Financial assistance programs for oral health services

To qualify for Healthy Smiles Ontario-Emergency and Essential Services (HSO-EESS), the child or youth must:

• be 17 years old and under
• have a clinical need
• be able to show financial hardship accessing dental services. 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?

Children receiving emergency and/or essential care are covered for 6 months from their date of enrollment. They must re-apply at the end of 6 months to determine if they’re still eligible. Please note, the child is allowed a maximum of 3 enrollments into the HSO-EESS during their lifetime.

For those who qualify, treatment services are offered to children and youth who have:

• tooth pain
• large cavities
• infections
• a tooth that needs to be pulled (emergency extractions)

For more information, please contact our children’s dental program.

Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO) (Ministry of Health) is a program for children 17 and under who do not have access to any form of dental coverage. If they are eligible, children get regular dental services at no cost to their families. The program covers regular visits to a dentist or dental hygienist. It covers a full range of services including check-ups, cleaning, fillings, removal of teeth, and x-rays. Cosmetic dental treatment and braces are not covered under HSO.

There are three streams to HSO:

     1. HSO-Core (HSO-Core)

     2. HSO-Emergency and Essential Services (HSO-EESS)

     3. HSO-Preventive Services Only (HSO-PSO) 

1. HSO-Core
To qualify for HSO-Core, the child or youth:

• must be 17 years old and under
• must be a resident of Ontario
• must be a member of a household that meets the income eligibility requirements (Ministry of Health)

Applying for HSO-Core:

• You must fill out and submit an application form (Ministry of Health) to see if you qualify.
• Our staff can help make sure you have properly completed the form and have all the supporting documents needed to apply. Please contact our children’s dental program.

2. HSO- Emergency and Essential Services (HSO-EESS)
See emergency dental care for children

3. HSO-Preventive Services Only (HSO-PSO)

HSO-PSO provides preventive services to children and youth 17 years old and under. Services include cleanings, polishing, fluoride applications, dental sealants, and pit and fissure sealants. Services are provided onsite at Public Health.

To qualify for HSO-PSO, the child or youth:

• must be 17 years old and under
• must be a resident of Ontario
• must be in receipt of Ontario Child Benefit to quality

Applying for HSO-PSO:

Please contact our children’s dental program for more information.

The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program is for seniors 65 years of age and older who do not have access to any form of dental coverage. It covers a full range of services including check-ups, cleanings, fillings, and x-rays.

See if you qualify for basic dental services for seniors.

The new Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) provides coverage for dental expenses for eligible Canadian residents who have an annual adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 and no access to dental insurance. Applications will open in phases, beginning with seniors. More details are available through the Government of Canada’s eligibility page for the Canadian Dental Care Plan – Canada.ca.