Program Overview

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Denturism Ontario College Advanced Diploma program

Program Description

As a regulated health care professional, you develop knowledge consistent with a denturist’s scope of practice, in particular assisting clients in achieving a beautiful smile. As a student Denturist, you use a problem-solving framework basing all decisions, judgments and interventions on current theory and research. An emphasis is placed on interprofessional education, learning to work within a collaborative oral health-care team, and training in clinical aspects related to your new field of study, including complete and partial prosthetics, immediate dentures, and implants. You employ technologies to design and fabricate digital dentures with the help of design software, scanners, printers and mills. Legal and ethical responsibilities, with an understanding of business practices related to self-employment are stressed and an important part of becoming an independent health care practitioner.

East Coast Canada intake opportunity

Georgian College is proud to offer an intake in Halifax for its accredited Denturism program. Available only to domestic students residing in Atlantic Canada, this intake offers the same recognized credential as the Barrie Campus, meeting the standards of the College of Denturists of Ontario. Courses will be delivered through a combination of remote learning (online), and in-person labs in Halifax. Interested students can apply through OCAS to the Denturism (online, Halifax cohort) (DNTM). For more details, please review the frequently asked questions.

Intake Information

• Start date: Fall 2025
• Campus: Barrie

Tuition and Fees

• Visit our tuition and fees page for detailed information on the cost to attend Georgian.
• Review additional program-specific fees for this program.
• You can afford this! Explore OSAP as well as awards, scholarships and bursaries to help you pay your way to graduation.

Work-Integrated Learning

• This program includes a clinical placement component where you’ll get clinical experience under the supervision of an experienced registered or licensed professional.
• Learn about types of work-integrated learning at Georgian.

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, mature student status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)
• Grade 12 Math (C or U)
• Grade 12 Chemistry (C or U) or Grade 11 (U)
• Grade 11 or 12 Biology (C or U)

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to:

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:

Selection Process

Applicants will be assessed based on previous academic achievements in the prerequisite courses and an average of other courses within their final year of study prior to applying to the program.

Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check

Placement agencies require an up-to-date clear criminal reference check and vulnerable sector check prior to going out on placement. Students should obtain their criminal reference three months prior to placement; checks conducted earlier may not be considered current. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, please check with the program coordinator to ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the completed document prior to placement start.

Additional Information

Clinics may require students to have updated flu shots, TB testing and Hepatitis B vaccination as well as a Police Record Check (including Vulnerable Sector Screening and a check of the Pardoned Sex Offender Data Base). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are eligible to participate in clinical placements. The College assumes no responsibility for these matters and students should be aware that tuition will not be refunded in the event that access to a clinic is denied.

In addition to these requirements, applicants must also provide proof of a current First Aid and C.P.R. “HCP” certification, prior to the commencement of clinical courses.

Registration with the College of Denturists of Ontario (CDO) is mandatory to practice as a denturist in Ontario. Note: A history of criminal offences or charges of professional misconduct in another jurisdiction or another profession may interfere with your ability to become registered in Ontario. Should either situation apply, you are recommended to seek clarification with the CDO before applying to the Denturism program at Georgian College.

Once registered with the CDO as licensed practitioners, individuals may request a transfer to the association of another province. It is the individual’s responsibility to contact the association in the province where they wish to transfer.

Applicants are advised that the clinical requirements of the program and future employment require good vision (with or without corrective lenses) and visual perception; ability to stand for prolonged periods of time and manipulate small instruments with repetitive motion. Applicants with back
eck/wrist or visual problems should discuss individual concerns with the Program Co-ordinator.

Career Opportunities

Denturists work independently, interdependently and collaboratively with health professionals and clients. Graduates may establish their own clinical practice as an independent practitioner, associate with other denturists or health care providers, or explore a variety of opportunities within the dental industry.

Accreditation

College of Denturists of Ontario

Georgian’s Denturism program has been approved by the College of Denturists of Ontario (CDO) since Nov. 2, 2017.

Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for qualifying examination administered by the CDO. Successful completion of the examination is a requirement to be registered to practice as a denturist in the province of Ontario.

Registration with the CDO is a legal requirement to practice and is subject to the regulations and restrictions established by this governing body. For more information about the CDO or the registration process, please visit the CDO website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Is Georgian College’s Denturism program accredited?
  • Yes. Georgian College’s Denturism program has been approved by the College of Denturists of Ontario since 2017.
• Does Georgian College’s Denturism program support labour mobility to other provinces?
  • After becoming licensed by the College of Denturists of Ontario, graduates can request to work in other provinces. They should contact the appropriate provincial association for next steps.
• Will I need to purchase dental instruments for this program?
  • No. Required instruments are included in the program kit, which is covered by student fees and distributed during the first week of the semester.

FAQs specific to the Barrie intake

• How will theory classes be delivered to a student in Barrie?
  • Theory courses are delivered in a face-to-face format on the Barrie Campus.
• How will clinical courses be taught in Barrie?
  • Clinical courses are taught by licensed preceptors on the Barrie Campus, in Georgian’s Oral Health Clinic.
• How will Dental Laboratory classes be taught in Barrie?
  • Dental Laboratory classes will be taught on the Barrie Campus, in Georgian’s state-of-the-art oral health laboratories.

FAQs specific to the Halifax intake

• How will theory classes be delivered to a student in Halifax?
  • Theory courses are delivered remotely through GC Flex, allowing students in Halifax to attend online classes alongside those at the Barrie campus.
• Will my class and lab times be listed in Halifax time (ADT)?
  • No, schedules are provided in Eastern Standard Time (EST). Halifax follows Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT), which is one hour ahead. You’ll need to adjust the scheduled times to your local time zone. For example, a class listed at 10 a.m. EST will begin at 11 a.m. ADT.
• How will clinical courses be taught in Halifax?
  • Clinical courses are taught by licensed preceptors in a Denturist’s office, providing structured, supervised learning experiences.
• How will Dental Laboratory classes be taught in Halifax?
  • Dental Laboratory classes will be taught in Halifax, Nova Scotia within a dental laboratory environment.

Course Information

• 27 Program Courses
• 4 Clinical Practice
• 2 Communications Courses
• 3 General Education Courses

Program-Specific Courses

Semester 1 courses are listed below. For a full list of courses in the program including course descriptions, view the Denturism program outline.

• BIOL 1040 – Anatomy and Physiology Introductory Concepts
• DENT 1049 – Complete Dentures – Introduction
• DENT 1078 – Introduction to the Profession of Denturism
• DENT 1079 – Orofacial Anatomy for the Denturist
• DENT 1085 – Dental Materials
• Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.
• Select 1 course from the General Education list during registration.

Course Delivery Method(s)

Hybrid

This program has a hybrid delivery method. Some parts are online and other parts are delivered in person. You’ll need to come to campus for part of your program.

In person

This program is delivered fully in person and requires you to attend campus.

Related Programs

• Dental Assisting (Levels I and II)
• Dental Hygiene
• Opticianry
• Pre-health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees