Online Courses: Frequently Asked Questions

Online education, or e-learning, is an innovative approach to making professional development available to you from the comfort of your own home or wherever you may be, through the use of various electronic media via the Internet. You may take one or more courses online at a time and complete them at your own pace. Upon successful completion of each course, you will be provided with a certification of completion that may be submitted to your dental hygiene regulatory authority (DHRA) for recognition of your professional development requirements (if applicable).

Indeed, you can. Like anything else you're unfamiliar with, it will take some time and practice to learn how to navigate the CDHA website and online courses. Once you understand the basics of taking an online course, you'll become comfortable using the computer. The only way to feel confident completing online education is to actually take an online course. The courses provide helpful tips to guide you along the way.

Each dental hygiene regulatory authority (DHRA) has different requirements for their quality assurance programs. The number of credits that registered dental hygienists must earn annually is determined by each DHRA. The estimated duration of each course is listed under the 'format for learning' tab at the bottom of the course description page. Webinars offered by CDHA are typically one hour long, but the duration may vary. Generally, most CDHA offerings are recognized by various DHRA, but it is always the member's responsibility to ensure that the courses and webinars they undertake are accepted by their regulatory body.

You register for an online course by clicking on Register. This will take you to a page that prompts you to log in to the member site (if you are not already logged in), where you enter your login and password. For courses with a fee, enter your credit card information and click Submit Order. Once your registration is processed, you will gain access to the electronic material and can begin the course. For free courses, the electronic material will be added to your CDHA profile. If you need assistance during the registration process, please contact the CDHA Professional Development Administrative Coordinator at 613-224-5515 extension 149 or 800-267-5235 extension 149.

Once you are registered in a course, you must log in to the members-only website, navigate to the My Profile page, and click on your course title. For most courses, you will have access to course modules, handouts, a resource manual, and a final examination. Note that you must watch the video presentation of Module 1 to completion to access the next module, and so on. You may go back and view a previously viewed module, but you cannot skip forward when viewing the modules. You may wish to print the PowerPoint handouts for note-taking while viewing the video presentation of the same module. The resource manual (if applicable) is a workbook you may print and use to complete the learning activities. The manual also provides useful tips, additional references, and templates. You will only have access to the final examination after you have completed the last module in the course.

You will have one year from the date of registration to complete the activities required in order to obtain your certificate of completion. After that time, the online course or webinar will be removed from your profile, and you will need to re-purchase in order to complete it, provided the course or webinar is still available for purchase. One of the many benefits of e-learning is that you take the course at your own pace. Each course indicates the suggested number of hours it will take to view the videos, to do the readings and learning activities, as well as prepare for the final examination. You may take more or less time, since you do not have a limited amount of time to complete the course. Also, you may stop and come back to complete the course as many times as you like and review the video presentations as you prepare to take the final examination.

Most courses do not require you to buy a textbook; however, access to a textbook is necessary for some courses to complete the assigned learning activities in the modules and to prepare for the final exam. The course information includes the textbook reference, the publisher's website link, and another source where you can purchase the text online. Note that you will not be able to complete the learning activities without the textbook. These activities are designed to complement the course content by ensuring the material's quantity and depth meet the learning objectives and to help you review the content in preparation for the final exam.

Yes, each course includes an evaluative component. To pass the course, you must complete a final exam online. This is the only timed part of the course. Usually, the passing score is 80%. Details about the number of questions and the time allowed to complete the exam (if applicable) are available on the course website. Remember to read each question carefully and select the correct answer. If you do not pass on your first try, you can attempt the second version of the exam.

Yes, after achieving a final exam score of 80% or higher, you can print a certificate of completion. This certificate will be available on your My Profile page on the CDHA website. You may submit this certificate to the dental hygiene regulatory authority in your jurisdiction for recognition of your professional development (if required), and it can also count towards your annual professional development requirements.

If you do not pass the first and second attempts of the final examination, please contact the CDHA Professional Development Administrative Coordinator at 613-224-5515 extension 149 or 1-800-267-5235 extension 149 to discuss your options.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the CDHA Professional Development Administrative Coordinator at 613-224-5515 extension 149 or 800-267-5235 extension 149. For technical support, reach out to CDHA Technical Support at extension 500. For questions about content, learning activities, or the final examination, contact the CDHA Manager of Professional Development at extension 128.