CAMBRIAN COLLEGE
Three Northern Ontario colleges partner to increase the oral health workforce

Across Northern Ontario, there is a need for more dental assistants, and three public colleges are partnering to meet that demand.

Cambrian College in Sudbury, Confederation College in Thunder Bay, and Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie are working together to broaden the availability of dental assisting training.

Dental Assistants are essential members of the oral health care team, working alongside dentists and dental hygienists to provide direct patient care. They also play an important role in supporting the efficient operation of dental offices and ensuring coordinated, timely access to oral healthcare services.

In Thunder Bay, students will enrol in Cambrian's existing one-year, three-semester Dental Assisting Levels 1 & 2 program. Classes will be taught online, and students will use Confederation College's oral health programs' state-of-the-art simulation lab and clinic facilities for their labs. Their clinical placements will take place in Thunder Bay and other communities in northwestern Ontario. Students will graduate with a Cambrian College credential.

"This partnership expands access to dental assisting education for students across northwestern Ontario and helps address a critical workforce need in our region," says Michelle Salo, President of Confederation College. "By combining Cambrian College's program with Confederation College's facilities and local clinical placements, students can complete their education closer to home while preparing for rewarding careers that support the health of our communities."

In Sault Ste. Marie, students will also enrol in Cambrian's existing Dental Assisting program. Classes will be taught online and students will travel to Sudbury for practical skills training. Placements will be held in Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding areas. Students will also graduate with a Cambrian credential.

"Partnerships like this are essential to keeping Northern Ontario college education relevant, responsive and connected to the realities of our sector," says Sherri Smith, President of Sault College. "By working together, we are creating practical, common-sense pathways for students to access high-quality training closer to home while helping address workforce needs across the North. That kind of collaboration is foundational to the future growth and strength of northern colleges, including Sault College, and the communities we serve."

This partnership reflects a shared commitment by the three colleges to expand access to high-quality health care education while responding to labour shortages affecting Northern Ontario.

"This partnership demonstrates what can be accomplished when Northern Ontario colleges work together to address the needs of our communities," says Kristine Morrissey, President of Cambrian College. "By working together, we're creating greater access to high-quality Dental Assisting education while helping students remain connected to their home communities and preparing graduates to meet the growing demand for oral health care professionals across the North."

The program opens this September in Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie. There is also a new intake of students available in January of 2027.

For more information about Cambrian's Dental Assisting Levels 1&2 program, visit https://cambriancollege.ca/programs/dental-assisting-levels-1-2.