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ANNUAL NEWSLETTER
April 2026 |
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- Notes from the Chair
- Registrar’s Report
- NACOR Report
- Examination Committee
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- Professional Development
- Nomination Committee
- General Annual Announcement
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NOTES FROM THE CHAIR
Susan Long Chairman of the Board
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Dear Registrants of the Nova Scotia College of Dispensing Opticians,
As Chair, I would like to take a moment to thank all our registrants for the dedication and professionalism you demonstrate every day in serving the public. Your commitment to safe, ethical, and competent practice is the foundation of our profession.
We are diligently working with The Department of Health and Wellness (DHW) to transition to the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) by the fall of 2026.
The Board remains committed to supporting registrants by providing clear guidance, accessible resources, and fair, consistent regulatory processes.
I encourage you to:
• Review updated standards and guidelines regularly
• Engage in meaningful continuing professional development
• Reach out to the College with questions or feedback
Your voice is important. Open communication between registrants and the regulator strengthens our collective ability to protect the public and support professional excellence.
I would also like to thank all board directors and committee members for their considerable time and the expertise you contribute.
Sincerely,
Susan Long, Chair |
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REGISTRAR'S REPORT
Cavell Ferguson
Registrar
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The college continues to work with The Regulated Health Professions Network (The Network) as part of the community for regulated health professions in Nova Scotia and collaborate on regulatory processes as we move towards amalgamation under the Regulators Health Profession Act.
As a health regulator, the Nova Scotia College of Dispensing Opticians is responsible for regulating Opticians in the public interest. An opticians’ professional obligations to the public are defined in the Nova Scotia College of Dispensing Opticians Standards of Practice. Workplace policies do not abrogate the optician’s responsibility to comply with the Standards. Individual opticians may be subject to a complaint if they breach the Standards, regardless of company policy, and opticians are accountable for their actions in their professional practice.
The Nova Scotia College of Dispensing Options Standards of Practice as well as many other sources of information can be found on the NSCDO website under Regulations and Resources. |
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Licensed Opticians as of March 1, 2026
Total Membership: 268
Dispensing Opticians: 174
Contact Lens Fitters: 94
Non-Practicing: 15 |
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New Members:
Total Students: 26
Dispensing Opticians: 24
Contact Lens: 2
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Office Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - 10am to 3pm
Available by phone and email Monday and Friday. |
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The mission
of the National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR) is to work collaboratively through a national forum to support Canadian Provincial Regulators in areas such as:
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Competencies for Opticians
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Accreditation of Continuing Education
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Professional Examinations
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Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
NACOR has two full-time staff members, Julie Thereau Zechel (Executive Director) and Jaime Hay (National Examination Coordinator).
The national in person meeting this year was held in Calgary in conjunction with CNAR. This meeting was attended by myself and the Registrar.
The PLAR process continues to thrive. PLAR assesses the skill level of candidates who do not
have recognized accredited education. To
pass the national exams, candidates should have the same knowledge and
skills as recent graduate. The PLAR process includes a skills assessment and
bridging modules; those who need additional training are assigned courses that focus on the skills they
need to improve. |
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National Exam Committee Meetings Jim Gilks, National Exam Committee Member
A Zoom meeting was held November 30,2025 with provincial representatives and NACOR to determine pass marks for 4 separate national exams (exam A and B for eyeglasses, exam A and B for contact lenses) using the Enghoff method. The Enghoff method is an evaluation of exam questions and pass marks that assess the pass/ fail mark which would allow a student of basic competence to pass the exam and disallow the student with marginally less competence to pass. It is about finding that fine line. |
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The entire day was spent evaluating whether questions were fair and either placing a value on it or eliminating it. Ultimately, once these analyses are completed, the exams can withstand legal challenges from unsuccessful candidates. Exams based on previous meetings by our group were written in Ontario and Alberta and those results were used to help us clarify a better Enghoff value during today’s meeting.
Once the questions were addressed, statistical analyses were performed to determine an overall pass mark for each exam. We were successful in attaining pass marks for each exam as well as clarifying some questions and eliminating others. Jamie Hay will finalize the results. |
Message from the Chief Examiner
Belinda Pace, Chief Examiner
The National Exam Committee meetings are held annually. One representative from each province is usually present and is comprised of people with extensive knowledge of the national exams, usually either as an examiner or chief examiner.
The exams are reviewed regularly to ensure they are relevant, and cover required competencies. Changes are implemented by NACOR for future exam sessions with enough notice to give students time to prepare. Exams in Nova Scotia are held usually in the month of May or June. Information regarding the national exams can always be found on the NACOR website at https://nacor.ca.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Shelley Smith-Bona
Continuing education credits are a required part of the licensing process and play an essential role in maintaining professional competence. As an Optician, it is especially important to stay current and engaged with developments in your field through ongoing continuing education (CE). As a Licensed Optician, you are responsible for managing and tracking your CE credits. Electronic documentation for completed credits can be uploaded directly to your profile on the NSCDO website. After logging in, ensure you are in Edit Mode to view or update your profile—this can be accessed by clicking the Edit button located directly under My Profile. If an electronic file is not available, a form is provided within the portal to manually enter your credits. CE credits can be added at any time; there is no need to wait until March to update your online profile. Make sure to keep a copy of all the credits that you achieve each year for your personal records. You can still submit credits by scanning and e-mailing to registrar@nscdo.org or by mailing them in to the NSCDO office. |
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NOMINATION COMMITTEE Michelle Ashford NSCDO is asking for
Opticians interested in serving on the Board of Directors to submit their names
along with a bio/resume to Michelle Ashford, Chair of the Nomination Committee.
This year we have four positions available for a two-year term; all four of the current incumbents will be re-offering to serve. If you are interested in serving, please forward your intentions to us on or before May 14, 2026. The final slate of candidates will be confirmed by May 18, 2026 and communicated to you by email. Should we require an election, the survey will be emailed to you by May 20, 2026 and elections would take place on May 27, 2026. If you have any questions, please refer to our By-Laws or contact the College at registrar@nscdo.ca Mailing Address: Attention: Michelle Ashford, Chair of the Nomination Committee Nova Scotia College of Dispensing Opticians Halifax Professional Centre 342 - 5991 Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS B3H 1Y6 |
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ANNUAL GENERAL ANNOUCEMENT The Regulated Health Professions Act
(RHPA), passed in November 2023, does not require regulators to hold an annual general meeting. Instead of an annual meeting, NSCDO will publish an annual report that will be made available on the website once a independent financial audit has been complete for the college year end of March 31st. A notification via email will be sent to registrants when the report is available to view on the website. |
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- Susan Long; Chair
- Alicia Austin; Vice-Chair
- John Butler, Past Chair
- Shelley Smith Bona; Treasurer
- Cavell Ferguson; Registrar
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- Jim Gilks; Director
- Belinda Pace; Director
- Marion Ripley, Director
- Sonja Walsh, Director
- Betty Thomas, Director
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