About Us
What is the Nova Scotia Regulator of Dentistry and Dental Assisting?
The Nova Scotia Regulator of Dentistry and Dental Assisting is a legislated body mandated to protect the public interest related to the delivery of dental care.
As the regulator for dentistry and dental assisting in Nova Scotia, we fulfill our role by ensuring that only qualified individuals are licensed as dentists and dental assistants and that they provide competent, safe, and ethical dental care.
On May 1, 2025, the 1992 Dental Act was repealed, and the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia was brought under the Regulated Health Professions Act. With this legislative change, the organization became the Nova Scotia Regulator of Dentistry and Dental Assisting (NSRDDA). The department of Health and Wellness has created a website found at this link which explains the changes in legislation for health professions.
The NSRDDA operates within the parameters of the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), the Regulated Health Professions General Regulations, and the Regulations Respecting Dentistry and Dental Assisting. Under the RHPA and the Regulations, the NSRDDA has been given the authority to create bylaws. Our bylaws can be found at this link.
BOARD MEMBERSHIP
When the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia migrated under the RHPA on May 1, 2025, the existing Board members continued as the “Interim Board” which will be in place until April 30, 2026. It consists of 8 licensed dentists, 2 licensed dental assistants, and 2 members of the general public.
Of the professional Board members, 5 of the dentists were appointed by the Nova Scotia Dental Association and 1 of the dental assistants was appointed by the Nova Scotia Dental Assistants’ Association. The remaining registrant members were appointed by government, as were the 2 public members.
On May 1, 2026, the Interim Board will be replaced by the “Initial Board”. There will be 9 Board members with the following composition:
- 4 members of the general public (appointed by government),
- at least 2 dentists,
- at least 1 dental assistant, and
- 2 other registrant members (each of whom may be either a dentist or a dental assistant).
The registrant members of the board will be selected based on the needs of the Board as determined through the Board’s competency matrix – a list of competencies, qualities, and other criteria approved by the Board to describe the collective desired composition of the Board.