Ask a clinic what a filling costs and you will get a range, a shrug, or an invitation to come in. It is not evasion. It is that the honest answer depends on things nobody can see over the phone.
The fee guide
Each provincial dental association publishes a suggested fee guide every year. Most clinics charge at or near it; some charge more. The guide is public, and you can ask any clinic whether they follow it. That is the closest thing to a price list that exists.
Why one filling has three prices
Size, surface, and material. A small filling on one surface of a back tooth and a large one that rebuilds three surfaces are different procedures with different codes. White composite costs more than silver amalgam. None of this is decided until someone has looked.
The expensive part of dentistry is not the price of the appointment. It is the price of the appointment you put off.
What insurance covers
Usually a percentage — often most of preventive care, less of restorative work, and little of anything cosmetic — up to an annual maximum that is smaller than people assume. Ask the clinic to send a pre-determination to your insurer before large work; it comes back with an exact number.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan
A federal plan for residents without private insurance, below an income threshold. Eligibility and coverage have changed more than once since it launched, so check the current rules rather than an article — including this one. Many clinics accept it; not all do, so ask before you book.
If you have no coverage
Say so when you call. Clinics deal with it every day and will sequence the work by urgency. Dental schools treat patients at a fraction of the fee guide, supervised, if there is one near you and you have time.
