Insurance and billing
You get the cost in writing before anything is booked
No surprises at the desk. We go through your coverage with you first, and if paying for treatment is the problem, say so early instead of quietly declining care.
Clear costs. No surprises.Know your treatment options, insurance benefits, and estimated out-of-pocket costs before treatment begins
Direct billing. Less hassle.We work with insurance providers that allow direct billing and help you understand your coverage so you can focus on your child’s smile
Every child deserves a healthy smile.With or without dental insurance, we’re here to help your family explore care options and make informed decisions about your child’s dental health
How we handle it
The order we do this in, every time
At Children’s Dental Health Centre you get the cost of treatment in writing before anything is booked, and we review your dental insurance or Canadian Dental Care Plan coverage with you beforehand. Children under 18 in households with an adjusted family net income under $90,000 and no private dental insurance may be eligible for the CDCP.
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Share Your Insurance Details Early. Know Your Coverage Before Your Visit.
The earlier we receive your insurance information, the better we can help you understand your benefits and potential out-of-pocket costs. When booking your child’s appointment, please provide your insurance policy number, member ID, and policyholder’s information so our team can review your coverage and submit a preauthorization when available.
Not all insurance companies work the same way. Some allow direct billing (assignment of benefits) and provide detailed explanations of coverage, while others require patients to pay upfront and seek reimbursement. Certain insurers may only acknowledge receipt of a preauthorization without disclosing the approved benefits or your portion of the cost directly to our office.
In these situations, your insurance provider may send the explanation of benefits directly to you as the policyholder. We may ask you to share this information with our team so we can help clarify your coverage and estimate any remaining costs.
Our commitment is transparency. We’ll let you know in advance if your insurance company cannot provide coverage details directly to us and guide you through the steps needed to obtain that information.
Our goal is simple: fewer surprises, clearer expectations, and more confidence in your child’s dental care.
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Clear Treatment Plans. Informed Decisions. No Surprises.
We believe every parent deserves to understand their child’s dental needs, treatment options, and associated costs before proceeding with care. Our pediatric dentists provide a personalized treatment plan explaining what treatment is recommended, why it’s needed, and the expected costs.
We take the time to discuss the benefits, risks, and alternatives of each treatment option, from minimally invasive approaches that help arrest or slow tooth decay to definitive restorations, such as fillings and crowns, that repair and protect damaged teeth.
We also explain what may happen if treatment is delayed or left untreated, including the potential for cavities to progress, cause pain or infection, or require more extensive treatment in the future.
Our team will review the available options, answer your questions, and help you understand the short- and long-term implications of each choice.
Our goal is simple: informed parents, confident decisions, and the right treatment for your child’s individual needs.
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Understand Your Insurance Coverage Before Treatment Begins
We believe in transparency so you can make informed decisions about your child’s dental care. Our team will help you understand which treatments may be covered by your insurance, the estimated amount your plan may pay, and any remaining out-of-pocket costs.
When your insurance provider allows it, we can submit a preauthorization before treatment to obtain a more detailed estimate of your benefits.
Every insurance plan works differently. Some providers give us a detailed breakdown of coverage, while others only share this information directly with the policyholder. If additional information is needed, we’ll guide you through obtaining it so we can help explain your benefits.
Insurance estimates are not guarantees of payment, as final coverage depends on your insurer’s policies, eligibility, and benefits available at the time of treatment.
Our goal is simple: clear communication, fewer financial surprises, and the confidence to make the best decisions for your child’s dental health.
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Informed Decisions. Your Child. Your Choice.
Choosing the right dental treatment is about more than just cost. It’s about understanding what’s best for your child and your family.
Before scheduling treatment, our pediatric dentists take the time to explain their clinical recommendations, available treatment options, expected outcomes, and associated costs. We also discuss the benefits and risks of each approach, including the potential consequences of delaying or declining recommended treatment.
Every child is different, and we understand that families may have different priorities, concerns, and circumstances. Our role is to provide professional guidance, answer your questions, and ensure you have the information needed to make a confident decision.
Once you’ve had the opportunity to consider your options and decide how you’d like to proceed, our team will help coordinate the next steps.
Our goal is simple: informed parents, shared decision-making, and personalized dental care that puts your child’s health and well-being first.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan
How the CDCP works, and who qualifies
The CDCP is a federal program, not ours. These are its published rules, and the government decides eligibility, not us.
Children under 18 qualify
The Canadian Dental Care Plan covers children under 18 in eligible households, and children have been eligible since the earliest phases of the rollout.
It is based on household income
Eligibility depends on adjusted family net income, which must be under $90,000, with no co-payment below $70,000 and a co-payment on a sliding scale above that.
No private coverage
You are not eligible if you have access to private dental insurance, including through an employer or a pension, even if you choose not to use it.
You file a tax return
You and your spouse or common-law partner must have filed a return for the previous year, because eligibility is assessed from it.
It does not cover everything
The plan covers a defined list of services, and it may not pay the full cost of every treatment. Some things need pre-authorisation before they are done.
You apply through the government
Applications go through Service Canada, not through us. We can tell you what we see on our side, but we cannot apply on your behalf or confirm your eligibility.
Programs change. Check your own eligibility and apply through Service Canada, and treat anything on this page as a starting point, not as confirmation of what you will receive.
The Alberta Child Health Benefit
The Alberta Child Health Benefit is a provincial program, separate from the federal plan above. It covers dental and other health benefits for children in lower-income Alberta households, and a family can hold it alongside the Canadian Dental Care Plan.
That combination matters. Where a child qualifies for both, the two together can cover much of the cost of their dental care, and families sometimes apply for one without realising the other exists. Tell us which programs your child is on when you book and we will take both into account in the written plan. You apply for the Alberta Child Health Benefit through the Government of Alberta, not through us.
Worth saying directly
If cost is what is stopping you, tell us early
A surprising number of families delay treatment for a child because they are not sure they can afford it and do not want to ask. The problem is that dental disease in children does not pause while you decide. A small filling becomes a crown, a crown becomes a nerve treatment, and a nerve treatment becomes a general anesthetic.
There is almost always something we can do about sequencing, timing across a coverage year, or treating the urgent part now. None of it works if we do not know, so raise it at the consultation instead of quietly not booking.
Bring the card and we will do the rest
We bill most plans directly, and our team will tell you what your plan covers before treatment starts, not after.
Questions
About coverage and cost
Do you direct bill my dental insurance?
Yes! At Children’s Dental Health Centre, we offer direct billing to insurance companies whenever your provider allows assignment of benefits. This means your insurance company can pay its covered portion directly to our office, leaving you responsible for any remaining balance.
We encourage families to provide their insurance information before their appointment so our team can review available benefits and submit a preauthorization when supported by your insurer. This helps us estimate your coverage and potential out-of-pocket costs before treatment begins.
Every insurance company works differently. Some allow direct billing and provide detailed coverage information, while others require you to pay upfront and submit a claim for reimbursement. Certain insurers only provide benefit details directly to the policyholder, and we may ask you to share that information with us.
While insurance estimates are not guarantees of payment, our goal is to provide as much financial clarity as possible, helping you understand your coverage and make informed decisions about your child’s dental care.
Do you accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
Yes. We participate in the Canadian Dental Care Plan at both clinics and at Children’s Dental Surgical Centre. For treatment that needs general anesthesia we normally submit a preauthorisation request first. In our experience a decision about anesthesia coverage takes roughly four to six weeks, and a decision about the dental treatment itself often arrives sooner. Coverage is determined by the CDCP, not by us, so we go through the response and any remaining cost with you before proceeding. General anesthesia requires CDCP preauthorisation and approval is not guaranteed.
How much will my child’s dental treatment cost?
Every child’s dental needs are different, and we believe in providing clear, personalized treatment plans with transparent pricing.
The cost of treatment depends on several factors, including the type and extent of dental care required, the complexity of the procedure, and whether additional comfort options, such as sedation or general anesthesia, are recommended.
Before proceeding with treatment, our pediatric dentists will perform a comprehensive assessment and explain the recommended procedures, available treatment options, associated costs, and the benefits and risks of each approach.
We understand that families want to know what to expect financially. However, providing an accurate treatment quote over the phone without first examining your child can be misleading. An examination allows us to identify your child’s individual needs and provide a more reliable estimate.
Our team can also help review your dental insurance benefits and submit preauthorizations when available to estimate your out-of-pocket expenses.
Our goal is simple: no guesswork, clear expectations, and the information you need to make confident decisions about your child’s dental care.
What if we cannot afford the treatment?
Tell us. There are almost always options worth discussing: staging the work across appointments or across a coverage year, doing the urgent part now and the rest later, or in some cases a different treatment that costs less and is still appropriate. We do not run payment plans through the office, but families can apply for financing through a third-party provider such as Dentalcard, and our team can help you look at the Burns Memorial Fund Oral Health Program, the Alberta Child Health Benefit and the Canadian Dental Care Plan to see whether you qualify. What is not a good option is doing nothing and hoping, because dental problems in children get more expensive the longer they are left.
Is dental treatment under general anesthesia covered by insurance?
Many dental insurance plans provide some coverage for treatment under general anesthesia, but benefits vary depending on your insurance provider and your child’s individual needs.
At Children’s Dental Health Centre and our dedicated surgical facility, Children’s Dental Surgical Centre, the costs associated with general anesthesia are typically divided into three components:
Dental treatment: The cost of procedures such as fillings, crowns, extractions, and other necessary dental care.
Anesthesia services: The cost of having a pediatric anesthesiologist provide and monitor your child’s general anesthesia.
Surgical facility fees: The cost of using our accredited surgical centre, including specialized equipment, nursing care, and recovery services.
Some insurance companies require preauthorization before approving coverage for general anesthesia. This means they must review your child’s proposed treatment plan, medical or behavioural needs, and supporting clinical information to determine whether the procedure meets their specific coverage criteria.
This review process can take several weeks, depending on your insurance provider. Approval of dental treatment does not necessarily mean that anesthesia or facility fees will also be covered.
Our team will help you navigate this process. Following your child’s consultation, we can prepare a detailed written treatment estimate and submit the necessary preauthorization requests when supported by your insurer. We will also help you understand the available coverage information and any estimated out-of-pocket expenses.
While preauthorization is not a guarantee of payment, our goal is to provide as much financial clarity as possible before scheduling your child’s surgery, allowing your family to make an informed and confident decision about their care.
Does my child need to be on my dental insurance plan to be seen?
No! Your child does not need dental insurance to receive care at Children’s Dental Health Centre. We welcome families with or without dental coverage.
However, having dental insurance yourself does not automatically mean your child is covered under your plan. Your child must typically be registered as an eligible dependent under an active policy for their dental treatment to qualify for benefits.
Before booking an appointment, we strongly encourage parents to contact their insurance provider to confirm that their child is enrolled and has active dental coverage. Providing our office with your insurance policy and subscriber information does not guarantee that your child’s dental treatment will be covered.
If your child is not listed as an eligible dependent, your insurance company may decline payment, leaving you responsible for the full cost of treatment.
Our goal is to help families avoid unexpected expenses. By confirming your child’s insurance eligibility in advance and sharing those details with our team, we can better assist with benefit verification, direct billing, and preauthorizations when available.
Insurance or no insurance, your child is always welcome. We simply want you to understand your coverage and financial responsibilities before proceeding with care.