Cost stops a lot of people from seeing a dentist. Here is how to work around it.
Avoiding the dentist because of cost is understandable and it almost always ends up more expensive. A cavity becomes a root canal. A root canal becomes an extraction. An extraction becomes an implant.
There are more options than most people realise. Some of them you may already qualify for without knowing.
First: Check Whether You Are Covered
A surprising number of people who assume they have no coverage actually do.
Canadian Dental Care Plan
If you have no private dental insurance and your adjusted family net income is under $90,000, you may be eligible. Under $70,000 there is no co-payment at all on covered services. The plan is now open to all eligible age groups, and a lot of people who could apply have not.
ODSP
Ontario Disability Support Program recipients have dental coverage. We accept it.
Healthy Smiles Ontario
Fully covered dental care for eligible children and youth under 18. Children of Ontario Works and ODSP families are usually enrolled automatically.
Not sure about any of these? Ask us. It takes a few minutes to check and it is free to find out.
We Publish Our Fees
You should be able to find out what something costs before booking. See our fee ranges.
Every treatment plan comes with a written estimate first. If something changes mid-treatment, we stop and talk to you rather than adding it to the bill.
Sequencing Treatment
If you need several things done and cannot afford all of it at once, that is a normal situation and we plan around it.
We prioritise in a sensible order: anything painful or infected first, then structural work that will get worse and more expensive if left, then anything cosmetic — which usually means never, unless you want it.
If you have insurance with an annual maximum, we can often stage non-urgent treatment across the year boundary so you draw on two years of coverage instead of one.
The Cheapest Option Is Prevention
Not a platitude — an arithmetic fact. A cleaning and checkup twice a year costs a fraction of a single root canal and crown.
Both are covered under CDCP and virtually every private plan. If you have coverage and are not using it for regular visits, you are leaving the most valuable part of it on the table.
When the Cheaper Treatment Is the Right One
We will not push the expensive option because it pays better.
A bridge costs considerably less than an implant and is often perfectly appropriate. A partial denture costs less again. Composite bonding fixes a chip for a fraction of a veneer.
Where the cheaper option is genuinely the sensible one for your situation, we will say so.
If You Are in Pain Right Now
Do not let cost stop you coming in. Pain usually means infection, and infection does not resolve on its own — it spreads and gets more expensive and more serious.
Come in, and we will work out the money. See emergency dental care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you take patients with no insurance?
Yes. A significant share of our patients have none.
Can I get an estimate before booking?
Yes — get in touch and describe what you need. For anything requiring examination we will need to see you first, but we can give you a range.
What if I cannot afford the whole plan?
We prioritise and stage it. Tell us your constraint rather than cancelling the appointment.
Is CDCP hard to apply for?
No. It is an online application through My Service Canada Account, and the main requirement is having filed your taxes. See our CDCP page.
Book an Appointment
Book online or get in touch to talk through your options first.