Proposed Amendments to Dental Hygienist Profession Regulations
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking public feedback on draft regulations for the Dental Hygienist Profession Regulations.
The proposed regulations would move the regulation of the dental hygienist profession from the Dental Auxiliaries Act to the Health and Social Services Professions Act, the “umbrella” Act that intends to support a comprehensive and consistent framework for the regulation of all health and social services professionals in the NWT. This approach will foster improved access to dental services and aligns us with national standards, while also broadening the scope of practice for dental hygienists.
Key updates in this stage:
Some of the expanded scope of practice provisions identified in the Key Elements document could not be completed within the legislated timeframe.
The draft regulations being proposed now address current practice restrictions. For example, they remove the requirement that dental hygienists work under the direction and control of a dentist. Additional scope expansions will be considered in a second phase once necessary legislative amendments are complete.Have Your Say
Dental hygienists, stakeholders, and the public are invited to provide feedback between September 15, 2025 and October 15, 2025.
>> Read the Dental Hygiene Profession Regulations
Send feedback to dhssregs_feedback@gov.nt.ca.
Next Steps
Input will be reviewed to ensure that all the criteria in the proposed regulations are covered.
