The NDEB announced on 25 June 2026 that the ACFD's Bridge Training to Dental Practice in Canada program had received preliminary accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada, and that it has adopted a new eligibility category as a result. From 1 July 2026, graduates of non-accredited dental programs who complete a CDAC-accredited bridge training program enter the Certification Process without sitting the NDECC, going straight to the Virtual OSCE. This is a third route alongside the standard Equivalency Process and university qualifying programs.
Entry is restricted: applicants must already have passed the AFK and ACJ, and must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The program runs up to eight months full-time and in person, with one intake a year and up to 10 students per site. Published 2026–27 costs are CAD 30,000 tuition plus CAD 500 application, CAD 1,000 pre-entry assessment and a CAD 3,000 deposit credited to tuition.
