Transition to a Merit-Based Appointment Process for Council
The College of Dental Technologists of Alberta (CDTA) is committed to strong, transparent, and modern regulatory governance. Following extensive research, consultation, and thoughtful development of supporting resources, the Council approved the transition to a merit-based appointment process for Council members. This new process will take effect in 2026.
Why This Change Matters
The transition to a merit-based appointment model reflects current best practices in professional regulation across Alberta, Canada, and internationally. It aligns with Part 1 (5)(2) of the Health Professions Act and is consistent with the Council selection process for most health regulatory colleges in Alberta. The merit-based appointment model reinforces the College’s responsibility to act in the public interest, rather than in the interests of the profession.
Key benefits include:
Focus on Public Protection
A merit-based model ensures that Council members are selected based on the skills, experience, and competencies needed to fulfill the College’s public protection mandate. This approach moves away from the representational or advocacy-focused perception that can arise from election-based systems.
Strengthened Good Governance
Selecting Council members for their competencies, rather than through elections, helps ensure that Council as a whole possesses the expertise required for effective oversight, informed decision-making, and regulatory leadership.
Transparency and Fairness
A clear, structured, competency-based process promotes fairness and consistency in how Council members are recruited, assessed, and appointed.
Enhanced Decision-Making
The appointment model provides opportunities to include individuals with varied skills, knowledge and experiences, strengthening Council’s regulatory decision-making.
Supports Council’s Non-Operational Role
This model aligns with the principle that Council functions at a governance level, not an operational one. By selecting members based on governance competencies, Council can remain focused on strategy, policy development, and public protection, while reinforcing the separation of governance and operations.
Recruitment for College Initiatives
The appointment process allows the College to match candidates to roles that best support our regulatory work. When there are more expressions of interest than available Council positions, qualified candidates may be appointed to other committees or initiatives. This also helps identify individuals who would be valuable contributors in other College roles.
How the Transition Will Work
To support this transition, Council has approved a set of resources and governance documents that will guide the new appointment process, including:
- Competency-based self-assessment for candidates
- A scoring matrix for evaluating candidates
- Updated governance policies and the Appointment Committee Terms of Reference
- Bylaw amendments to formalize the process
Together, these documents form a transparent, merit-based framework that ensures Council members are appointed based on the competencies needed for effective regulatory governance.
This transition positions the CDTA to meet modern regulatory expectations and enhances public confidence in the College’s governance. It also aims to encourage broader participation by registrants who may have been hesitant to participate in an election process.
Next Steps
The new process will support the selection of candidates to fill regulated council members roles that will be vacant in April 2026.
For more information, visit the Appointment Committee page on the CDTA website.
Interested in Joining the Committee?
The College is seeking applicants to fill this important role.
You can find out more information about the Committee and apply to participate here.