Ontario health colleges offer important public services

The law sets out the responsibilities and powers of regulatory health colleges to set high standards of practice for healthcare professions in Ontario. There are 26 regulatory health colleges that monitor health professionals such as dietitians, doctors, nurses, dentists and massage therapists. Their mandate is to protect the public.

One important public service every regulatory health college offers is an online list of registrants; these lists are called Registers. They have reliable information about your healthcare professionals.

One example is the College of Dietitians of Ontario, which works to ensure that dietitians are qualified to offer safe, competent and ethical dietetic services. They set and enforce high standards for academic and practical training.

To be a dietitian in Ontario, you must be registered with the college and only individuals who are registered can call themselves dietitians. All qualified dietitians are listed in the Register of Dietitians, which is easily accessible on the home page of the college website.

You can check the Register of Dietitians to see who is registered to practice in Ontario. You can also find employment information, any restrictions on their practice and disciplinary history, if applicable.

Another important public service available is the Practice Advisory Service. At the College of Dietitians of Ontario, this service provides tools and guidance to support dietitians in their practice throughout their career. This is an important support that helps dietitians practice safely. The Practice Advisory Service is also open to the public. Anyone can call with questions or concerns about what to expect from their dietitian.

Regulatory colleges are required by law to have a complaints process available for anyone who has a concern or complaint about the services they have received from their health provider. Colleges must investigate all complaints they receive.

Find more information at www.mydietitian.ca