Terms of Service
Last Updated: October 15, 2026
Corporation No. 847291-6 · Governed by the laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada
1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
1.1
"CDA" refers to the Canadian Dental Association, Corporation No. 847291-6, a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization operating under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, headquartered at 1815 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3Y6.
1.2
"Services" refers to all membership services, continuing education programs, research outputs, advocacy activities, publications including the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association (JCDA), digital platform access, and all other resources provided by the CDA to Members and Users.
1.3
"Member" refers to any individual practitioner, institutional entity, or corporate alliance partner holding active CDA membership as defined by the CDA's membership tier structure (Individual Practitioner, Institutional Partner, or Corporate Alliance).
1.4
"User" refers to any person accessing the CDA website at canadiandentalassociation.org, regardless of membership status.
2. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
2.1
By accessing this website or utilizing any CDA services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable Canadian federal and provincial laws. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must discontinue use of the CDA website and Services immediately.
2.2
The CDA reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Modifications become effective upon posting to this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the website or Services following the posting of modified Terms constitutes your acceptance of such modifications.
2.3
Certain Services may be subject to additional terms and conditions, including but not limited to data-sharing agreements for National Dental Data Repository access, CE program enrolment terms, and institutional partnership agreements. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and any additional terms, the additional terms shall prevail with respect to the specific Service.
3. MEMBERSHIP TERMS
3.1
Membership is granted on an annual basis, subject to verification of dental licensure through the applicable provincial or territorial regulatory authority, or verification of institutional standing for Institutional Partner and Corporate Alliance tiers. The CDA reserves the right to request supporting documentation at any time during the membership period.
3.2
Membership dues are non-refundable after the first 30 calendar days of the membership period. Requests for refund within the 30-day window must be submitted in writing to [email protected]. Pro-rated refunds are not available for mid-term cancellations beyond the initial 30-day period.
3.3
The CDA reserves the right to suspend or revoke membership for conduct inconsistent with the CDA Code of Professional Conduct, applicable provincial or territorial regulatory standards, or the ethical guidelines established by the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. Revocation shall be preceded by written notice to the Member specifying the grounds for revocation, with a 30-day period to respond in writing.
3.4
Membership benefits — including access to the Practice Support Helpline, Dental Benefits Helpline, overhead benchmarking data, CE programming, and CDCP Navigation Support — are provided exclusively to Members in good standing. Access to these Services will be suspended immediately upon lapse of membership or during any period of membership suspension.
4. CONTINUING EDUCATION
4.1
CE credits offered through CDA programs are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), Accreditation ID: CDAC-NAT-0042. All CE programming is developed and reviewed in compliance with CDAC's Standards and Requirements for Accredited Continuing Education Activities.
4.2
Provincial licensing board reporting is provided as a convenience service and does not constitute a guarantee of credit acceptance by any provincial or territorial regulatory authority. Members are solely responsible for verifying CE requirements, acceptable credit categories, and reporting deadlines with their respective provincial or territorial dental regulatory authority.
4.3
CE course content reflects the best available evidence at the time of publication and/or delivery. CE content is provided for professional development purposes only. Clinical decision-making — including but not limited to TMJ/TMD diagnosis and treatment protocols, IV conscious sedation administration, guided implant placement procedures, BPS biofunctional prosthetic fabrication, and ADA dental procedure code application — remains the sole responsibility of the licensed practitioner. The CDA does not warrant that CE content is current at the time of access if the content was published in a prior cycle.
4.4
CE completion records are maintained by the CDA for the duration of active membership plus seven (7) years following termination of membership, in compliance with record-keeping requirements under the Canada Revenue Agency's guidelines for professional organizations. Members may request permanent retention of CE records by written notice to the CDA.
5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
5.1
All content on this website — including but not limited to research reports, the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association (JCDA), clinical guidelines, position statements, the annual State of Oral Health in Canada report, fee guide analyses, the National Oral Health Scorecard, educational materials, overhead benchmarking data, patient education materials, and treatment plan templates — is the intellectual property of the Canadian Dental Association and is protected under the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42).
5.2
Members may use CDA materials for personal professional development, non-commercial practice purposes, and internal institutional use as defined by their membership tier. Individual Practitioners may reproduce excerpts of CDA publications for patient education within their practice. Institutional Partners may incorporate CDA materials into curriculum development subject to proper attribution.
5.3
Reproduction, redistribution, commercial licensing, or any form of commercial use of CDA materials — including data extracts from the National Dental Data Repository, JCDA articles, and research outputs — requires prior written consent from the CDA. Requests should be directed to [email protected] with the subject line "IP Usage Request."
5.4
The CDA name, logo, and all associated trademarks are the exclusive property of the Canadian Dental Association. Use of CDA trademarks by Corporate Alliance partners or co-branded campaign partners is governed by separate trademark licensing agreements and subject to the CDA's brand standards.
6. DATA AND RESEARCH
6.1
Access to the National Dental Data Repository ("NDDR") — which contains 87 million+ anonymized patient records — is governed by separate data-sharing agreements. These agreements require ethics board approval and compliance with PIPEDA and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) data de-identification standards. NDDR access is available exclusively to Institutional Partner and Corporate Alliance tier Members.
6.2
The CDA provides aggregated, anonymized data for policy development, academic research, and benefits plan design purposes. Individual patient data is never disclosed, and the NDDR contains no personally identifiable health information. All research methodologies undergo external peer review, and the CDA maintains strict conflict-of-interest policies: 78% of research funding derives from membership revenue, 22% from competitive grants, and zero percent from product manufacturers for clinical guideline development.
6.3
Research findings published by the CDA — including the annual State of Oral Health in Canada report, workforce planning reports, cost estimate breakdowns, and orthodontic progress benchmarks — represent the organization's evidence-based analysis and do not constitute clinical directives, treatment plans, or care instructions. Practitioners are responsible for exercising independent clinical judgment in all patient care decisions.
6.4
Custom research and data analytics services provided to Institutional Partners and Corporate Alliance Members are subject to the terms of the applicable service agreement, including confidentiality provisions, publication rights, and data retention schedules. The CDA retains the right to publish aggregated, non-attributable findings from custom research unless otherwise agreed in writing.
7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
7.1
The CDA provides information and resources for professional development, advocacy, and educational purposes. Nothing on this website or in any CDA publication constitutes medical advice, clinical direction, legal counsel, or financial advice. Information relating to dental implants, orthodontics, fluoride treatments, dentures and partial dentures, cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns and bridges, or any other clinical procedure is provided for educational context only.
7.2
The CDA shall not be liable for clinical outcomes resulting from the application of information obtained from CDA publications, CE programs, website content, overhead benchmarking data, practice support consultations, or any other CDA Service. Members and Users acknowledge that clinical decision-making — including IV conscious sedation protocols, guided implant placement, TMJ/TMD treatment planning, and BPS biofunctional prosthetic design — rests solely with the treating licensed practitioner.
7.3
The CDA's total aggregate liability for any claim or series of claims arising from its Services — whether in contract, tort (including negligence), statute, or otherwise — shall not exceed the amount of membership dues paid by the Member in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
7.4
In no event shall the CDA be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages — including but not limited to loss of revenue, loss of patients, loss of data, loss of goodwill, or interruption of practice — arising from the use of or inability to use CDA Services, even if the CDA has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
7.5
The CDA does not warrant that the website will be available uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components. The CDA does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information provided through the website. All Services and content are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
8. INDEMNIFICATION
8.1
Users and Members agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the CDA, its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, and volunteers from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to: (a) your use of CDA Services; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any applicable law or regulation; or (d) any content you submit or transmit through CDA platforms.
8.2
This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of your membership or your cessation of use of the CDA website and Services.
9. GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
9.1
These Terms are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles.
9.2
Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms, or the breach, termination, or invalidity thereof, shall first be submitted to mediation administered by the ADR Institute of Ontario in accordance with its Mediation Rules. Mediation shall take place in Ottawa, Ontario.
9.3
If mediation is unsuccessful within sixty (60) calendar days of the appointment of a mediator, the dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered by the ADR Institute of Ontario in accordance with its Arbitration Rules. The seat of arbitration shall be Ottawa, Ontario. The language of the arbitration shall be English or French, as agreed by the parties. The arbitral award shall be final and binding, and judgment thereon may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
9.4
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the CDA reserves the right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property rights or to prevent unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
10. WEBSITE USE AND CONDUCT
10.1
Users shall not: (a) use automated systems, bots, or scrapers to access or harvest content from the CDA website; (b) attempt to gain unauthorized access to CDA systems, member portals, or the NDDR; (c) transmit malicious code, viruses, or any technology that may harm the CDA's infrastructure or other Users; (d) impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
10.2
The CDA reserves the right to restrict or terminate access to the website for any User who violates these Terms, without prior notice or liability.
11. THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND RESOURCES
11.1
The CDA website may contain links to third-party websites and resources, including provincial dental association websites, CDAC resources, Health Canada publications, and partner organization platforms. These links are provided for convenience only. The CDA does not endorse, warrant, or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party website.
11.2
Your use of third-party websites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those websites.
12. SEVERABILITY
12.1
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or if modification is not possible, severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
13. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
13.1
These Terms, together with the CDA's Privacy Policy and any applicable membership or service agreements, constitute the entire agreement between you and the CDA with respect to your use of the website and Services, and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals, whether oral or written.
14. CONTACT
14.1
Questions, concerns, or notices regarding these Terms of Service should be directed to:
Canadian Dental Association
1815 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3Y6
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 514-986-8377
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
The information on this site is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Marc-Antoine Bhérer, DDS, MSc (Perio), FRCD(C) — Ontario Dental License #OD-28417. Registered with the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, Certificate #RCDC-5923. The Canadian Dental Association is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization, Corporation No. 847291-6, operating under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.
Clinical content reviewed by Dr. Priya Chandrasekar, DDS, MPH — Ontario Dental License #OD-31082.
Member services and professional development programs are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), Accreditation ID: CDAC-NAT-0042.