Affordable Dental Care

Home / Affordable Dental Care

Toronto Public Health-Dental Clinics

You may be eligible for free dental services in Toronto Public Health clinics. TPH offers dental services to eligible children and youth (0-17 years), adults enrolled in selected Toronto Public Health programs, and seniors (65 years and older).

Available Services:

  • Examinations
  • X-rays
  • Fillings
  • Cleaning
  • Some root canal treatments
  • Extractions
  • Emergency and urgent dental care to treat issues like dental pain or cavities
  • Full or partial dentures are also covered but clients are asked to pay the full laboratory cost for dentures or denture repair.

Seniors Program (65 years and older)

Eligibility:

You can apply for the program if you:

  • Are 65 years of age or older
  • Are a resident of Ontario
  • Meet the income requirements:
    • An annual net income of $19,300 or less for a single senior
    • A combined annual net income of $32,300 or less for a couple
  • Have no other form of dental benefits, including private insurance or dental coverage under another government program such as Ontario Works, Ontario  you need:
  • Your date of birth
  • A valid Ontario address
  • Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Temporary Taxation Number (TTN)
  • To have filed your taxes last year
  • Disability Support Program or Non-Insured Health Benefits

If you don’t have a SIN or did not file a tax return

If you don’t have a SIN or didn’t file your taxes last year, a guarantor must help you apply by mail.

A guarantor is someone who can confirm the identity, age and residency of the individual or couple applying to the program. The guarantor must be:

  • a Canadian citizen
  • at least 18 years of age

List of eligible guarantors

  • Doctor (physician or surgeon)
  • Nurse
  • Dentist or dental hygienist
  • Optometrist
  • Pharmacist
  • Psychologist
  • Chiropractor
  • Midwife
  • Veterinarian
  • Lawyer
  • Professional accountant
  • Professional engineer
  • Social worker or social service worker
  • Teacher, vice-principal or principal in a primary or secondary school
  • Dietitian
  • Judge or Justice of the Peace
  • Municipal, provincial or First Nations police officer or constable
  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer or constable
  • Mayor
  • Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
  • Minister of religion authorized under provincial law to perform marriages
  • Municipal clerk or treasurer who is a member of the Association of Municipal Managers or Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario
  • Notary public
  • Professor in a university, a senior administrator in a community college
  • Signing officer of a bank

Please note, every year, eligibility will be automatically verified for most clients to confirm enrolment for the next benefit period.

See the information in other languages

Children and youth (0-17 years)

If you live in Toronto and cannot afford to pay for a dentist, contact one of the dental clinics near you. Clinic staff speak many languages and are happy to help you. Assessments for eligibility must be done at a Toronto Public Health dental clinic.

Teeth Cleaning, Check-ups and Dental Treatment for Children-Healthy Smile Program

Children are automatically enrolled in the program if:

  • They receive assistance under:
    • Temporary Care Assistance
    • Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities
  • they or their family receive:
    • Ontario Works
    • Ontario Disability Support

Who is eligible to apply?

You can apply for your children if they:

  • Are 17 years of age and under
  • Live in Ontario
  • Come from a household with an income equal to or less than the levels in the table below

Income eligibility requirements-as of July 1, 2020

Number of dependent children in your householdFamily net income
1 child$24,129 or lower
2 children$25,956 or lower
3 children$27,782 or lower
4 children$29,608 or lower
5 children$31,434 or lower
6 children$33,261 or lower
7 children$35,087 or lower
8 children$36,913 or lower
9 children$38,739 or lower
10 or more children$40,566 or lower. Add $1,826 for each additional dependent child to determine the income level at which your family would qualify for Healthy Smiles Ontario.

Coverage period

Once your child is enrolled, they are covered:

  • Up to one benefit year (August 1st of the current year to July 31st of the following year), or
  • Up to their 18th birthday. If your child turns 18 during the benefit year, they’re no longer eligible.

You will need:

  • Your child(ren)’s date(s) of birth
  • A valid Ontario address
  • Your social insurance number (SIN) or temporary taxation number (TTN)
  • To have filed your taxes in the previous year

Emergency Dental Care

To qualify for emergency/essential dental care, you must:

  • Have a clinical need
  • Be able to show financial hardship. You will be asked some questions about how you or your family would be affected if you had to pay for dental treatment. For example, would you be able to pay household bills if you had to pay for dental treatment?

Did not file a tax return / don’t have a SIN

If you don’t have a Social Insurance Number or didn’t file your taxes last year, you can still apply by mail but you’ll need a Guarantor (one per household).

A Guarantor must be a Canadian Citizen, at least 18 years of age who can confirm the:

  • Identity
  • Age
  • And Ontario residency of the person applying and (if applicable) their spouse/common law partner

Guarantor qualification 

  • Chiropractor
  • Midwife
  • Nurse
  • Optometrist
  • Pharmacist
  • Physician or surgeon
  • Psychologist
  • Veterinarian
  • Lawyer
  • Professional accountant
  • Professional engineer
  • Social worker or social service worker
  • Teacher/vice-principal/principal in a primary or secondary school
  • Dietitian
  • Dentist or dental hygienist
  • Judge, Justice of the Peace, municipal/provincial/First Nations police officer/constable, officer/constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
  • Mayor
  • Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
  • Minister of religion authorized under provincial law to perform marriages
  • Municipal clerk or treasurer who is a member of the Association of Municipal Managers or Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario
  • Notary public
  • Professor in a university, a senior administrator in a community college
  • Signing officer of a bank
  • Chiropractor
  • Midwife
  • Nurse
  • Optometrist
  • Pharmacist
  • Physician or surgeon
  • Psychologist
  • Veterinarian
  • Lawyer
  • Professional accountant
  • Professional engineer
  • Social worker or social service worker
  • Teacher/vice-principal/principal in a primary or secondary school
  • Dietitian
  • Dentist or dental hygienist
  • Judge, Justice of the Peace, municipal/provincial/First Nations police officer/constable, officer/constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
  • Mayor
  • Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
  • Minister of religion authorized under provincial law to perform marriages
  • Municipal clerk or treasurer who is a member of the Association of Municipal Managers or Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario
  • Notary public
  • Professor in a university, a senior administrator in a community college
  • Signing officer of a bank