CDAA Mandate

CDAA Mandate

The CDAA is the national voice for dental assistants, supporting its Organizational Members by placing itself at the forefront of issues such as labour mobility, occupational analysis and workplace health and safety.  The CDAA advances the profession of dental assisting by maintaining its involvement in addressing these programs/issues, by remaining accessible to its member associations (provincial associations and the Royal Canadian Dental Corps), and by offering timely, relevant research and information to dental assistants.

The CDAA is in support of requirements for formal education for dental assistants, dental assisting program accreditation through the Commission of Dental Accreditation in Canada (CDAC), and national certification through the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB).

CDAA offers value to the Dental Assisting profession* through:

ADVOCACY:

  • increasing its credibility and exposure with federal and provincial governments, regulators and policy makers and policy influencers to impact the profession.
  • working with industry partners, like the hygienist and dentists’ associations to address issues that we share in common.
  • advocating for the inclusion of the dental assistants’ perspective into any issue impacting oral health.
  • conveying the perspective of the dental assisting profession into any issues impacting general health brought to us through a variety of NGO’s.
  • ensuring that the work tasks and responsibilities of dental assistants are taken into account to improve the work environment and to improve patient care.
  • working with regulators and consulting with government on projects and areas of mutual interest.
  • formal recognition and promotion of the value that the professional dental assistant brings to the dental team and to the oral health of Canadians.

RESEARCH:

  • Research pertaining specifically to the professional of dental assisting is severely lacking.  For years, the limited research that is available, has combined hygiene and assisting as one, completely ignoring the specific and unique contributions each profession contributes to the dental team.  CDAA is focused on changing this by producing nationally-respected research, specific to the profession of dental assisting, that is available to our Organizational Members and that supports their work. By building a library of respected research, CDAA can expand its position as a thought leader in oral health and also predict trends and identify opportunities and challenges related to the profession of dental assisting.

CAPACITY-BUILDING:

  • CDAA supports our Organizational Members, within our available resources and expertise, when and how they need us. We focus on connecting our Organizational Member community and assist with positioning Organizational Members for success with their members.

ADDITIONAL MEMBER BENEFITS:

The CDAA adds additional value to our members by offering reduced rates and discounts on:

  • personal professional liability insurance (also known as malpractice insurance);
  • home and auto insurance;
  • group health benefits;
  • an international travel rewards program, and
  • a reduced-interest rate credit card.

*CDAA services are available exclusively to dental assistants that are members of a CDAA Organizational Member.