How to Incorporate

How to apply for a permit:

A health profession corporation may not carry on business unless it holds a valid permit from the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia. A health profession corporation that holds a valid permit may not carry on any activities other than the provision of dental hygiene services or services that are directly associated with the provision of those services that would, for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada), give rise to income from business.

In order to obtain a permit, you must:

1. OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM THE COLLEGE FOR YOUR CORPORATE NAME. To download a Dental Hygiene Corporation Name Approval Form, click here. Complete the form and return it to the College office. See Section 64, Part 6 of the College bylaws for information about naming your corporation.
2. RESERVE YOUR CORPORATE NAME. Apply to the Registrar of Companies to reserve your proposed name.
3. REGISTER YOUR CORPORATION. Apply to the Registrar of Companies to register your corporation under the BC Business Corporations Act (Click here http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/registries/corppg/default.htm). You may also wish to seek legal or accounting advice about how to structure your corporation. College staff members are not qualified to offer legal advice about tax matters or how to structure your corporation.
4. APPLY FOR A CORPORATION PERMIT. Once you corporation has been registered under the BC Business Corporations Act, you may apply for a permit. To download a New Health Profession Corporation Permit Application Form (PDF), click here. Complete the form and return it to the College office along with the following additional documentation:
   • A true (ie: notarized) copy of the certificate of incorporation from the Registar of Companies and any change of name certificates, and
   • $100 permit fee (by cheque or money order, in Canadian funds only, made payable to the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia).

   Length of Permit:
   
   The permit is valid from the date issued by the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia until the next March 1.

5. RENEWAL OF PERMIT. You must renew your permit ANNUALLY. The College sends out annual renewal forms. To maintain your permit, you must submit a renewal application form, completed accurately and fully, with a renewal fee of $25. To download a Health Profession Corporation Renewal Form, click here.

   Additional Information:
   

   Public Disclosure of Corporate Status:

   A health profession corporation must disclose on all letterhead and business cards and in all other advertisements that the services of dental hygiene are being provided by a health profession corporation. See Section 66 of the College bylaws.

   Change of Corporate Name:

   If you intend to change the name of your health profession corporation, you must apply to the College for a certificate that the College does not object to the intended name of the health profession corporation. See Section 65 of the College bylaws.

Please contact the College office if you have additional questions
at (250) 383-4101 or toll free at 1-800-778-8277 (within BC).