Understand the Difference: Hearing Health Providers in Ontario

Not all hearing care providers have the same education, training, or clinical focus.

At Ottawa Hears Audiology, your care is led by Genia Kanne-Shmigol, Au.D.(C), Doctor of Audiology, audiologist. She provides advanced hearing and tinnitus assessments, as well as independent hearing device prescriptions. She is the only audiologist in Kanata to hold this highest level of professional audiology degree, with a focus on hearing rehabilitation and supporting optimal cognitive function.

How to Check Your Provider’s Credentials

Look at the letters after the provider’s name:

H.I.S. = Hearing Instrument Specialist
M.Sc., M.Cl.Sc., M.H.Sc., or M.A. = Audiologist, master’s level
Au.D. = Audiologist, Doctor of Audiology
Au.D.(C) = Audiologist, Certified Doctor of Audiology

Hearing Instrument Specialist — H.I.S.

A Hearing Instrument Specialist usually completes college or technical training, often 1–2 years.

Their main focus is hearing screenings, hearing aid selection, fitting, support, and ongoing hearing device care.

Audiologist — Master’s Level - M.Sc., M.Cl.Sc., M.H.Sc., or M.A., or with C (= certified)

An audiologist completes university education, including a master’s degree in audiology, usually about 6 years total.

Their main focus is hearing assessment, hearing rehabilitation, hearing devices, and patient-centered care.

Doctor of Audiology — Au.D. or Au.D.(C)

A Doctor of Audiology has completed advanced doctoral-level audiology education, usually about 8 years total.

Their main focus includes advanced assessments and diagnostics, clinical knowledge, tinnitus care, hearing rehabilitation, hearing devices, and comprehensive patient-centered care.

Understanding the Scope of Practice

Doctor of Audiology — Au.D.

An audiologist with additional doctoral-level education and advanced clinical training. Although the regulated scope of practice in Ontario is the same as that of a master’s-trained audiologist, the Au.D. reflects a higher level of professional education, advanced clinical knowledge, and enhanced expertise in areas such as otology and medically related ear concerns, tinnitus, hearing rehabilitation, cognitive considerations, and the selection, prescription, fitting, and verification of hearing devices to support optimal hearing and cognitive rehabilitation.

Audiologist — M.H.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., or Equivalent Master’s Degree

Provides comprehensive hearing assessments, hearing rehabilitation, tinnitus care, auditory processing services, and hearing device selection, prescription, fitting, programming, maintenance, and support.

Hearing Instrument Specialist — H.I.S.

Focuses mainly on basic hearing testing for hearing aid purposes, fitting, programming, maintenance, and support.

Ear, Nose and Throat Physician — ENT / Otolaryngologist

A medical doctor and surgical specialist who diagnoses and treats diseases and disorders of the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck. ENTs manage medical and surgical conditions such as chronic ear infections, eardrum problems, sudden or unexplained hearing loss, structural abnormalities, persistent dizziness, and other conditions requiring medical investigation, medication, imaging, or surgery.

ENT physicians do not typically provide ongoing treatment or hearing-device care for age-related hearing loss. When hearing rehabilitation is needed, they generally refer patients to an audiologist for comprehensive assessment, hearing-device recommendations, fitting, verification, and follow-up care.

Audiological services