Dental insurance

Dental insurance in Canada, made simple

Provincial health plans don't cover dental — so the cost of cleanings, fillings, crowns, and braces falls to you or to private coverage. Compare dental plans from Canada's major insurers, and see whether the Canadian Dental Care Plan fits, in about 60 seconds.

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Quick answer

Standalone dental insurance covers preventive care like cleanings and exams, basic services like fillings, and often a share of major work like crowns or dentures, with annual maximums commonly between $750 and $2,000. It fills the gap for Canadians without employer benefits — provincial plans cover little routine dental care for most adults.

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Why dental sits outside provincial health care

OHIP, MSP, RAMQ, AHCIP — every province covers hospital stays and doctor visits, but routine dental care isn't part of public coverage for most adults. That leaves the cost of cleanings, fillings, crowns, and orthodontics to you, an employer group plan, a private dental plan, or — for eligible lower-income Canadians — the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan.

A routine cleaning and check-up runs $250–$400 without coverage, a single filling adds $150–$300, and a crown can easily reach $1,200–$2,000. For a household of four that visits the dentist twice a year, uninsured dental spending of $3,000–$5,000 a year is common — so for regular dental users, a modest plan usually pays for itself.

How dental insurance is structured

Almost every Canadian dental plan splits coverage into the same three tiers, each reimbursed at a different percentage. Understanding the split matters more than the headline premium, because it determines what you actually get back.

What's covered

Basic, major, and orthodontic tiers

Most plans reimburse preventive care generously, major restorative work at half, and orthodontics only on enhanced or family tiers.

Basic / preventive

Usually 70–100%

Routine cleanings, exams, X-rays, fluoride, and fillings. This is the everyday care most households use twice a year, and it's the tier that makes a plan pay for itself.

Major / restorative

Usually 50%

Crowns, bridges, root canals, dentures, and oral surgery. Higher-cost, lower-frequency work — reimbursed at a lower percentage and usually behind a longer waiting period.

Orthodontic

Usually 50% to a lifetime cap

Braces and clear aligners, most often for children. Carried only on enhanced or family plans, with a lifetime maximum of roughly $1,500–$3,000 and a 12-month waiting period.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)

Launched in 2024, the CDCP is a federal program for Canadian residents who have no private dental benefits and whose adjusted family net income is under $90,000. It's income-tested: families under $70,000 have 100% of eligible services covered, $70,000–$79,999 get 60%, and $80,000–$89,999 get 40%. It covers basic care — exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and some root canals — but not orthodontics, implants, or most major restorative work.

The CDCP and private insurance are complementary, not either/or. If you already have dental benefits through work, you aren't eligible for the CDCP. If you qualify and have no private coverage, enrol through Service Canada — then consider a private health plan if your needs run to orthodontics, implants, or higher major-work limits the CDCP doesn't reach.

Individual vs group dental insurance

Group dental through an employer, union, or association is almost always the better deal when available — the employer subsidises the premium, coverage tends to be broader, and waiting periods are often waived. Individual dental makes sense when you're self-employed, between jobs, your employer offers nothing, or you need a service your group plan excludes. Dental coverage is also commonly bundled into a broader supplemental health plan alongside prescriptions, vision, and paramedical care.

Carriers

Private dental plans compared (2026)

Illustrative monthly cost for a single adult on a basic individual plan, non-smoker, Ontario, aged 30–45. Actual premiums vary by province, age, and tier.

Carrier	Monthly (single)	Coverage split	Waiting period
Blue Cross	$50 – $80	80% basic / 50–80% major	3 mo basic, 12 mo major
GreenShield	$55 – $90	80% basic / 50% major	None on some plans
Manulife Flexcare	$60 – $100	80% basic / 50% major	3 mo basic, 12 mo major
Sun Life	$55 – $95	80% basic / 50–80% major	3 mo basic, 12 mo major
Canada Life	$55 – $95	80% basic / 50% major	3 mo basic, 12 mo major

Illustrative pricing based on publicly available 2026 plan details. Compare the annual maximum, the fee schedule used, and whether your dentist accepts the plan — not just the monthly premium.

Cost

What dental insurance costs in Canada (2026)

Typical monthly premiums by household, from basic preventive coverage to enhanced plans that add major work.

Plan	Monthly	What it includes
Individual — basic	$50 – $90	Cleanings, exams, fillings; ~$1,000 annual max
Individual — enhanced	$90 – $140	Adds major work at 50%, higher annual max
Couple	$95 – $170	Two adults, basic to enhanced coverage
Family	$120 – $250	Two adults + children; often includes child ortho rider

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Exclusions

What dental insurance usually won't cover

Reading the exclusions matters as much as the coverage. These are the most common limits across Canadian dental plans.

Teeth whitening and cosmetic bonding
Veneers and other purely aesthetic work
Adult orthodontics on basic plans
Dental implants on most basic / mid-tier plans
Work begun before the waiting period ends
Experimental or non-standard procedures

FAQ

Dental insurance questions, answered

Most private dental plans cover preventive and basic care — cleanings, exams, X-rays, and fillings — at 70–100% after any deductible. Major restorative work such as crowns, root canals, bridges, and dentures is typically covered at 50%. Orthodontics (braces, aligners) is carried only on enhanced or family plans, usually at 50% up to a lifetime maximum. Cosmetic work is excluded under virtually every plan.

Individual dental plans typically run $50–$100 per month for a single adult on a basic plan, and $120–$250 per month for a family plan. Premiums vary by province, age, plan tier, and carrier. Enhanced plans that add major work, higher annual maximums, or child orthodontics cost more. Group coverage through an employer is usually cheaper because the employer subsidises part of the premium.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan is a federal program that provides dental coverage to eligible Canadian residents who have no access to private dental benefits and whose adjusted family net income is under $90,000. It is income-tested: families under $70,000 have 100% of eligible services covered, with the share stepping down as income rises. The CDCP covers basic services — exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and some root canals — but not orthodontics, implants, or most cosmetic and major restorative work. Enrolment is through Service Canada.

No. The two are complementary. The CDCP is only available to Canadians without private dental benefits, and it stops at basic care. A private plan covers a broader range of services — orthodontics, implants, and the full cost of major restorative work — and is available regardless of income. If you qualify for the CDCP, enrol; if your needs go beyond basic care, a private plan fills the gaps it leaves open.

For most Canadians who visit the dentist regularly, yes. A cleaning and check-up costs $250–$400 without coverage, a filling adds $150–$300, and a crown can exceed $1,500. If you use dental care at least once or twice a year and choose a plan with a reasonable annual maximum, the premium usually pays for itself within two to three visits. The exception is someone with excellent dental health who rarely needs more than one annual cleaning — there, compare the annual premium against your expected out-of-pocket spend.

A waiting period is the time you must hold a plan before certain services are covered. Most individual plans impose roughly a 3-month wait on basic services and a 12-month wait on major restorative work. Waiting periods exist so people can't buy a plan only when they already know they need expensive work. Some carriers offer no-waiting-period options at a higher premium — worth comparing if you've been uninsured and have known work pending.

Group dental insurance through an employer, union, or association is almost always the better value when it's available, because the employer subsidises the premium and waiting periods are often waived. Individual dental insurance makes sense when you're self-employed, between jobs, your employer offers no dental benefits, or you need a service (like orthodontics) your group plan excludes. Sole proprietors may also be able to run an individual premium through their business — confirm with an accountant.

Only enhanced or family plans with an orthodontic benefit do, and usually at 50% up to a lifetime maximum of around $1,500–$3,000 with a 12-month waiting period. Most coverage is aimed at children; adult orthodontics is excluded from basic and mid-tier plans. If braces are a priority, confirm the orthodontic lifetime maximum and waiting period before choosing a plan.

Yes. Several Canadian carriers sell standalone dental plans, and dental is also commonly bundled with prescription, vision, and paramedical coverage in a broader health plan. If dental is your main concern, a standalone plan keeps the premium lower; if you also want drug or paramedical coverage, a combined health-and-dental plan is usually better value than buying each separately.

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Lowest Rates Hub connects consumers with licensed insurance brokers across Canada. Quotes are provided by partner brokers and the carriers they represent; LRH does not bind coverage or hold an insurance licence. Estimates are not bound coverage. Final premiums depend on the insurer's underwriting and the information disclosed in the application. Policies underwritten by IDC Worldsource and partner insurers. Privacy policy.