Why medicare does not cover dental care
Under the Canada Health Act, dental services are insured only when they must be done in a hospital. Cleanings, fillings and root canals were never part of MSP, so they are paid for out of pocket, through private insurance or through the federal dental plan.
BCDA suggested fees for 2026
The table below comes from the BC Dental Association's 2026 public fee guide. Each clinic sets its own prices; the guide is a reference and actual fees may differ.[1]
| Service | Suggested fee |
|---|---|
| Routine exam | $42.90 |
| Cleaning (scaling) | Billed in 15-minute units at $60.50 each; usually 2 to 4 units |
| Back-tooth composite filling (one surface) | $220 |
| Back-tooth root canal | From $1,196 |
| Crown | $1,104, plus lab fees |
CDCP: who qualifies and what you pay
The main CDCP conditions are: no private dental insurance of any kind (coverage offered by an employer counts even if you do not use it), adjusted family net income under $90,000, and a tax return filed for the previous year.[2]
| Adjusted family net income | Co-payment |
|---|---|
| Under $70,000 | 0 |
| $70,000–80,000 | 40% |
| $80,000–90,000 | 60% |
As of August 31, 2026, 612,584 people in BC were enrolled in CDCP.[4] When a dentist charges more than CDCP's rate, the patient pays the difference.[3]
Enrolment does not mean everything is free
- Crowns, redone root canals and similar work need pre-approval. A Canadian Dental Association report in October 2026 said half of complete pre-approval requests were refused.[5]
- Orthodontics is not currently covered.[3]
- The gap between a dentist's fee and the CDCP rate is the patient's responsibility.[3]
Doing dental work in China
After volume-based procurement began in 2023, the average total cost of a dental implant in China fell from about 15,000 yuan to about 7,000 yuan.[6] Implants usually take several stages spread over months, so one trip may not finish the work, and any later problem still has to be handled in BC. For routine care such as cleanings and fillings, a dedicated trip may not pay off.
Sources
- BC Dental Association: 2026 Fee Guide, abbreviated public version
- Government of Canada: Canadian Dental Care Plan, who can qualify
- Government of Canada: Canadian Dental Care Plan, coverage and co-payments
- Government of Canada: CDCP statistics (to August 31, 2026)
- CP24: Canadian Dental Association report on access to the national dental care plan (2026-10-06)
- CNFIN: Cost of dental implants after volume-based procurement (2026-09-28)