Healthy Dentists, Healthy Albertans
That is the vision of the Alberta Dental Association. We are the collective voice of dentists in Alberta. We strengthen and support the dental profession and promote oral health as an integral part of general health for all Albertans.
Our values
Our values are more than words; they describe how we commit to being seen and felt by our members and the community in all our interactions.
Approachable
We value openness and inclusivity and treat our stakeholders as family, friends, and neighbours.
Supportive
We foster a respectful and safe environment where all people are welcomed and heard.
Accountable
We hold ourselves and each other to being informed, honest, transparent, and results-focused in pursuit of our vision.
What we do for dentists
Educate and empower
We develop timely and relevant education, tools, information, and resources for dentists and oral health teams so they can deliver high-quality, safe, ethical, and effective dental care for Albertans.
Advocate for better
Alberta’s dentists are important members of a patient’s primary health care team. We represent the dental profession in Alberta and aim to be a trusted advisor and partner for priorities related to dental and oral health care.
Promote health and wellness
The health and wellbeing of dentists, dental practices, and oral health teams impact how Albertans access and experience dentistry. We provide programs and services focused on promoting wellness for dentists and improving oral health care for all people in Alberta.
Celebrate people and community
Dentists are a valued part of Alberta’s diverse communities. We help bring people together to share, learn, and grow, and to celebrate Alberta’s dentists and their contributions to the community.
What we do for Albertans
Our dental community provides the public with information and services to encourage the best oral health possible, because oral health is an integral part of general health. We also provide information and transparency by developing the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
Creation of the Alberta Dental Association
In December 2020, the Government of Alberta passed a bill to amend the Health Professions Act. This required all regulatory health colleges, including the former Alberta Dental Association and College (now operating as the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta), to discontinue their association functions and activities. Enter the newly independent Alberta Dental Association, which launched in January 2023.
Regulation of the dental profession
The College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta, under the Health Professions Act, will fulfill their legislative mandate to regulate and govern the dental profession to protect the interest of Albertans.
What’s the difference between a professional association and a regulatory college?
A professional association:
- promotes the profession
- advocates for the profession
- is led by the profession, for the profession
- provides member support, resources, and learning opportunities and
- is membership-based
A regulatory college:
- protects the public interest
- receives and responds to practice complaints
- is governed by the public and profession
- develops standards of practice and competence
- requires registration