Regulation BEFORE repealed by BC Reg 134/2025, effective April 1, 2026.
| B.C. Reg. 277/2008 M237/2008 | Deposited October 15, 2008 effective October 17, 2008 |
Health Professions Act
Denturists Regulation
| Contents | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Definitions | |
| 2 | College name | |
| 3 | Reserved title | |
| 4 | Scope of practice | |
| 5 | Restricted activities | |
| 6 | Limits or conditions on services | |
| 7 | Patient relations program | |
| 8 | Health profession corporations | |
Definitions
1 In this regulation:
"Act" means the Health Professions Act;
"complete denture" means a dental prosthesis, supported by soft tissue, that replaces the natural teeth and associated structures in an edentulous arch and is not attached to or supported by natural teeth or implants and which is removable by the patient;
"dentist" means a person who is authorized under the Act to practise the designated health profession of dentistry;
"denture" means a partial denture, complete denture or overdenture;
"denturism" means the health profession in which a person provides the following services for the purpose of ensuring the therapeutic and cosmetic suitability of a denture for its intended use:
(a) assessing the need for dentures;
(b) dispensing and fitting dentures;
"denturist" means a person who is authorized under the Act to practise the designated health profession of denturism;
"dispense" means to make, alter or provide;
"edentulous arch" means a dental arch with no remaining natural teeth or roots;
"fit" means to perform any non-surgical intra-oral procedure related to dispensing a denture, including the making of impressions;
"implants" means a device that has been inserted into, over, through or under the jawbone for the purpose of supporting a dental prosthesis;
"overdenture" means a dental prosthesis that replaces natural teeth, is removable by the patient and is
(a) attached to or supported by implants, or
(b) attached to, supported by or covers retained roots or natural teeth;
"partial denture" means a dental prosthesis that
(a) is removable by the patient,
(b) restores one or more natural teeth or associated structures, and
(c) is supported in part by natural teeth, crowns or mucosa;
"prescription" means an authorization, issued by a person who is authorized under the Act to prescribe a partial denture or overdenture, to dispense a partial denture or overdenture for use by a named individual.
[am. B.C. Reg. 32/2020, Sch. 4, s. 1.]
College name
2 The name of the college responsible for carrying out the objects of the Act in respect of denturism is "British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals".
[en. B.C. Reg. 172/2022, Sch. 4.]
Scope of practice
4 A denturist may
(b) perform the restricted activity described in section 5 (1) (d), if dislocation occurs in the course of practising denturism.
[en. B.C. Reg. 32/2020, Sch. 4, s. 2.]
Restricted activities
5 (1) A registrant in the course of practising denturism may do all of the following:
(a) dispense or fit a complete denture;
(b) subject to paragraph (c), dispense or fit a partial denture or overdenture, but only for the purpose of implementing a prescription;
(c) make minor alterations to a partial denture or overdenture, without a prescription, for the purpose of repairing or relining the partial denture or overdenture, but only if
(i) the alterations do not change the design of the original prescription, or
(ii) the registrant has the prior consent of the person who issued the original prescription to change the design of the original prescription;
(d) reduce a complete dislocation of a temporomandibular joint using manual therapy.
(2) Only a registrant who is a denturist may provide a service that includes the performance of an activity set out in subsection (1).
[en. B.C. Reg. 32/2020, Sch. 4, s. 2.]
Limits or conditions on services
6 (1) A registrant must not do any of the following:
(b) cut, grind, scale, clean, restore, alter or polish natural teeth, crowns or implants, except to perform a service of teeth whitening;
(c) unless authorized by a dentist, provide a denture to a patient or adjust a denture in an arch in circumstances where, after the removal or loss of teeth, wound closure is incomplete, sutures are still present or bone is exposed.
(2) If a registrant is providing services that are authorized by a prescription, the registrant must provide the services in accordance with the prescription unless
(a) the registrant has the prior consent of the person who issued that prescription,
(b) both the registrant and the person who issued that prescription note the altered prescription on the patient's record, and
(c) the altered prescription is communicated to a dental technician involved in making the denture, if any.
[en. B.C. Reg. 32/2020, Sch. 4, s. 2.]
Patient relations program
7 The college is designated for the purposes of section 16 (2) (f) of the Act.
[Provisions relevant to the enactment of this regulation: Health Professions Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 183, s. 12 (2).]
Section 1 definitions of "dentist" and "prescription" BEFORE amended by BC Reg 32/2020, effective February 24, 2020.
"dentist" means a person authorized under the Dentists Act to practise dentistry;
"prescription" means a complete written description and design of a partial denture or an overdenture, by a dentist, including any advisory regarding the oral environment or tooth structure.
Section 1 definitions of "denture", "denturism", "denturist", "dispense" and "fit" were added by BC Reg 32/2020, effective February 24, 2020.
Section 1 definition of "prescribed services" BEFORE repealed by BC Reg 32/2020, effective February 24, 2020.
"prescribed services" means services provided by a denturist in accordance with the prescription of a dentist;
Section 4 BEFORE re-enacted by BC Reg 32/2020, effective February 24, 2020.
Scope of practice
4 A registrant may carry out non-surgical intraoral procedures to
(a) make, repair, reline, replace or furnish complete dentures,
(b) reline, replace teeth in or make repairs to partial dentures and overdentures, and
(c) in accordance with a prescription, make or furnish partial dentures and overdentures.
Section 5 BEFORE re-enacted by BC Reg 32/2020, effective February 24, 2020.
Restricted activities
5 (1) No person other than a registrant may carry out non-surgical intraoral procedures to make or furnish complete dentures.
(2) No person other than a registrant who meets the additional qualifications established in the bylaws may carry out non-surgical intraoral procedures to make or furnish overdentures and partial dentures.
Section 6 BEFORE re-enacted by BC Reg 32/2020, effective February 24, 2020.
Limits or conditions on services
6 (1) No registrant may expose or interpret radiographs.
(2) No registrant may make or furnish a partial denture that is supported by an implant and natural teeth.
(3) A registrant may only provide a partial denture or overdenture that is removable by the patient.
(4) No registrant may reline, replace natural teeth or make structural repairs to a partial denture or overdenture unless the patient has been examined by a dentist within the previous 365 days.
(5) Despite subsection (4) a registrant may reline, replace a tooth or make structural repairs in an urgent situation if a dentist is not available and the registrant immediately refers the patient to a dentist.
(6) No registrant may cut, grind, scale, clean, restore, alter or polish natural teeth, crowns or implants.
(7) Subject to subsection (8), no registrant may provide prescribed services except in accordance with the prescription.
(8) A registrant may alter a prescription if
(a) the prescribing dentist gives prior consent to the alteration,
(b) the altered prescription is noted by the registrant and the prescribing dentist on the patient's record, and
(c) the altered prescription is communicated to a dental technician involved in the fabrication of the dental prosthesis.
(9) A registrant must provide a prescribed service
(a) subject to paragraph (b), within 90 days after the prescription is issued, or
(b) with the approval of the prescribing dentist, within 365 days if this approval is noted by the registrant and the prescribing dentist on the patient's record.
(10) Subject to subsection (11), after a patient has been fitted with an overdenture or partial denture, the registrant
(a) must refer the patient to the prescribing dentist for an examination of the mouth and of the functioning of the overdenture or partial denture, and
(b) must not provide further services until the examination referred to in paragraph (a) has occurred.
(11) A registrant may perform minor adjustments to improve the fit or function of an overdenture or partial denture within 90 days prior to the examination by the prescribing dentist referred to in subsection (10).
(12) Unless authorized by a dentist, a registrant may not deliver to a patient or adjust a complete denture, partial denture or overdenture in an arch in circumstances where, after the removal or loss of teeth, wound closure is incomplete, sutures are still present or bone is exposed.