 A Change in Plans
New Canadian uses training from her homeland and George Brown courses to earn her certification
Catherine Ortiz arrived in Canada in April 2005. Although she had been a dentist since 2000 in her native Philippines, Catherine found that it was both difficult and expensive to get Canadian certification. She decided that she would use her experience to become a dental assistant. But, even in that role, she wouldn’t be able to work in her new home without certification.
“Canada – Ontario in particular – has very high standards,” Catherine says. “Even people coming from the United States need to get certified, so this was something I was definitely anticipating.”
After completing the written exam administered by the National Dental Assisting Exam Board (NDAEB) and passing, Catherine learned she had two options for completing her certification: She could take the practical exam (which costs $750 and covers all 9 procedures, but requires the applicant to re-take any failed procedures for an additional fee), or she could complete a dental assistant certificate at an accredited school.
Catherine consulted with the Ministry of Health and found out that, because of her training in the Philippines, she would not need to complete an entire certificate. She would only need to complete four courses: Dental Radiography I, Dental Radiography II, Intra-oral Restorative Theory and Practice and Intra-oral Restorative Theory and Clinics.
Enter George Brown College.
Armed with a letter from the NDAEB, Catherine began taking the radiography classes through Continuing Education in the fall of 2008.
“George Brown has a great reputation in the industry, so my choice of school was an easy one,” Catherine says. “In addition, George Brown students have an edge in the industry because of the NDAEB accreditation.”
Catherine also discovered there were a number of other students in her classes who were in the same position that she was – that is, they needed certification even though they had worked in the industry in their native countries.
Shortly after beginning her classes, she accepted a position assisting one of the school’s denturist instructors. She was working four days a week in the clinic while also working toward her certification – which she has now earned. As a result, she is now working a full-time schedule at the same clinic.
“I certainly learned a lot of things at George Brown that make my job easier and that gave me confidence in my new position – even though it was my first time on the other side of the chair," she says. "Being certified gives me an edge because there is a movement to certify the industry itself. Even though I had to spend the money, I am glad I had to do it.”
Return to:
|
