A Continuing Competency Program is a system of assessing, maintaining and monitoring ongoing knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment of a professional health care practitioner. It is a way of ensuring a high level of expertise, competence and appropriate ethics in performing the job.

Competency is defined as the quality of being functionally proficient in performing the tasks and assuming the role of a specified position with the requisite knowledge, ability, capability, skill, judgment, attitudes and values. The Health Professions Act (2000)defines competence as the “combined knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment required to provide professional services.” A Competency Profile is a detailed and specific description of the knowledge, skills, behaviors and critical judgments inherent in the role, trade or profession.

There are three good reasons to develop a Continuing Competency Program for Alberta dental technicians/technologists. Firstly, every profession is responsible to serve the public in a competent and ethical manner. The College of Dental Technologists of Alberta, in its regulatory capacity, has a mandate to protect the public good, specifically, through ensuring the competency of technologists/technicians in the provision of dental care services within the province.

Secondly, each professional has the responsibility to assess his/her own performance and to maintain his/her competence. Dental technologists/technicians have a long and proud history of providing safe and quality services, and using continuing education to stay current and improve services.

Thirdly, the Health Professions Act requires all regulated health professions to have a responsible, accountable and formal means of assessing and reporting the continuing competence of its members. All regulated health professions in Alberta are required to establish a Continuing Competency Program, to set up a Competency Committee and report to the Alberta government.

A Continuing Competency Program is an important component in ensuring that dental technology is credible, useful and respected within the health care field, and trusted by the public.

About the Profession

A Dental Technologist is a regulated health care professional who is knowledgeable and skilled in the design, repair and alteration of dental prosthetic and orthodontic devices prescribed by dentists for their patients.

All dental technologists are registered with the College of Dental Technologists of Alberta (CDTA) and must work within the set guidelines of the Health Professions Act. Only individuals who have successfully completed the Registration Examination set by the CDTA and are registered with the College, may use the protected title “Registered Dental Technologists” or RDT.

The College of Dental Technologists of Alberta is a regulatory organization that monitors and updates the membership of dental technologists and technicians within the province. This ensures that the dentists and the public of Alberta are being serviced by technologists who are qualified, knowledgeable and professional. It also maintains a top quality working and education standard within the profession.

Applications and benefits

The Continuing Competency Program has the following applications and benefits:

1.  Record, track and manage the competency data of dental technologists and technicians in Alberta.

2.  Enable CDTA and Alberta Health and Wellness to monitor the levels and changes in competencies among the members of the profession.

3.  Identify potential training, upgrading and professional development requirements for Alberta dental technologists and technicians.

4.  Provide data for reviewing and revising key performance indicators and standards.

5.  Reduce the risk to practicing dental technologists and technicians by showing that they have the appropriate training and competencies.

6.  Provide additional data to educational institutions to assist them in reviewing and revising their programming for dental technologists and technicians.

7.  Provide up-to-date reports to Alberta Health and Wellness and CDTA about dental technologists/technicians in the province, e.g., numbers, characteristics, competency levels, progress, etc.

8.  Provide data to CDTA and its members for possible research into dental technologists/technicians’ effectiveness, resource planning and other topics relevant to maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of the profession.