DENTIST PRICES and DENTAL COSTS: Finding Affordable Dental Care

Let's start with the shocking truth:

Dentist prices do not differ much. However, your dental costs will vary greatly depending on which dentist you see!?

In other words, the price of a specific dental procedure does not differ from dentist to dentist. However, the number and the extent of the dental procedures you will have done depends on who your dentist is!

How much of a difference in your dental costs? The differences between dentists are enormous! It's not uncommon to get 8 times more dental work from a dentist than another.

So if you are looking for affordable dental care, STOP wasting time by comparing dentist prices and reduce your dental costs by finding the best dentist: a dentist that you do not need! 

Knowing the difference between dentist prices and dental costs is the best way to find affordable dental care!

"Dentist price" is the price of a specific dental procedure; it is determined by a fee guide.

"Dental cost" is the total amount of money you will spend at the dentist; it is predominately determined by the number of unnecessary dental procedures your dentist recommends.

A good comparison is going to a restaurant. The prices on the restaurant menu are set, just like at a dental clinic. The number of items you order from the restaurant menu is entirely within your control. However, at a dental office, it's the dentist that is ordering for you! Too much food is not healthy. Likewise, too much dental work reduces your dental and overall health!

Your dentist appointment cost depends on who your dentist is! Is your dentist a business dentist or a doctor dentist?

Do Dentist Prices Differ? NO! Dentist Prices in Toronto = Dentist Prices in Ontario

Almost all dentists in Ontario follow the current Ontario Dental Association Fee Guide because most dental insurance companies reimburse based on the ODA fee guide. This is true for procedures typically covered by dental insurance, such as dental cleanings, x-rays, fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns and dentures.

The Ontario Dental Association Fee Guide:

• is 84 pages long!
• contains about 1,300 dental procedures!
• identifies each dental procedure by a 5 digit number: the "dental code"
• many dental treatments are a combination of multiple dental codes
• it is written in “dentist language”; words like cleaning, check-up and filling are NOT used
• is not available online
• copies are available in the reference section of many public libraries
• although the Fee Guide is “suggested” almost all dentists in Ontario follow it

Dentist prices do differ significantly between dentists for procedures typically NOT covered by insurance: 

• cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening, veneers, braces
• expensive procedures that insurance companies do not cover, such as dental implants

Do Dentist Prices in Ontario = Dentist Prices in Canada? NO!

The other Canadian provinces have fee guides similar to the Ontario Dental Fee Guide in that they use the same "dental codes."

However, the dentist prices in each province differ from other provinces. A provincial Dental Fee Guide determines Dentist Prices within a specific region of Canada.

For example:

How Much Does a Dental Dental Cleaning Cost?

A teeth cleaning costs $123.00 for 30 minutes of scaling.

Keep in mind that the cost of a dental cleaning (in Canada and the USA) is based on time. Therefore, more time needed to clean the teeth means a higher price.

Therefore, your dental cleaning cost depends on:

1. how much tartar and plaque you have on your teeth, which in turn depends on how good your oral hygiene is: the better you do at home, the less cleaning time you will need at the dentist
2. the efficiency of the dental professional teeth cleaning your teeth

If you want to save on your teeth cleaning cost, choose an experienced hygienist: removing your tartar and plaque will be more efficient: more detailed teeth cleaning takes less time. As a result, your dental cleaning cost will be lower, and the cleaning will be better!

The dental cleaning cost without insurance is the same as with insurance: $123.00 for 30 minutes of scaling. Some dentists offer discount pricing to patients without insurance. Discount pricing is considered unethical by dental authorities as it constitutes discrimination. Please proceed with caution with any dentist offering different pricing for patients without insurance, as they are likely involved in other dentist scams.

Dentist Prices in Ontario and Dentist Prices in Canada for Some of the Most Common Dental Procedures:

Dentist prices within any given province do not vary from dentist to dentist because each province has a fee guide. However, dentist prices across Canada differ from province to province, as illustrated by the above table.

In the United States, dentist prices differ significantly from dentist to dentist, even within any specific state! This makes choosing a dentist very complicated.

In Ontario, or any specific province, dentist prices are the same, so if you want to find affordable dental care, you should focus on choosing the best dentist: a dentist that always has your best interests in mind. 

Dental Costs Differ Between Different Dentists!?

Some dentists are more aggressive with dental treatment recommendations than others!

A CBC researcher visited 20 dentists across Canada, and the investigation concluded:

• dentists vary in the amount of recommended treatment which causes dental costs to vary greatly from dentist to dentist
• dental cost estimates from the 20 dentists consulted ranged from $144 to $11,931
• the correct amount of treatment, and therefore dental cost, was about $1,900
• 40% of the dentists recommended significantly beyond what should be recommended

The above investigation was done in 2012; the dental cost differences between different dentists are even more significant now and getting worse because of:

• Too Many Dentists is Hazardous to your Dental Health!
• rise of the “Business Dentist”, and the "endangered species" of the “Doctor Dentist”

If you want to save money on dental costs choose the best dentist:

• The Best Dentist is the one you do NOT need!!!
• The Best Dentist always has your best interests at heart
• The Best Dentist’s knowledge, skills and dedication to excellence is unmatched

Investing time to find a dentist will not only save you on dental costs, but it will save you time!

No matter who your dentist is, you can significantly reduce your dental costs by asking 3 simple questions when a dentist recommends a procedure, it will help you avoid unnecessary dental work.

Are you Looking for a cheap dentist?

Compared to your other expenses, your dental costs can be very high; as such, you may be motivated to "shop around" to save money.

You are probably going about it the wrong way by asking the wrong questions. These wrong questions will lead you to the opposite: your dental costs will go up! :(

You may have convinced yourself, or someone has convinced you that you need a specific procedure, so you call around for pricing. As noted above, dentist prices do not differ much, but you get excited when you find a dentist that appears to be "10% cheaper".

What if you do not need the procedure, to begin with? You would save yourself 100% of the dental cost! For example, more than half the people who end up getting their wisdom teeth removed did NOT need to have them pulled in the first place! Once you consider ALL the Wisdom Teeth Removal Costs, financial and other costs, you will agree with what experts are now recommending: you do NOT need to remove your wisdom teeth!

What if an alternative procedure is 75% cheaper but just as good? For example, a well-placed filling instead of the overly aggressive and expensive dental crown. This happens every minute of every day in a North American dental clinic; as noted above, some dentists are more aggressive with dental treatment and recommendations.

Instead of looking for a "deal" to save on dental costs, look for the Best Dentist (the one you do NOT need!!!) The Best dentist will genuinely save you time and money!

One of the worst choices you can make is to choose a dentist that advertises excessively. A dentist that advertises excessively is likely a "business dentist," not a "doctor dentist." Who do you think is paying for all the advertising? You are!- through higher dental costs! 

Ask yourself: Why is a dentist advertising? Most people find a dentist through word of mouth! Perhaps because people are NOT excited about recommending this dentist to their family and friends, the "business dentist" must advertise to get patients.

Knowing the difference between dentist prices and dental costs will save you time and money at the dentist. Take it a step further and learn about the particular dental procedure you will be having done, and you will also avoid a negative experience. For example, read Root Canal Cost to save all dental costs: Money, Time and Frustrations.

Did you know that the Federal and Ontario governments are committing more of taxpayers' money in 2022 to dental care by providing some people with free dental care:

OHIP Dental Coverage and Free Dental Care Ontario in 2022

YES, there is OHIP Dental Coverage in Ontario AND 7 other Free Dental Care Programs in Ontario as of 2022.

In the best interest of your health and well-being,

Dr. Joanne Baldos and Dr. Adam Szymczak

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS About DENTIST PRICES, DENTAL COSTS and Affordable Dental Care

What is a dental fee guide?

A dental fee guide is a price list for dental procedures. A dental fee guide specifies each dental procedure and the associated price. Almost all dentists follow the prices set in the dental fee guide as insurance companies pay the dentist based on the fee guide.

How much is a dental check-up and teeth cleaning?

Most commonly, a dental check-up and teeth cleaning is $161. This includes 30 minutes of a dental cleaning (scaling) which costs $123, and a dental check-up by the dentist, which costs $38. You may also benefit from check-up X-rays, which cost $41 for 2 X-rays.

What is the average cost of dental work?

List of dentist prices for the most common dental treatments:

• teeth cleaning: $123
• dental check-up: $38
• 2 check-up X-rays: $41
• a full tooth X-ray: $34
• tooth removal: $193 for simple and $278 for complicated
• a medium-sized tooth-coloured filling on a molar: $261
• a root canal on a molar: $1,019
• sedationt: to be completely asleep: $500 for 1 hour
• dental crown: $1,200; including the lab fee
• dental veneer: $1,200; including the lab fee
• dental implant: $2,000; including the implant material cost
• a complete examination of an adult: $157

How much does it cost to get a tooth pulled?

IIt costs $193 to pull a tooth if it is simple and $278 if it is complicated. In addition, to the price of tooth removal, especially if you do not have a regular dentist, you will need an examination which will cost about $65 and a dental X-ray for $34.

Is it cheaper to get a root canal or extraction?

Extraction is much cheaper than a root canal. A root canal on a molar is $1,019. It costs $193 to pull a tooth if it is simple and $278 if it is complicated. A root canal saves a tooth, whereas once you remove it, it will be gone forever. In most instances, it is more expensive to replace a tooth than to save the tooth.