Hi my fellow dental professionals! With the digital technologies come into play in the dentistry, sending lab cases to overseas becomes easier than ever. I would like to know the popular opinion about outsourcing the lab works to other countries. In my opinion, sending lab cases overseas will slowly kill our lab capability and end up being dependent on foreign labs and technicians.
Im a dental associate working in Ontario.
The clinic I worked at didn’t pay me my last paycheque. They terminated me and didn’t even let me finish my cases. I was in the middle of crowns and root canals, and wasn’t allowed to finish my cases. I want to know my options. They also didn’t send me my reports which show my production. I emailed the clinic telling them I need to get paid but they replied saying they aren’t going to pay me and won’t send me my reports and also accused me of poor work and deleting patient records (not being specific and this was my first time hearing of this).
What do I do? I think I’m owed at least 10K if not more.
We are currently evaluating our operational overhead expenses across our three group practices in Ontario. One of our highest recurring tech expenses is repairing or replacing broken imaging equipment that gets dropped by busy assistants.
Every dental xray sensor we own seems to have a different vulnerability point, whether it is the cable connection or the internal housing casing. We are trying to figure out if it makes more sense to buy premium ruggedized hardware or stick with budget options that are cheap to replace.
The feedback from our clinical teams is mixed, with some preferring lightweight designs and others wanting pure drop protection. I would love to hear how other multi-operatory clinics balance initial capital costs against long-term operational durability.
Hi everyone,
I’m based in Vancouver and have been considering becoming a Dental Assistant, but I’m hesitant because the course is quite expensive.
Just to clarify, I’m not a dentist or an internationally trained dentist—I have a healthcare background, but I’m looking to transition into dental assisting.
I was wondering:
Has anyone here managed to get hired as a Dental Assistant without completing a formal Dental Assistant course? If yes, how did you land the job? Did a clinic train you on the job, or did you have previous healthcare experience that helped?
If you completed a Dental Assistant program, do you feel it was worth the investment? Were you able to find a job fairly quickly after graduating?
How difficult was it to get grants, bursaries, or other financial aid in BC? Did they cover a good portion of the tuition, or did you end up paying most of it yourself?
Would you recommend taking the course, or is it realistic to keep applying to clinics that might be willing to train someone with a healthcare background?
I’d especially like to hear from people in Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, or elsewhere in the Lower Mainland who have gone through this recently.
Thanks so much! I’m just trying to decide whether investing thousands of dollars in the course is the right move or if there are other ways to break into the field.
As the title says: (Canada) Do I go and get a third dentists opinion and change dental offices again?
Two completely different dentists knowingly and purposely were/are too eager to want to pull out very back molars, they are strongly convinced they are wisdom teeth (I had them taken out years ago by another dentist where I'm originally from in the country). Unfortunately I don't have the x-rays.
I hope this makes some kind of sense because both of the
Could someone kindly please explain to me why some dentists are so strongly convinced about some teeth looking like wisdom teeth when they clearly are not.
Before anyone asks. Yes both dentists looked at the most update x-rays. But still feel extremely uncomfortable about how both dentists were staring at the x-rays (on decent sized screens, could see everything), looked at my teeth, was convinced very back molars "had to be wisdom teeth and have to come out."
The first dentist refused to listen and kept trying to convince me "No no, those are wisdom teeth, not regular teeth. They need to come out." Staring right at the x-ray blown up on the huge screen, they barely looked at my teeth as it is.
The second dentist at another dental office at first wasn't hearing me but towards the end they finally did. They said how I (snuggle) was right they are not wisdom teeth, they are your back molars. How your back molars are shaped they look like wisdom teeth and got mistaken as them. The whole time they were looking at x-rays and even the scan (for night guards, etc). The dentist went on to explain about why we had wisdom teeth and why we don't need them.
Both of the places I have left thinking "What the heck is going on?! They both automatically jumped to conclusions." Reason why I'm saying this is because I've had dentists in the past before the recent two. In the past with other dentists they have always been thorough in not mistaking other teeth for wisdom teeth, also asking questions while working with the patients, and clear communication so everyone understand what is going on.
If you got this far. Thank you taking the time to read this post, it's much appreciated.
I have 100% coverage by CDCP. They told me that both visits for X-Ray and cleaning are free of charge. However in the second visit, they said that it would take two sessions to clean all teeth since I gad not seen a dentist for many years. They said that I would need to copay $50 (original cost $150) after cleaning half of my teeth. Is this normal and reasonable?
My husband is 40, and has a lot of decay from a troubled childhood. He recently went to the dentist and was told that he needed all new molars, and that the enamel on the rest of his teeth is pretty much gone. He was told this would cost approximately $50,000. This is for all new implants in his molars and either a bridge or veneers. He has extended dental but it doesn’t cover implants or veneers, and at best dentures. But the dentist said he needs his teeth to prevent bone loss and dentures are not the answer.
I am wondering how someone can afford this? We have 4 kids, and he cannot afford to lose all of his teeth at such a young age.
Any help or advice?
Moroccan M25 .
So it’s been about a year since I finished my degree in the field since then I’ve been having a hard time finding an internship until i got the idea of posting in Reddit. if anyone has any tips or suggestions or any ideas that can help please feel free to guide me i would really appreciate it.
Thanks in advance.
Hi everyone
Finally put aside a decent amount to buy excellent quality loupes.
Narrowed it down to these 2 brands based on friend recommendations.
Would really appreciate any advice you may have regarding these 2 brands .
I’m currently doing my DMD degree in Australia as a dual Canadian-American citizen. My current plan is to work in Canada but ideally I’d work in the USA for the higher earning potential/take-home income.
Is there any way to be able to practice in the States in the future? Will I have to do an AED? What about GPR?
Earlier this year, I went to my dental clinic for a routine cleaning, where they found that one of my existing crowns had fractured.
The clinic told me they had checked with the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) and that a new crown would be 100% covered. Before agreeing to proceed, I specifically asked the front desk again whether the treatment would be fully covered, and they confirmed that it would.
Based on that information, I agreed to have the crown made.
However, after the crown was completed and cemented, the clinic informed me that my CDCP claim had been denied and that I would have to pay the full cost myself.
After spending hours on the phone with CDCP, I eventually learned that the real issue was an error on Box 45 of a T4 from one of my previous part-time employers. Because of that mistake, I was incorrectly shown as having employer dental coverage and my CDCP eligibility was cancelled.
As far as I know, the clinic started treatment before my coverage had actually been finalized.
Unfortunately, the financial issue isn’t even my biggest concern anymore.
The new crown immediately felt too high. The dentist adjusted it extensively on the day it was placed, but my bite still felt very wrong. I was told to “give it some time.”
Over the past two months, I’ve returned for more than 10 occlusal adjustments, but things have gradually become worse rather than better.
My current symptoms include:
I can open my mouth normally (about three finger widths).
My opening path is generally straight.
Occasionally I hear a faint grinding/sand-like sound from my right TMJ.
Almost every time I close my mouth, my jaw deviates to one side before returning to the center.
My bite feels unstable, I often don’t know where my jaw should naturally rest, and sometimes my jaw muscles become sore. At times my teeth don’t seem to fit together properly.
I’m now worried that the poorly fitting crown may have altered my bite enough to cause muscle or TMJ problems.
I have two questions:
1. Am I responsible for paying for this crown?
The clinic repeatedly told me it would be fully covered before treatment started. Can they still require me to pay after the treatment has already been completed? Has anyone dealt with a similar situation in Canada?
2. What should I do about the bite/TMJ issue?
After more than 10 bite adjustments over two months, my symptoms are getting worse instead of better.
Would it be better to see a prosthodontist, an orofacial pain/TMJ specialist, or another type of specialist?
If anyone has experienced something similar—especially after a crown changed your bite—I would really appreciate hearing what happened, whether you recovered, and what ultimately helped.
Thank you very much.
Hi everyone — I'm a supply chain professional with a background in medical devices, doing independent research on dental supply purchasing. I'm trying to understand how independent practices currently buy consumables (gloves, bibs, sterilization pouches, etc.) and what the biggest pain points are.
Not selling anything — genuinely trying to understand the problem. Would love to hear your experience, especially around cost and vendor reliability.
Looking for some career advice from practicing Canadian dentists.
I’m an internationally trained dentist currently going through the NDEB equivalency pathway. Please be kind.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pass the ACJ exam, and at this point getting a seat for the next November exam seems very unlikely. My next realistic attempt would be in May, which means another year with no guarantee of success.
I’ve always been a strong student, from dental school in my home country to the AFK exam and my ACJ preparation. Failing this exam has been difficult to process because it wasn’t something I expected.
Before starting the NDEB pathway, I had a decent corporate job in Canada. While it paid well, I genuinely didn’t enjoy the work. It was a stable career, but it was never my dream, which is why I chose to pursue dentistry instead.
I’m trying to make a practical decision rather than an emotional one. These are the options I’m considering:
1. Leave the NDEB pathway and return to my corporate career.
2. Continue preparing for the ACJ while working as a dental assistant until my next attempt, with no real back up
3. Prepare for both the ACJ and ADAT to keep advanced standing/university options open.
4. Attempt the ACJ one more time, and if I still don’t pass, transition into a 1.5-year dental hygiene program.
For those of you who are practicing dentists in Canada, what would you do in my situation? Have you seen colleagues take alternative paths that worked out well? Is there another option I’m overlooking?
I’d really appreciate honest, practical advice based on your experience in the profession. Thanks in advance.
I’m applying to Canadian Dental schools for the first time and it’s hard to find true the true cost of attending Canadian dental schools. I will be applying to UofA, Usask, UofT and Western. I’m considered in province for both UofA and Usask.
A lot of schools make it hard just to find the tuition alone, and don’t even list the extra fees, and I’ve been told there’s other hidden fees like buying loupes and weekly dental store purchases. Also I can’t seem to find out-of-province tuition for UofT or Western. If there’s any Canadian dental students that attend these schools and you wouldn’t mind sharing how much you actually pay, it would be greatly appreciated!
I’m an associate dentist and started to notice there seems to be an increase recently in practices having security cameras in waiting rooms and hallways.
I wonder the reason? Theft and property damage is the only assumption I came to.
Is this just me that has noticed this?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently a dental student in the U.S. and I’m trying to plan my finances after graduation. I’ll likely have around US$650k in student loans, so maximizing my income for the first few years is a big priority.
I’m curious what realistic new grad associate salaries are in:
* Toronto
* Milton (or other areas just outside the GTA)
* Smaller Ontario communities
I’ve heard Toronto is pretty saturated, but I’m wondering how much of a difference it actually makes.
I’m also a Canadian and was considering living about an hour from Buffalo and commuting to work in western New York after graduating from my U.S. dental school. Has anyone done something similar? Does earning in USD make the commute worthwhile compared to practicing in Ontario?
I’d love to hear:
* Your first-year income (or typical range you’ve seen)
* Production/collections percentage
* Whether you’d recommend practicing in Ontario or western New York if the goal is paying off student loans as quickly as possible.
Thanks in advance!
I’m a Canadian who graduated from a US dental school. I have about $500K CAD in student loans. Currently living in Calgary Alberta but thinking of moving to the US. Would moving to the US and earning a USD salary be the smart move for me? I’m looking at no state income tax states like Washington where I will be taxed at around 26% only. Would appreciate any insights from Canadians working in the US. Thanks!
Hi I have created this thread for people who were waitlisted to communicate and share each others stats! I’ll start
Result: Waitlisted IP/OOP: IP agpa: 4.30 DAT: 22
I have a patient who came in with a letter from Sun life telling them to find another clinic as their original dentist is no longer working with CDCP
The letter was banning the clinic and all dentists
Is anyone aware of what infractions that dental clinic did and why they would contact the patients also .
We keep good records and when something is not obvious on radiographs we always grab a picture of it . I got audited few times before and every time when we share the records sunlife pays.
Anyone aware what might trigger such ban and how to avoid it?