The Best Dental Insurance Plans in Canada, Ranked (2025)
The top dental insurance providers in Canada, ranked
To make our top picks for dental insurance providers in Canada, we analyzed health and dental insurance plans from 9 insurance companies, including both standalone dental insurance plans and health insurance plans with significant dental insurance coverage. From these insurers, four stood out as some of the best options for Canadians in search of comprehensive and affordable dental insurance:
- Best overall for dental insurance: PolicyMe
- Best for cheap standalone dental insurance: GreenShield
- Best for enhanced dental insurance: Manulife
- Best for customizable health and dental insurance: GMS
- Runners up: Canada Life, Sun Life
How dental insurance works in Canada
Under Canada’s healthcare system, Canadians can get coverage for dental services through five channels:
- The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP): The federal CDCP offers partial coverage for basic, preventive, restorative, and major dental care for eligible low-income Canadians.
- Provincial health insurance: Most provincial healthcare plans cover very limited dental care—typically only medically necessary dental surgeries performed in hospitals.
- Government programs for special groups: In many provinces, supplemental government programs may subsidize the cost of some dental care for select groups, such as children, seniors, people with certain disabilities, or low-income residents.
- Group insurance plans: Workplace benefits often include dental insurance, which may cover routine preventive care like checkups and X-rays, as well as restorative services such as fillings.
- Private health and dental insurance: Like group insurance plans, private dental insurance purchased as a standalone policy or as part of a health insurance plan may cover a wide range of dental services, from basic care to major services, orthodontics, and more.
Most middle- and high-income Canadian adults need private dental insurance to cover routine services, either through their employer or through an individual plan. However, everyone’s dental needs are different.
When evaluating whether you need private dental insurance—or trying to pick a dental insurance plan—take stock of the types of dental care you use regularly, as well as any major services you expect to need in the coming years. While routine preventive dental care is included in all private dental plans, you may need to select a higher level of coverage to get reimbursement for your real expenses.
Not sure where to start? The table below defines the key categories of dental care, whether they’re covered by public healthcare, and how likely they are to be included in an average private dental insurance plan.
The best standalone dental insurance plans in Canada
If you’re in search of a standalone dental plan that won’t require you to pay extra for health insurance you don’t need, three Canadian insurers offer competitive dental plans worth your consideration.
1. Dental Care from PolicyMe
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 21–44 in Ontario
The plan: Generous coverage for standard dental care and unexpected major costs at a competitive price
- Preventive services: 80% reimbursement
- Restorative services: 80% reimbursement
- Comprehensive services: 60% reimbursement
- Major services: 50% reimbursement (year 3+)
- Annual maximum: $750 (year 1), $900 (year 2+)
- Emergency dental: $10,000/year
Why we think it’s the best: For Canadians who want generous coverage for dental services but don’t want to pay extra for medical coverage they won’t use, PolicyMe’s Dental Care offers the highest mix of coverage, affordability, and customer service of any standalone dental policy in Canada.
2. ZONE 2 (Primary) from GreenShield
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 18–44 in Ontario
The plan: Basic dental coverage at a competitive price
- Preventive services: 80% reimbursement
- Restorative services: 80% reimbursement
- Comprehensive services: 50% reimbursement (year 1), 70% (year 2), 80% (year 3+)
- Annual maximum: $500 (year 1), $650 (year 2), $800 (year 3+)
- Emergency dental: $5,000/year
Why it made our list: GreenShield’s bare-bones ZONE 2 (Primary) plan offers some of the lowest premiums in Canada for basic dental coverage. You won’t get coverage for major services and significant waiting periods apply to get the most out of this plan, but if you’re just in need of standard dental services, it’s hard to beat for bottom-line value.
3. ZONE 3 (Basic) from GreenShield
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 18–44 in Ontario
The plan: Generous coverage for basic dental care with moderate support for bigger expenses
- Preventive services: 80% reimbursement
- Restorative services: 80% reimbursement
- Comprehensive services: 80% reimbursement
- Major services: 50% reimbursement (year 3+)
- Annual maximum: $600 (year 1), $800 (year 2), $1,000 (year 3+)
- Emergency dental: $5,000/year
Why it made our list: GreenShield’s ZONE 3 plan is a lot like its ZONE 2 option, but with more coverage (and slightly higher premiums to match). It’s still one of the most affordable dental plans in Canada, but it includes coverage for major dental services. However, it lags behind PolicyMe’s Dental Care plan for emergency dental coverage as well as overall customer service.
4. DentalPlus Enhanced from Manulife
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 18–44 in Ontario
The plan: Comprehensive coverage of all dental services, subject to a complex system of reimbursement, waiting periods, and annual maximums
- Preventive services: 70% reimbursement of first $1,200 (year 1), 100% of first $500 and $60 of next $700 (year 2+)
- Restorative services: 70% reimbursement of first $1,200 (year 1), 100% of first $500 and $60 of next $700 (year 2+)
- Comprehensive services: 60% reimbursement (year 2+), 80% reimbursement (year 3+)
- Major services: 60% reimbursement (year 2+); 80% reimbursement for oral surgery (year 3+)
- Orthodontic services: 60% reimbursement (year 2+)
- Annual maximum: $840/year (year 1: Preventive and restorative services only), $920/year (year 2+: Preventive and restorative services only), $1,250/3 years (year 2+: Comprehensive, major, and orthodontic services only)
- Emergency dental: $2,000/year
Why it made our list: Manulife’s DentalPlus Enhanced plan is expensive—so expensive that it scored a 0 out of 5 in our Value for Money analysis. But for Canadians with a larger healthcare budget who need extensive dental work, including orthodontic services, the high price may ultimately be worth it. It’s the only standalone dental plan that includes coverage for orthodontics, and its generous reimbursement rates for some major services could offer real value to Canadians suffering from dental problems.
The best health insurance plans for dental coverage in Canada
Dental insurance comes as a standard feature of many private health insurance plans in Canada. For Canadians in search of policies that offer both types of coverage, we’ve picked the health insurance plans with the best dental benefits.
1. Guaranteed Issue Advanced from PolicyMe
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 21-44 in Ontario
The plan: Extensive coverage for all dental services with short waiting periods and generous health benefits
- Preventive services: 90% reimbursement
- Restorative services: 90% reimbursement
- Comprehensive services: 80% reimbursement
- Major services: 60% reimbursement (year 2+)
- Orthodontic services: 60% reimbursement (year 2+, subject to $2,500 lifetime maximum)
- Annual maximums: $800 (year 1), $1,200 (year 2+)
- Emergency dental: $10,000/year
Why we think it’s the best: The Guaranteed Issue Advanced plan hits all five dental insurance coverage areas with higher reimbursement rates than close competitors like Sun Life. You’ll also get best-in-class emergency dental benefits and extensive health insurance—all without a medical exam and for well below what competitors charge.
2. Personal Health Insurance Enhanced Plan with Dental from Sun Life
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 18–44 in Ontario.
The plan: Generous dental coverage at a premium price
- Preventive services: 80% reimbursement
- Restorative services: 80% reimbursement
- Comprehensive services: 50% reimbursement
- Major services: 50% reimbursement
- Orthodontic services: 60% (year 2+, subject to $1,500 lifetime maximum)
- Annual maximums: $750 (preventive and restorative), $500 (comprehensive and major)
- Emergency dental: $2,000/injury
Sun Life sorts dental services into two categories: “preventive,” which includes preventive and restorative services such as cleanings and fillings, and “restorative,” which includes comprehensive and major services such as endodontics, oral surgery, crowns, and bridges.
Why it made our list: Dental care is an optional benefit for Sun Life’s comprehensive Personal Health Insurance Enhanced Plan. It’s not the cheapest on the market and requires a medical questionnaire, which may disqualify Canadians with certain pre-existing conditions—but it offers competitive coverage, especially for families in need of orthodontic treatment.
3. Freedom to Choose Select Elite from Canada Life
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 18–44 in Ontario
The plan: Extensive dental insurance with short waiting periods and generous health coverage
- Preventive services: 80% reimbursement
- Restorative services: 80% reimbursement
- Comprehensive services: 80% reimbursement
- Major services: 50% reimbursement
- Annual maximums: $1,000 (preventive, restorative, comprehensive), $750 (major)
- Emergency dental: Unlimited
Why it made our list: Dental coverage is actually optional on Canada Life’s Freedom to Choose Select Elite, but if you choose to include it, you’ll be getting some of the most comprehensive coverage on offer from a Canadian health plan. Major exclusions include orthodontics.
4. OmniPlan with Dental Care from GMS
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 18–44 in Ontario
The plan: Optional add-on coverage for basic and major dental services available with three levels of health insurance coverage
- Preventive services: 75% reimbursement (year 1), 80% reimbursement (year 2+)
- Restorative services: 75% reimbursement (year 1), 80% reimbursement (year 2+)
- Comprehensive services: 75% reimbursement (year 1), 80% reimbursement (year 2+)
- Major services: 50% reimbursement (year 2+)
- Annual maximums: $500 (year 1: basic services only), $750 (year 2), $1,000 (year 3+)
- Emergency dental: $5,000/injury
Why it made our list: GMS’s three individual health insurance plans—the BasicPlan, ExtendaPlan, and OmniPlan—stand out in a crowded marketplace for their customizable coverage options. If you want to mix and match add-ons and tailor your coverage closely to your unique needs, these plans may be worth consideration.
How much does dental insurance cost in Canada?
The cost of dental insurance in Canada depends on the plan you select as well as your age and province. For residents of Ontario, for instance, our picks above range from premiums as low as $88/month to $240/month for adults up to age 44.
It’s important to weigh the cost of dental coverage against the cost of not having it. According to Statistics Canada, Canadian households spent an average of $541 in out-of-pocket dental expenses not covered by public or private healthcare in 2023. What’s more, PolicyMe’s 2025 Healthcare Access and Affordability Study found that 29% of Canadians paid over $1,000 out of pocket in the past 12 months for health/dental services.
And that’s only taking into consideration the dental services that Canadians did pay for. PolicyMe also found that dental care is the most commonly delayed healthcare service in Canada, with 35% of people saying they’ve put off or skipped getting care due to the high cost of services.
Take a minute to add up the total amount you’ve spent on dental care—from routine cleanings to fillings, extractions, or major work—in the past 12 months. Divide that total by 12 and compare it to the monthly cost of a dental plan from PolicyMe in your province.
* Average monthly premium for adults aged 21-44
Is dental insurance worth it in Canada?
It’s worth buying private dental insurance in Canada if the cost of dental coverage would be less than the amount you regularly spend out of pocket on dental work that’s not covered by your provincial health plan or group benefits.
For most adults in Canada, dental services aren’t covered by public health insurance. And for those without access to workplace benefits—such as single self-employed or retired Canadians—there’s no other way to get coverage for these procedures.
Skipping dental care isn’t a safe option. According to Statistics Canada, 15.4% of Canadian adults aged 18 to 34 describe their oral health as “fair or poor.” What’s more, 22% say they have persistent or ongoing mouth pain, and 13.9% say they sometimes avoid eating particular foods due to problems with their mouth in the last 12 months. Not only can untreated dental issues cause problems on their own—from bad breath to pain and difficulty eating—but persistent neglect of oral health can contribute to physical health problems like cardiovascular disease.
The bottom line: If you don’t have access to free dental benefits through your provincial health plan or a group plan, the cost of private dental insurance is likely worth it—even if it only covers routine exams and cleanings.
How to choose the best dental insurance for you
Not sure how to sort through all the details and find the plan that actually meets your needs? Follow the steps below to identify the dental insurance with the most coverage you need (and the least coverage you won’t use):
- Determine your coverage needs: What type of dental services do you already use, and which do you plan to use in the future? If you just want coverage for routine checkups and preventive care, your needs will look different from a family with teens in need of braces or seniors in need of dentures.
- Add up your current spending: Take stock of all the dental bills you’ve paid out of pocket in the past 12 months. Divide that number by 12 to get your average current monthly out-of-pocket dental spending — that is, the cost of dental services not covered by your current insurance coverage.
- Get estimates for any anticipated major services: If you’re in search of dental insurance to help cover the cost of major services you’re expecting to need, try to get an estimate for the cost of those services. Add that estimate to your out-of-pocket spending total and divide again to calculate your expected monthly spending.
- Request dental insurance quotes: Once you understand your coverage needs and ongoing and anticipated costs, it’s time to request quotes for dental insurance plans that match your unique insurance profile.
- Calculate your potential savings: Compare the monthly premiums you’re quoted to the monthly spending total you estimated earlier. If you’re spending less than $75/month on dental care, you likely won’t save money by purchasing dental insurance. But if your costs (including anticipated costs) exceed the quotes you receive from dental insurers, you may save money by investing in coverage.
We’re focused on dental insurance in this article, but dental insurance plans in Canada come with some level of health benefit as well. Consider whether you’d use these benefits and how much value they represent to you when selecting a dental plan.
FAQ: Best dental insurance in Canada
Prices listed on this page are based on information available as of October 2025. The prices shown are for general reference only and may vary based on factors like your age, location, and product selection.