The Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC)
The Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC) was established by an Act of the Federal Government of Canada in 1965 to promote the high standards of specialization in the dental profession and to recognize properly trained dental specialists. This is accomplished through examinations created specifically for each dental specialty. Successful completion of the National Dental Specialty Examination may lead to Fellowship and the use of the designation FRCD(C).
The mission of The Royal College of Dentists of Canada is to maintain the high standards of practice of the recognized dental specialists by examining qualified candidates for admission to Fellowship and to collaborate with stakeholders to establish standards for dental specialty education, practice and certification. The Royal College of Dentists of Canada’s main objectives are:
Examination Body for Dental Specialists
The Royal College of Dentists of Canada provides the National Dental Specialty Examination (NDSE) for all the nationally recognized dental specialties in Canada. The NDSE is used by all provincial Dental Regulatory Authorities (DRA) as part of the requirement for licensure as a dental specialist. RCDC is not an academic institution and does not provide any educational training or courses.
To ensure the fairness and the validity of the examination, RCDC ensures that all Chief Examiners and Examiners adhere to an Examiner Code of Conduct and a Confidentiality Agreement. Such precautionary measures play an integral part in protecting sensitive information involving candidate and examination contents to ensure confidentiality. In addition, the provincial Dental Regulatory Authorities (DRA) assign external observers to any of the NDSE Component II examinations to observe the examination process and provide feedback. Also, RCDC utilizes an external psychometrician to assist in the development of an effective and fair examination. As part of the on-going efforts to improve the examination, the College's Examinations Committee meets regularly throughout the year to evaluate and enhance the fairness and validity of the examination content and processes.
In addition, all examiners must report any form of potential, perceived, or real conflict of interest that may rise as a result of their participation in the examination.
Please see our Examinations page for more information.
Dental Training
The Royal College of Dentists of Canada is not an educational institution, nor a licensing body, and does not provide any form of dental training or courses.
For those people seeking licensure in Canada, please contact the Dental Regulatory Authorities (DRAs) in the province you are interested in working as a dental specialist. A complete list of all DRAs is listed on the Dental Regulatory Authorities page. These organizations are able to advise potential candidates of the particular requirements for licensure within each province.
For those people seeking access to dental training or education, please contact the Faculties of Dentistry in Canada. These Faculties are all listed on the External Links page.
Internationally-Trained Dental Specialists
International trained dental specialists (ITDS) are those that have completed a dental speciality program that is not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or a body with which CDAC has a reciprocal accreditation agreement. If you completed your specialty training at a dental specialist program that is not accredited by CDAC and are interested in writing the NDSE to practice in Canada, please visit the International Candidates page for more information.
For a list of CDAC accredited universities and dental specialist programs, please visit the External Links sections for more information.
Members of the Public
For members of the public seeking advice about finding a dentist or with any questions about general dentistry, please contact the Dental Association and Dental Regulatory Authority in your province.
If you have any questions and inquiries regarding dental legislation, or complaints about dentists or dental practices, please contact the Dental Regulatory Authority in your province.
