Learn the specialized skills and technology needed to provide patients with dentures, partial dentures, overdentures, and dentures over implants.
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What you will learn
Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Apply the current National Competency Profile for Denturists to provide safe, competent, culturally competent and ethical care.
- Practice within the Health Professions Act and the related College of Denturists of British Columbia documents: Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics.
- Clinical Practice: Demonstrate knowledge and skills to meet patients' needs related to denturist services.
- Laboratory Procedures: Design, fabricate, and maintain a wide variety of dental prostheses and/or oral devices.
- Professional Collaboration: Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to optimize patient treatment and improve health outcomes.
- Practice Management: Apply knowledge, principles, and the skills of management with the goal of providing effective and efficient denturist services.
Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professional Responsibilities: Demonstrate professional behaviour that is ethical, supersedes self-interest, strives for excellence, is committed to continued professional development.- Communication: Communicate with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals, to promote and support optimal patient care and well-being.
What to expect
Program Duration and Maximum Time for Completion
Program duration is 3 years. All courses must be completed in 5 years in the event of an absence from the program.
A major emphasis of this program is active student participation. Throughout the program, instructors will encourage students to become increasingly more self-directed and responsible for their own learning. Students are expected to come to the college well prepared for active participation in classroom, laboratory and clinic activities. The instructor acts as a facilitator and an expert to promote an environment conducive to learning through activities, such as guided discussions, debates, audio-visual presentations, and skill building activities in labs, clinics and practicums.
The clinical component of the courses provides the learner with the opportunity to integrate practice and theory.
This program is offered on a full time basis over 3 years. Each term must be successfully completed before the next one can be attempted. Courses are usually scheduled Monday to Friday; however these hours may vary and may include weekends and evenings.
Community practicum experiences and the Preceptorship placements may be situated outside of the Metro Vancouver area. Accommodation and living expenses during these practice experiences are the responsibility of the student. Students are responsible for travel to the practicum sites.
Admission requirements
Program-specific
- Grade 12 graduation, or equivalent
- English 12 with a minimum grade of B, or equivalent
- English language proficiency at an English 12 level
- Biology 12 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C
- Physics 11 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C+
- Mandatory attendance at a Denturist Program Information Session
- BIOL 1602 or equivalent within the last 5 years with a minimum grade of C
Selection Process
- All qualified candidates who meet the above admission requirements by the deadline date will take the Manual Dexterity test and will be required to submit two Career Investigations with summaries. The deadline date will be identified on the program website and will be approximately four months before the program start. Information about the career investigations and manual dexterity test will be provided by the department.
- The qualified applicants with the highest scores in the Manual Dexterity Test and the Career Investigations and Summaries will be offered seats.
Upon acceptance to the program:
- Completion of Standard First Aid and CPR- A with AED training
- Proof of a negative TB skin test. If the skin test is positive proof of a negative TB chest x-ray is required
- Immunizations in the following are strongly recommended and may be required for a community practice placement.
- Pertussis/Diphtheria/Tetanus
- Polio
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza (required on an annual basis)
- Chicken Pox
*NB Clinical Facilities may decline individual students for their placement if a student is unable to provide proof of immunizations or satisfactory serum titers and TB screening.
- Criminal Record Check (CRC): Students in this program are required to complete a CRC. The CRC must be completed according to VCC's Criminal Record Check instructions. Students whose CRC results indicate they pose a risk to vulnerable populations will not be able to complete the requirements of the program (e.g. practicums) or graduate.
- Respiratory Protection: Regulations stipulate that a properly fitted respiratory mask must be used when providing care to patients with suspected, known, or probable cases of acute respiratory infections. The respiratory mask must be a N95 respirator that is individually fitted by a trained and certified person. This individual mask fitting should be done just prior to the beginning of your program and is good for one year and must be performed annually. The original certificate must be presented to the Department during the first week of classes. Applicants to the program will be responsible for any costs incurred for mask fitting.
General
- This program is available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. See program options for international students at VCC International.
- Applicants who self-identify as Indigenous are strongly encouraged to connect with VCC’s Indigenous Education and Community Engagement team to learn more about VCC’s Indigenous Enrolment policy, application preparation/completion, program advising, and a range of other individualized services.
- Applicants must be 16 years of age or older or a graduate of a secondary school. (Some exceptions may apply.)
- Applicants must submit official transcripts and other documents as required by their course or program. Seats are offered to eligible applicants with completed applications, in order of application completion date (except for programs with competitive admissions). A complete application includes an application form, evidence of educational pre-requisites (e.g. transcripts), any required supporting documents (e.g. language proficiency, audition video), and the required deposit or fee payment. If you do not meet the requirements for the term applied, your application may be cancelled.
Missing prerequisites? Learn more about VCC's tuition-free academic upgrading or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, or discover which university transfer options are right for you.
Recommended Characteristics
- Interest and empathy with people;
- Ability to communicate effectively with individuals of all ages and from all walks of life;
- Problem solving and analysis;
- Mature with positive self-image and high standards of personal integrity;
- Ability to support others on a team;
- Ability to take initiative and handle responsibility;
- Basic computer literacy: email; word processing; internet searching;
- Flexibility to attend clinical placements within and outside of the Metro Vancouver area and to cover the costs associated with this;
- Good manual dexterity – fine motor skills;
- Overall good health.
Courses *
Prior learning assessment and recognition
Applicants requesting PLAR must meet with the Denturist Department Leader
| Term One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| DEND 1101 | Professionalism 1 | 1.5 |
| DEND 1102 | Applied Head and Neck Anatomy 1 | 4 |
| DEND 1103 | Complete Dentures 1 | 6 |
| DEND 1104 | Partial Dentures 1 | 6 |
| DEND 1105 | Safe Practice in Denturism | 3 |
| Credits | 20.5 | |
| Term Two | ||
| DEND 1201 | Professionalism 2 | 4 |
| DEND 1202 | Applied Head and Neck Anatomy 2 | 4 |
| DEND 1203 | Complete Dentures 2 | 6 |
| DEND 1204 | Partial Dentures 2 | 6 |
| Credits | 20 | |
| Term Three | ||
| DEND 2101 | Professionalism 3 | 1.5 |
| DEND 2102 | Oral Pathology | 3 |
| DEND 2103 | Clinical Prosthetics 1 | 6 |
| DEND 2104 | Clinical Prosthetics 2 | 6 |
| DEND 2105 | Case Management 1 | 3 |
| DEND 2106 | Pharmacology | 2 |
| Credits | 21.5 | |
| Term Four | ||
| DEND 2201 | Business Management | 3 |
| DEND 2202 | Gerontology | 1 |
| DEND 2203 | Clinical Prosthetics 3 | 5 |
| DEND 2205 | Case Management 2 | 3 |
| DEND 2206 | Community Practicum 1 | 6 |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Term Five | ||
| DEND 3101 | Professionalism 4 | 1 |
| DEND 3102 | Dentures Over Implants | 4 |
| DEND 3103 | Advanced Denturist Practice | 3 |
| DEND 3105 | Case Management 3 | 3 |
| DEND 3106 | Community Practicum 2 | 6 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Term Six | ||
| DEND 3204 | Managing a Denturist Practice | 3 |
| DEND 3205 | Case Management 4 | 6 |
| DEND 3206 | Preceptorship | 12 |
| Credits | 21 | |
| Total Credits | 118 | |
* This information is intended as a guideline only. Program and course details are subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors.
Discover Open Studies
Open Studies lets you take courses from credit programs without having to be accepted into one. Based on availability, you can sample different courses, earn credits, and build new skills.
Explore your optionsFees and other costs *
| Fee description | Fee Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | 36 | |
| Tuition Tuition | 11642 | |
| Student union | 256 | |
| College initiative | 336 | |
| Materials | 397 | not including textbooks |
| Campus resource | 466 | |
| Laundry | 283 | |
| Tools (deposit) | 25 | |
| Coverall (deposit) | 0 | |
| Uniform (deposit) | 60 | |
| Medical and Dental | 550 | |
| Temporary Medical Insurance | 0 | |
| U-PASS | 840 | |
| Graduation | 45 | |
| Program-specific extra fees | 0 | |
| Total |
* Fees are approximate and subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors. Students are required to pay any applicable fee increases. Application and assessment fees are non-refundable. Tuition fees include a $300 non-refundable deposit.
Fees listed are for domestic students. For international programs, visit VCC International.
Any refunds are issued according to VCC's refund policy.
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