Regulations & Bylaws
There are more than 20 health regulatory colleges in British Columbia, and each one regulates using the Health Professions Act, specific professional regulations, and its own bylaws. Learn more about B.C.'s regulated health professionals at www.bchealthregulators.ca.
The components involved in the regulation of dentistry in B.C. are outlined below and are meant to be read together:
The Health Professions Act* (HPA) is the provincial legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for B.C.'s regulated health professions. Under the HPA, regulatory colleges have the power and duty to oversee the practice of their registrants in order to protect public safety.
Read our HPA Overview (PDF) to learn how the HPA affects CDSBC registrants.
Regulations are created by the government for each health profession governed under the HPA. Each regulation contains a scope of practice statement that describes what the profession does and how it does it, and a list of activities that outlines what members of that profession are authorized to do.
Each health regulatory college has its own bylaws. Bylaws set out operational details of the organization, including the duties and responsibilities of the Board, committees and the registrar; qualifications for registration; and the regulation of professional conduct and ethics. The HPA and the Bylaws go hand-in-hand.
CDSBC's Bylaws are a living document, and can be revised or updated by the College. Any changes must be approved by the CDSBC Board, and then filed with the Ministry of Health.
*The Government of B.C. is responsible for providing the most current copy of the Health Professions Act, Health Professions General Regulation and Dentists Regulation. If you have trouble accessing the above links, please call the BC Laws customer service line at 1-866-236-5544 for hard copies of these documents.
