What Health & Safety Training is Necessary in Ontario Dental Offices?

Health and Safety (H&S) training in Ontario is more than just a compliance box to check; it’s a legal requirement that protects both staff and patients. “The Occupational Health and Safety Act sets out the rights and duties of all parties in the workplace, as well as the procedures for dealing with workplace hazards and for enforcement as needed” (Government of Ontario, 2017). The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) sets the standards and enforces training requirements through audits, inspections, and yearly “blitzes.” Understanding what is actually mandatory can help dental offices stay compliant, avoid costly penalties, and most importantly, keep the workplace safe.

In the health care sector, MLITSD has announced a two-phase Workplace Violence Prevention blitz for 2025–2026. Phase 1, running from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, focuses on education, outreach, and awareness in partnership with the Public Services Health and Safety Association (Government of Ontario, n.d). Phase 2 begins June 2, 2025, and continues until March 31, 2026, with inspectors conducting focused workplace inspections to ensure compliance with violence and harassment prevention requirements (Government of Ontario, n.d.). By launching this initiative, the government reinforces its dedication to reducing violence against health care staff and strengthening safety in healthcare workplaces.

The Core Mandatory Courses

For many years, Ontario employers only needed to provide training in these four areas:

1. WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) – Required yearly to ensure staff know how to handle chemicals and controlled products.
2. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) – Training on how to interact with and accommodate patients with disabilities.
3. Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention – Training on recognizing, preventing, and reporting violence or harassment at work.
4. Occupational Health & Safety Awareness (General Awareness) – Education on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, worker rights, and employer responsibilities.

The Fifth Course: Slips, Trips, and Falls

The MLITSD added Slips, Trips, and Falls training to the requirement list. This is often overlooked in dental offices, where staff assume it only applies to industrial settings. In reality, a small misstep in a sterilization area or storage room can have serious consequences. Many dental offices have supplies stored where a three-step or a five-step ladder is required for retrieval. The Government of Canada states falls from all sources, including ladders, are the second-largest cause of accidental death in Canada (CCOHS, 2005). Ladders alone account for about 2% of all occupational accidents, suggesting, on average, one in every 2,000 workers each year suffers a serious injury, many of which are preventable with proper training and equipment (CCOHS, 2005).

Yearly vs. “Once Only” Training: Clearing the Confusion

Many offices mistakenly believe only WHMIS needs to be completed. In truth, in a risk management approach all five courses should be completed yearly:

• WHMIS
• Accessibility
• Violence and Harassment
• Health & Safety Awareness
• Slips, Trips, and Falls

The Role of the Health & Safety Representative

In offices with more than 5 but fewer than 20 workers, the team must elect a Health & Safety Representative (H&S Rep). Larger workplaces require a Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC). The H&S Rep must take a formal H&S course (often1–3 days, online or in-person). Once the formal course is completed, yearly updates can be done through shorter online courses. Part of the H&S rep’s role is overseeing both baseline and ongoing training for the team including record keeping of the course topic and date of competition for each employee. Another large role of the H&S rep is the compilation and maintenance of a H&S manual. EVERY workplace in Canada needs written policies and procedures for H&S that are TAILORED to the environment and reviewed at minimum yearly.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Violence Prevention

Modern H&S training frameworks also link Diversity and Inclusion to workplace violence prevention. The reasoning is simple: unconscious bias, lack of cultural awareness, or inequitable practices can escalate into harassment or violence. Forward-thinking offices should view this as more than a compliance measure, it’s a commitment to a respectful and inclusive workplace.

Why Training Everyone is Better Than Training One

Some dental offices argue that only the H&S Rep should complete the five mandatory courses while the rest of the staff only do WHMIS. This approach creates gaps in training and leaves offices vulnerable in the event of an inspection, or worse, an incident.

By ensuring all staff complete the full H&S curriculum annually, offices:

• Reduce legal and financial risk.
• Ensure consistent knowledge across the team.
• Free the H&S Rep to monitor and maintain safety systems instead of running ad hoc training sessions.

Keeping in mind the previous discussion about the 2025 MLITSD blitzes where inspectors will specifically look for training records on Violence and Harassment proving that all staff, not just the H&S representative, have completed this course.

Labour Shortages Shouldn’t Excuse Skipping Health & Safety Training

Many dental offices are struggling with ongoing labour shortages, which often results in rushed hiring and quick onboarding processes. In the pressure to fill vacancies, proper H&S training is sometimes bypassed altogether or delayed until months after a new employee has started. This practice not only places the worker and patients at risk but also leaves the office vulnerable to regulatory consequences. During a MLITSD inspection, failure to provide H&S training at the time of hire would be considered non-compliance and could constitute a failed inspection and a hefty monetary fine. Offices must remember that H&S education is a legal requirement from day one, not an optional step to be completed when convenient. The reality is that lapses in participation cannot be defended, given that accessible and reasonably priced H&S training is already at every dental office’s disposal.

Final Word: Compliance Made Simple

The MLITSD makes its blitz targets public each year, meaning inspectors will always have a priority area in focus. This year, it’s Workplace Violence and Harassment, next year, it may be something else. The safest strategy for dental offices is to treat the five H&S courses as annual training for all staff. Doing so not only keeps you compliant, but also creates a safer, more inclusive, and more efficient workplace for everyone.

Michelle Aubé (Simmonds) RDH, maxill Dental Hygiene Educator

Michelle is a Dental Hygiene Speaker, Consultant and Educator with over 30 years of experience as a RDH and 4 years as a CDA. She is a professor and curriculum writer at Fanshawe College in both the dental hygiene and continuing education program sharing her knowledge in IPAC, professional practice, periodontal classification, social justice, advocacy and clinical applications. She is maxill's CE and IPAC Director and wears various IPAC hats including auditing federal correctional facilities dental clinics for IPAC standards. Michelle is ODHA's Regional Board Director and authors articles for CDHA's OH Canada professional publication and continues to practice clinically in London ON. She is a CDHO IPAC Remedial Facilitator and IPAC Expert Opinion. Her strong ethics has allowed her to serve on the Discipline Committee at Algonquin College and hold the position of a CDHO Quality Assurance Assessor for 7 years. As a lifelong learner she is completing a BA in Adult Education at Brock University. Her diverse dental background and current status as a practicing RDH offer a fulsome and realistic view of dental-related topics. As a passionate champion for the profession, she advocates for equity, professional autonomy, and systemic change, true grassroots leadership at its finest.

Michelle can be reached at [email protected]