New Brunswick Dental Fees
The New Dental Dental Society website provides a write-up on dental fees.
Understanding Fees
The New Dental Dental Society website provides a write-up on dental fees.
Understanding Fees
Dental Fee Guides in Canada
Every dental procedure has an associated five digit dental code which has a suggested fee. The compilation of all the dental procedures, dental codes and suggested fees is called a Fee Guide. There is a fee guide for General Dentists, Specialist Dentists (e.g. periodontist, orthodontist etc.) and Hygienists. Each province has its own fee guides which are updated annually by the provincial dental association/society.
Dentists may use the Fee Guide to assist them in determining their own professional fees. Most dental insurance plans are based on the provincial Fee Guide to determine maximum reimbursements. Co-payment—also called co-insurance—is the portion of the bill that is the patient's responsibility. An 80/20 co-payment of the suggested is common for basic procedures such as x-rays, cleaning, fillings and root canals. This means that the dental plan covers 80% of the bill. A 50/50 co-payment is common for major procedures such as crowns and bridges. Approximately 68 percent of Canadians receive some form of dental care through public and private insurance plans, which means one person in three has no dental insurance.
As an example, an insurance plan may re-reimburse 80% of a specific dental procedure. If the provincial Fee Guide suggests the procedure is $100, the insurance plan will re-reimburse a maximum of $80. If the dentist charges $120 for the procedure, the insurance plan will only reimburse $80.
Dental Fee Guides are typically not available for public viewing; they are developed by the provincial dental association/society and distributed to dentists and insurance companies.
Alberta is the only province to publish its General Dentist Fee Guide for public consumption. Dental costs in Alberta are currently the highest in Canada. In 2018, in an attempt to bring dental fees more in line with other provinces, the Alberta Dental Association and College introduced Alberta's first dental fee guide in 20 years. There is an expectation that a public dental fee guide will increase transparency, which encourages competition, which in turn will reduce the cost of dentistry to the public.
Alberta Dental Association and College Guide for Dental Fees for General Dentists January 2019
British Columbia publishes an abbreviated Fee Guide; a full copy of the Fee Guide can be found in public libraries.
British Columbia 2019 Abbreviated General Practitioner's Suggested Fee Guide
Nova Scotia publishes an abbreviated Fee Guide.
Nova Scotia 2019 Abbreviated Fee Guide
In Ontario the Fee Guide is not available on the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) website. However, copies of the Fee Guide have been placed in the reference section of many public libraries so that members of the public can access the document. Below are a sampled of suggested fees from the ODA Fee Guide.
Ontario_Dental_Association_Sample_Fees_-_2019.docx
The Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) have established fees for dental services; below is a copy of MCCSS Schedule of Dental Services and Fees January 2019.
2019_january_mccss_dental_schedule_final_january_2019_current.pdf
In New Brunswick the public can order a copy of the dental fee guide for $500.
NBDS Fee Guide Order Form
Comparative 2019 Sample Fees between BC, AL, NS and ON are shown in the document below.
comparative_2019_sample_fees_for_general_dentists_-_bc_al_ns_on.docx
How any Provincial Fee Guide suggested fee for a dental procedure is developed is indeed a mystery. Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) general dentists have a median take home salary of approximately $200K/year (salary does not include pension, benefits and vacation); the salary and benefits reflects the requirement to be competitive with civilian dental income in order to retain dentists in the CAF. It is reasonable to conclude that the annual income of a typical dentist who owns or is a partner in a private practice would be well in excess of $200K/year after expenses.
According to Statistics Canada the national household median income was $70,336 in 2015, and in New Brunswick, the median was $59,347; New Brunswick has the lowest median household income for all provinces and territories. Clearly dentists in New Brunswick are in the top 1% of income earners; at the very least the NBDS should publicly release their Fee Guide.
Every dental procedure has an associated five digit dental code which has a suggested fee. The compilation of all the dental procedures, dental codes and suggested fees is called a Fee Guide. There is a fee guide for General Dentists, Specialist Dentists (e.g. periodontist, orthodontist etc.) and Hygienists. Each province has its own fee guides which are updated annually by the provincial dental association/society.
Dentists may use the Fee Guide to assist them in determining their own professional fees. Most dental insurance plans are based on the provincial Fee Guide to determine maximum reimbursements. Co-payment—also called co-insurance—is the portion of the bill that is the patient's responsibility. An 80/20 co-payment of the suggested is common for basic procedures such as x-rays, cleaning, fillings and root canals. This means that the dental plan covers 80% of the bill. A 50/50 co-payment is common for major procedures such as crowns and bridges. Approximately 68 percent of Canadians receive some form of dental care through public and private insurance plans, which means one person in three has no dental insurance.
As an example, an insurance plan may re-reimburse 80% of a specific dental procedure. If the provincial Fee Guide suggests the procedure is $100, the insurance plan will re-reimburse a maximum of $80. If the dentist charges $120 for the procedure, the insurance plan will only reimburse $80.
Dental Fee Guides are typically not available for public viewing; they are developed by the provincial dental association/society and distributed to dentists and insurance companies.
Alberta is the only province to publish its General Dentist Fee Guide for public consumption. Dental costs in Alberta are currently the highest in Canada. In 2018, in an attempt to bring dental fees more in line with other provinces, the Alberta Dental Association and College introduced Alberta's first dental fee guide in 20 years. There is an expectation that a public dental fee guide will increase transparency, which encourages competition, which in turn will reduce the cost of dentistry to the public.
Alberta Dental Association and College Guide for Dental Fees for General Dentists January 2019
British Columbia publishes an abbreviated Fee Guide; a full copy of the Fee Guide can be found in public libraries.
British Columbia 2019 Abbreviated General Practitioner's Suggested Fee Guide
Nova Scotia publishes an abbreviated Fee Guide.
Nova Scotia 2019 Abbreviated Fee Guide
In Ontario the Fee Guide is not available on the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) website. However, copies of the Fee Guide have been placed in the reference section of many public libraries so that members of the public can access the document. Below are a sampled of suggested fees from the ODA Fee Guide.
Ontario_Dental_Association_Sample_Fees_-_2019.docx
The Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) have established fees for dental services; below is a copy of MCCSS Schedule of Dental Services and Fees January 2019.
2019_january_mccss_dental_schedule_final_january_2019_current.pdf
In New Brunswick the public can order a copy of the dental fee guide for $500.
NBDS Fee Guide Order Form
Comparative 2019 Sample Fees between BC, AL, NS and ON are shown in the document below.
comparative_2019_sample_fees_for_general_dentists_-_bc_al_ns_on.docx
How any Provincial Fee Guide suggested fee for a dental procedure is developed is indeed a mystery. Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) general dentists have a median take home salary of approximately $200K/year (salary does not include pension, benefits and vacation); the salary and benefits reflects the requirement to be competitive with civilian dental income in order to retain dentists in the CAF. It is reasonable to conclude that the annual income of a typical dentist who owns or is a partner in a private practice would be well in excess of $200K/year after expenses.
According to Statistics Canada the national household median income was $70,336 in 2015, and in New Brunswick, the median was $59,347; New Brunswick has the lowest median household income for all provinces and territories. Clearly dentists in New Brunswick are in the top 1% of income earners; at the very least the NBDS should publicly release their Fee Guide.