Certified Dental Assistant Certificate is a certificate in Health Sciences programme taught at University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, Canada. The programme runs for 10 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 797 per credit (CAD 167 per credit for local students).
Over ten months, this certificate builds the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed for work as a certified dental assistant, combining clinical practice with lecture-based study. Clinical experience includes work at the university's own dental clinic along with two practica at local dentistry practices that provide full-time, hands-on experience. Accreditation for the program comes from the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and completion makes graduates eligible to sit the National Dental Assisting Board exam, required to register and gain certification through the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Limited entry: not every academically qualified applicant is admitted. ACADEMIC: B.C. secondary school graduation or an equivalent, including English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 at C or better and Anatomy and Physiology 12 at C or better; upgrading courses or equivalents from another school system are accepted for both. LANGUAGE: all applicants must reach English at UFV's Entry-level standard, met by English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, or by IELTS Academic 6.0 (no band under 5.5), TOEFL iBT 80 (no section under 19), PTE Academic 56 with 52 in writing, Duolingo 100-109, CAEL 60, UFV's CPT at 41, or Accuplacer Reading 80 with WritePlacer 6. WITH THE APPLICATION: employment or volunteer reference(s) on UFV's confidential reference form from ufv.ca/registrar/forms, and official or interim transcripts from every secondary and post-secondary institution attended. Applicants whose prerequisites are already finished get first call on seats. LATER STAGES: a written application essay, normally completed at the programme information session; a dental office observation form signed by a dentist confirming two full days spent watching office routine and dental procedures; and an interview with programme faculty assessing your understanding of and motivation for the career, your preparation, your communication and problem-solving, and your experience with patients and with the public. AFTER AN OFFER: a completed immunisation programme, a dental oral health certificate signed by a dentist, a security clearance check under B.C.'s Criminal Records Review Act, and current CPR/AED Level C (Standard or Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C also accepted) before the programme begins. TIMING: applications open 1 October and should reach UFV by 31 January for the Fall intake, though the programme keeps taking them until seats fill. INTERNATIONAL: UFV's programme list marks this certificate as not open to international applicants.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Competitive, interview-based entry: applicants are scored on a rating form and are strongly encouraged to apply by 15 January for the best chance at a Fall-intake seat, with applications continuing on a space-available basis afterward. UFV's own page still labels this cycle 'Fall 2025' rather than a current year, so confirm the year directly with the program.
