Learn more about the Canadian Dental Care Plan

Clinical Supervision

What is Clinical Supervision and when does it apply? 

Clinical supervision is the ongoing oversight of practice, enabling individual practitioners to practice safely and effectively, while they develop knowledge and competence and assume responsibility for their own practice. In general, the goal of clinical supervision is to ensure that safe and effective care is provided by the practitioner (supervisee) while they are gaining competence.   

The College’s Clinical Supervision program may be required of dentists for the following purposes: 

  1. Supervision resulting from a College decision  
  2. Supervision of registrants in the emergency class* 
    *The emergency class is not open at this time 

The clinical supervision program does NOT apply to the supervision of students undertaking clinical training at an Ontario dental school.   

Clinical Supervision Framework  

The College developed a clinical supervision framework to provide guidance to supervisors and supervisees to understand what is expected of them in a supervisory relationship. It sets out the process for entering a supervisory relationship, outlines roles and responsibilities for supervisor and supervisee, and details the parameters of the supervisory relationship to ensure safe and effective care is delivered to the people of Ontario. 

Details about the Supervisor Approval Process  

Dentists who are required to have a clinical supervisor are responsible for finding a supervisor and seeking appropriate College approval.  

These are the steps to get a supervisor approved:  

 

Requests for a supervisor can be made in the RCDSO’s member portal under “online requests.”  The dentist requesting the supervisor will be required to ensure that the dentist they are requesting meets certain eligibility requirements and does not have a conflict of interest.  

A supervisor must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:  

  • Current registrant who holds a general, specialty or academic certificate  
  • Emergency Class - Currently practicing or teaching in Ontario with a minimum of 7 years continuous practice.  Remedial Purposes - Currently practicing or teaching in Ontario with a minimum of 5 years continuous practice.   
  • No significant prior history.   Significant prior history is defined as:  
  • A referral to discipline or discipline finding  
  • An active investigation/complaint     
  • A referral to fitness to practice or active incapacity proceeding  
  • A previous College Undertaking arising from a conduct proceeding that include a term to restrict and/or remediate   
  • A current or previous College Interim Order   
  • *Other College history will be considered on a case-by-case basis (including Cautions, SCERPs and other remedial action)   
  • No terms, conditions or limitations on their certificate of registration   
  • Compliant with the RCDSO’s Quality Assurance program (meet continuing education requirements)  
  • Willing to sign an Undertaking, and engage in the requirements for supervision 

Levels of Clinical Supervision 

When a dentist has a clinical supervisor they will be supervised under one of four supervision levels. The supervision level is established by a College Committee, although it can change throughout the supervisory relationship at the recommendation of the supervisor and with College approval.  

 

You can read more about the levels what’s required under each in the Supervision Framework.  

Requirements when in a supervisory relationship  

The College has established roles and responsibilities for the supervisor and supervisee when in a supervisory relationship. Details are outlined in the Clinical Supervision Framework.  

The supervisor will be required to submit reports to the College on an ongoing basis, the frequency of which is determined based on the supervision level. A supervisor also has a responsibility to submit an immediate report to the College if an imminent issue arises.   

Applicable forms: 

Framework