The Alberta Dental Foundation will be a source of funding for many organizations serving individuals in need; however, there are many government programs and services which already exist for this purpose that are under-utilized.
The Alberta Dental Foundation will make it easier for you to find the financial aid and services you need. The service providers below offer reduced-fee dental treatment services by qualified dentists to families in financial need and without access to dental insurance.
Alberta Health Services—Community Oral Health Programs
Smiles 4 Canada
Nationwide
Eligibility:
- Low income youths before their 14th birthday with orthodontic needs
- See website for application form and program information
Coverage:
- Orthodontic service
Non-Insured Health Benefits Program (NIHB)
First Nations and Inuit
Eligibility:
- All registered First Nations and Inuit persons that are residents in Canada.
Coverage:
- Routine services and comprehensive (with pre-approval) dental services. Show status registry card to a dental provider.
Mustard Seed
Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton
Eligibility:
- Children and Seniors. Must be a resident of the Mustard Seed.
Coverage:
- Contact Mustard Seed for dental services offered.
Mosaic Primary Health Network (MPCN)
Calgary
Eligibility:
- Children. Residents of Calgary living within the MPCN catchment area.
Coverage:
- Free of charge dental screenings and fluoride varnish for children age 1 to 5 years on the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. Call for monthly schedule & appointment bookings.
Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP)
Province-wide
Eligibility:
- Refugees – Individuals covered under the Supplemental Coverage – coverage length varies based on your eligible group
Coverage:
- Emergency dental care. Contact dental provider or Alberta Health Services Public Health Dental Clinics
Dental Assistant Training Program
Calgary
Eligibility:
- Adults and children who have seen their regular dental service provider within the past year.
- People with or without dental insurance
Coverage:
- Low-fee services
- Services include teeth polishing, fluoride treatment, and X-rays
- Scaling of teeth may be offered
- Services available only during some months
Dental and Optical Assistance for Seniors Program (DASP)
Province-wide
Eligibility:
- Residents of Alberta who are 65 years of age and older (Canadian citizens or landed immigrants).
- Eligibility based on income.
- Must apply if not already enrolled in the Alberta Seniors Benefit Program or Optical Assistance for Seniors Program. Call for an application or download from website.
Coverage:
- Coverage dependent upon annual income – maximum of $5,000 coverage for eligible procedures every 5 years.
- Checkups, cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals and basic dentures.
- Must pay for any amounts above the maximum amount covered by this program.
- Advise the dental provider of coverage.
About Face
Nation-wide
Its mission is to promote and enhance the emotional and mental well-being of individuals with facial differences and their families through social and peer support, information, educational programs, and public awareness. This would include facial differences such as cleft palate. Programs and services aim to encourage and empower the facial difference community, families, friends, and allies while providing educational resources and public awareness campaigns.
Eligibility
- Anyone of any age with a facial difference
Coverage:
- this organization provides support mainly in the realm of social and mental wellbeing
- programs have associated costs but are discounted with subsidies of varying amounts
- post-secondary scholarships available here
Note:
- Kids Camp in Cremona, Alberta August 26-30, 2019
- More information and registration details here
Children’s Oral Health Initiative (COHI)
First Nations and Inuit
Eligibility:
- For infants and children of First Nations Communities in Alberta.
Coverage:
- Free services including fluoride varnish, sealants, fillings and teaching about tooth brushing and flossing.
Burns Memorial Fund
Calgary
Eligibility:
- Must be under the age of 21 and lived in Calgary for at least 6 months.
- Children in low income situations with urgent or significant dental needs that are NOT covered by ACHB or private insurance.
- Application form and treatment plan needed.
- Dentist or Orthodontist must complete a pre-screening referral form (found on website)
Coverage:
- Payment or cost-sharing for dental or orthodontic treatment.
- Payments are not given for services already provided in a dental office before applying to the Burns Fund.
- Will consider up to $2,000/family within a 3-year period.
Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)
Province-wide
Eligibility:
- AISH clients and their dependants.
Coverage:
- Routine dental services and dentures.
- Show health benefit card to a dental provider.
Alberta Works: Alberta Child Health Benefit (ACHB)
Province-wide
Eligibility:
- Children under the age of 18 years (19 if attending high school) in low-income families.
- Eligibility based on income and number of eligible children in the family.
- Must apply. Call for an application or download from website.
Coverage:
- Free basic health benefits and routine dental services.
- Show benefit card to a dental provider.
Alberta Works: Alberta Adult Health Benefit (AAHB)
Province-wide
Eligibility:
- People who leave income support or AISH and have employment or Canada Pension
- Plan Disability program.
- Pregnant women.
- People with ongoing prescription drug needs.
- Eligibility also based on income.
Coverage:
- Basic services (extractions, fillings, etc.) and in some cases teeth cleaning.
- See online policy manual for details on who has what coverage.
- Client must show benefit card to dental provider.
Alberta Works
Province-wide
Eligibility:
- People and their dependants who are receiving income support (social assistance).
Coverage:
- People who cannot work are eligible for supplemental coverage (basic dental services and dentures).
- People who can work are eligible for standard coverage (limited to pain andoral infection relief, and dentures).
- The health benefits card will indicate level of coverage (standard or supplemental dental).
- Show health benefit card to a dental provider.
Foothills Medical Centre Dental Clinic
Calgary
Eligibility:
- Adults and Seniors
- People with medical, physical and/or mental health conditions.
- Referral required.
Coverage:
- There is a fee for dental services provided.
- The dental clinic will complete and submit insurance/benefit forms as required.
Alberta Children’s Hospital Dental Clinic
Calgary
Eligibility criteria:
- Children, infants and teens with medical, physical and/or mental health conditions.
- Referral letter required.
Coverage:
- There is a fee for dental services provided.
- The dental clinic will complete and submit insurance/benefit forms as required.
- Linked to Cleft Palate and Craniofacial clinic.
Community Oral Health
Calgary
Eligibility:
- Infants, children, families, adults and seniors;
- Targeted communities and groups.
Coverage:
- Preventative services only
- Varies according to client/age group
- Visit the website for details
Community Dental Clinics
NAIT Dental Clinic – Dental Assisting Program Training
ELIGIBILITY:
- Children between the ages of 7 and 17 years of age
- People with or without dental insurance
COVERAGE:
- Low-fee services
- Services include teeth polishing, fluoride treatment, and X-rays
- Some scaling of teeth may be offered
- Services available only during specific months in the program
Sheldon Chumir
Calgary
Qualified dentists provide reduced-fee dental treatment services to eligible low-income individuals or families who are without access to dental insurance.
This service provides:
- Reduced-fee dental treatment services by qualified dentists to families in financial need and without access to dental insurance;
- Check-ups, X-rays, fluoride treatment, sealants, scalings, fillings, front tooth root canals, extractions, etc.
Stollery Children’s Hospital
Northern and Central Alberta
Provides dental services for people with medical conditions, disabilities, hospital inpatients as well as the general public.
U of A School of Dentistry Patient Clinics
Edmonton
The School of Dentistry offers a full range of general and specialty dental services for the public at affordable and competitive prices.
SHINE Dental clinic
Edmonton
The SHINE (Student Health Initiative for the Needs of Edmonton) Dental Clinic is a student run organization established through the University of Alberta and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Based out of the Boyle McCauley Centre, the organization provides dental care for youth in need at no cost to patients.
Public Health – Dental Treatment Services
Calgary
This service provides:
- Reduced-fee dental treatment services by qualified dentists to families in financial need and without access to dental insurance;
- Check-ups, X-rays, fluoride treatment, sealants, scalings, fillings, front tooth root canals, extractions, etc.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Individuals and families with limited income that do not have a dental plan.
- Eligibility based on income and family size.
- Clients must apply. Download application.
- Confirmation that you don’t have a dental plan:
Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS)
Calgary
Through integrated healthcare, education and housing, CUPS and its partners will assist adults and families in Calgary living with the adversity of poverty and traumatic events to become self-sufficient.
Boyle McCauley Health Centre
Edmonton
Provide dental care 5 days per week for those:
- Who cannot access care due to health (such as mental illness, addictions)
- With social hardship (such as homelessness, literacy challenges),
- With financial hardship (such as those receiving Alberta Works, AISH), and those with a low annual income who do not have access to dental benefits.
Alex Dental Health Bus
Calgary
The Alex Dental Health Bus provides essential preventative oral health services and support primarily to children and youth at schools in identified high-need areas.
Alberta Children’s Hospital
Calgary
This service provides dental treatment to special needs children who are medically, mentally or physically challenged.