Denturist Sciences

Overview

Learn the specialized skills and technology needed to provide patients with dentures, partial dentures, overdentures, and dentures over implants.

What to expect

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.

What you will learn

• 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.
• \nJurisprudence, 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.

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.

Admission requirements

Program-specific

1. Grade 12 graduation, or equivalent
2. English 12 with a minimum grade of B, or equivalent
3. English language proficiency at an English 12 level
4. Biology 12 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C
5. Physics 11 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C+
6. Mandatory attendance at a Denturist Program Information Session
7. 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

• Students must submit a negative tuberculosis (TB) skin test or chest X-ray dated a maximum of six months prior to the program start date. An additional TB test is required after each potential exposure to TB and/or travel to areas with a known prevalence of TB.
• A School of Health Sciences Student Immunization Record must be completed. Students may be declined placement in a clinical or practicum site if a completed immunization record is not provided. 
• 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.

Recommended considerations

• 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.

Program availability

Courses

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.

Fees and costs

How to apply

Ready to apply?

Online

You will be directed to EducationPlannerBC.

Mail

Fill out a PDF form and mail to:
VCC Registrar's Office
1155 East Broadway
Vancouver, B.C., V5T 4V5

International students

Apply to VCC international programs online. Check the availability status for your desired program and intake before applying.

Contact us

Advising services

Phone: 604.871.7000, option 2
Email: [email protected]

Advising services for International students

[email protected]