Offered by Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada, Dental Assistant Certificate is a certificate in Health Sciences programme. The programme runs for 10 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 24,963 per total (CAD 5,100 per total for local students).
This program holds recognition from British Columbia's College of Dental Surgeons, with program accreditation coming from the national Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. It builds the knowledge, skills and values needed to work as part of a dental team, providing care and support to patients of all ages. Completion leads to a certificate, and passing a subsequent National Board exam makes graduates eligible to register and become licensed as a Certified Dental Assistant.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: VIU's general admission requirements apply, plus a minimum "C" in English 12 or equivalent and a minimum "C" in Anatomy and Physiology 12 or equivalent. Good personal health is required, along with 20-20 vision (correction permitted). Chemistry 11 or 12 and basic computer skills are recommended but not required. An interview may be required. Indigenous applicants may apply for a reserved seat through the Access Initiative for Indigenous Students form.
Required for the first day of classes: proof of WHMIS training; a completed Immunization Requirements Form carrying a public health nurse's signature; current certification in either CPR Level C or Basic Life Support; and a satisfactory criminal record check, requested through VIU and processed by the Ministry under the Criminal Records Review Act — an RCMP check does not satisfy the Act, and a criminal conviction may affect eligibility for licensure.
VIU flags two physical considerations before you apply: back problems or difficulty working in confined spaces can make the physical demands of the role hard to meet, and skin allergies may react to some dental materials. Prospective applicants are encouraged to spend at least a day observing a certified dental assistant at work.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; Vancouver Island University sets no institution-wide equal-consideration date, and its admissions FAQ states deadlines vary by programme, with applications for most academic programmes opening 1 October in the year before a September start. VIU publishes no general closing date for that window; applicants are directed to each programme's own page for its own deadline. International applicants use the same portal; VIU publishes no international-specific institution-wide date either, and several health programmes (Practical Nursing, Nursing Unit Assistant) are stated as not currently open to international students. Each programme's own page carries its own Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details table for the 2026-27 cycle, and admission for programmes without a stated window is treated as ongoing/rolling until the intake fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
