as follows: https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal

The National Student Loans Service Centre address is as follows:
P.O. Box 4030, Mississauga, Ontario L5A 4M4

Please visit the OSAP website to get an estimate to see if and how much you would be eligible for.

When on the OSAP website you will notice that we are not on their dropdown list. Once you click that we are not on the list a box will appear. However, if you type in “Toronto Coll” you will be connected to our programs offered at TCDHA.

Second Career Funding from the Ontario Government may be another form of funding your payment.
Native Status in Canada may also be a payment option.

YES! There are several financial institutions that will assist students with student loans and student line of credits.

Please call the Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. and one of our friendly admission staff will be more than happy to assist you with all of the financial options that may be available to you. Please call 416-423-3099 or toll free at 1-866-923-3099

There are no hidden fees at the TCDHA. We believe that the student should know what their financial situation is well in advance so that they can prepare themselves for the financial commitment of the dental hygiene program.

The candidate must ensure that an original copy of their Canadian high school transcript or a completed Canadian public College diploma/University degree transcript or documentation of equivalency* is provided to the College.

*Qualified academic credential assessment can be submitted as an alternative for those who have been educated outside of Canada. Please check the link provided for more information to show equivalency (http://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canada)

Are you a mature student? Applicants that are applying as a Mature Student who are over the age of 18 year of age and lack a high school diploma or equivalent (as discussed above) must successfully pass the Superintendents approved qualifying test which is called the Wonderlic Scholastic Exam at Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. Valid identification must be provided to show prove the age requirement.

The mandatory pre-admission test, an interview and entry requirements applies to all applicants.

The applicant must fill out an application form and must successfully achieve a 70% on the entrance exam in order to be granted an interview. During the interview the student will be asked a set series of questions to determine if the student can communicate in and comprehend the English language and will determine if the individual will be likely to succeed in this program.

Please call today 416-423-3099 or toll free 1-866-923-3099 for additional information.

No! The admission process is FREE!

The pre-admission test consists of the following:

• 25 Marks - English Questions
• Including Vocabulary, Grammar & Reading Comprehension
• 12 Marks - Written Component
• 8 Marks - Spatial Relations Questions
• 15 Marks - Biology Questions

Applicants should contact The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. for test information and dates.

There are no fees associated with the mandatory pre-admission testing.

Spatial relation type questions can be found in the “DAT” books that Dentists may study from prior to getting accepted into the dentistry program. The section on basic biology is equivalent to grade 11 or 12 science which is offered in Ontario High schools.

Sample questions are available by contacting our Admissions department

There are a maximum 182 Students per cohort in the 28 Vanley Location program .

There are a maximum 54 Students per cohort in the 2727 Steeles Ave Location Program

Yes, TCDHA accepts students from all across Canada. TCDHA understands that there is a lot of planning involved with attending the dental hygiene program away from home. The admission staff will assist the applicant throughout the entire process until arrival to the College.

The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. has a total of 121 dental ops / chairs, 18 of them with x- rays. At the college we also have 3 digital panoramic x-ray machine.

This allows each student to gain access to their own dental chair.

Each of the Dental Hygiene Clinics are 100% paperless using all the latest technology that a modern dental office would use. This includes digital photography, digital x-rays, digital Panoramic x-ray machine, 3D Consult-Pro patient education software to educate the patients, signature pads and fingerprint scanners. Each dental chair is equipped with its own computer.

There are many provinces and/or states that require the students to have their first year university transfer courses. If a student attends the Dental Hygiene program at the TCDHA in Ontario, then the student is not required to take their first year university transfer courses prior to applying. In Ontario, the Dental Hygiene programs are considered direct entry programs meaning that the applicant can apply directly from high school and does not need any university prerequisites.

The student would attend the Dental Hygiene program and after successfully completing the program would be offered an official diploma from our accredited program. The individual would then be required to successfully complete the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board Exam

The graduate could register within the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario to get their dental hygiene registration (if they meet all the requirements of registration) or they could return to their province or state and apply for their dental hygiene registration in the province or state that they would like to practice.

TCDHA has many students that have applied from all across Canada. Once they complete our program and receive their diploma, they must still successfully write and pass the National Board exam. They may then return to their province to commence the process of registration.

Yes, TCDHA provides assistance and/or counseling with job placement in the following ways:

• TCDHA maintains alumni information and notifies former graduates of potential job opportunities through e-mail
• TCDHA assists student with resume writing, interview techniques, soft skills, and job preparation skills
• TCDHA allows students to utilize the facilities to contact potential employers and print resumes
• TCDHA provides reference letters for their graduates

Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. does not guarantee employment for any student who successfully completes a vocational program offered at Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc.

Please call 416-423-3099 or 1-866-923-3099 (toll free) to speak to an admissions coordinator. We recommend, if possible, to schedule an individualized tour and test date today. One of our friendly admission staff will be happy to assist you throughout the admissions process.

Currently, TCDHA is offering FREE admissions testing to applicants that apply to the program.

Yes! The Dental Hygiene Program offered at Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. is approved for hybrid learning ‘synchronous’. This means courses will be virtual online and in-person. Any online classes are delivered synchronous. This means lectures are live with an instructor and are not pre-recorded. Students must be present for the full lecture with their cameras on actively participating.