Dental services
Dentists and denturists participating in the public plan render certain covered services. This is also the case for dental hygienists who work independently. Children under age 10 and recipients of a financial assistance program with claim slip (carnet de réclamation) may receive several services at no cost. To receive these covered services, you have to present your valid Health Insurance Card and, if applicable, your valid claim slip (carnet de réclamation).
Services covered for everyone
At hospitals, health insurance covers certain oral surgery services. Examinations, local or general anesthesia and x-rays related to a surgery are also covered. However, you have to pay for tooth and root extractions, except in the case of children under age 10 or if you are a recipient of a financial assistance program with claim slip (carnet de réclamation).
Examples of covered oral surgery services
- Removal of a cyst or tumour
- Drainage of an abscess
- Reduction of a fracture
- Repair of a soft tissue laceration (cheek, tongue or palate, for example)
- Treatment of bone tissue inflammation (osteitis)
- Treatment of the temporomandibular joint (which connects the jawbone to the skull)
- Treatment of salivary glands
Examples of services covered for children under age 10
Children under age 10 receive the following services free of charge when the services are rendered by a dentist at a dental clinic or hospital:
- Annual examination and emergency examination
- X-rays
- Local or general anesthesia
- Grey amalgam fillings on the premolar and molar teeth
- Fillings using esthetic materials in certain cases
- Tooth and root extractions
- Endodontics, including root canal treatment, apexification, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, emergency opening of the pulp chamber and sedative dressings
N.B.: Pulpotomy and pulpectomy are covered only for the primary teeth. For the permanent teeth, pulpotomy is covered only under general anesthesia - Prefabricated crowns
- The oral surgery services covered for all
Examples of services not covered for children under age 10
- Cleaning
- Scaling
- Fluoride application
- Pit and fissure sealing
- Orthodontics (fitting of braces, palatal expansion or space maintainer, for example)
Services covered for recipients of a financial assistance program with claim slip (carnet de réclamation)
The Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MESS) determines the conditions for entitlement to covered services in the case of recipients of a financial assistance program with claim slip (carnet de réclamation) and their dependants. Covered services are rendered at dental clinics and hospitals.
To qualify for covered services, you must present your valid Health Insurance Card valid claim slip (carnet de réclamation) to your dentist or denturist participating in the public plan. Certain services related to prostheses (dentures) also require prior authorization from the MESS. If you have any questions regarding covered services, contact the MESS (in French only).
If you have been a recipient of a financial assistance program with claim slip (carnet de réclamation) for under 12 consecutive months, you qualify for the following services free of charge, but in the event of an emergency only:
- Alveolitis (infection of the cavity remaining after a tooth has been extracted)
- Hemorrhage control
- Drainage of an abscess
- Tooth and root extractions
- Immobilisation of a tooth loosened by trauma
- Opening of the pulp chamber (internal part of a tooth)
- Reduction of an alveolar fracture
- Re-implantation of a completely exfoliated (uprooted) tooth
- Repair of a soft tissue laceration (cheek, tongue or palate, for example)
You will have to pay the cost of any services received before the start date of your eligibility for covered dental services.
If you have been a recipient for at least 12 consecutive months, you qualify for the following services:
- Annual examination and emergency examination
- X-rays
- Local or general anesthesia
- Scaling, from age 16
- Grey amalgam fillings on the premolar and molar teeth
- Fillings using esthetic materials in certain cases
- Tooth and root extractions
- Endodontics, including pulpotomy, pulpectomy, emergency opening of the pulp chamber and sedative dressings
N.B.: Pulpotomy and pulpectomy are covered only for the primary teeth. For the permanent teeth, pulpotomy is covered only under general anesthesia - Prefabricated crowns
- The oral surgery services covered for all
Dependent children
Your children are eligible for the following free of charge:
- Application of fluoride, age 12 to 15 inclusive
- Cleaning of teeth and teaching hygiene procedures, from age 12
- Scaling, from age 16
- Root canal treatment and apexification on permanent teeth, before age 13
If you have been a recipient for 24 or more consecutive months, in addition to the dental services for which you qualified when you started receiving benefits, you are eligible for the following services related to acrylic dental prostheses (dentures):
- Manufacture of a complete or partial acrylic prosthesis and replacement after 8 years
- Re-coating every 5 years, but after a minimum of 3 months after obtaining the prosthesis
- Replacement of lost or damaged prostheses (non-repairable), covered at 50%
- Replacement of prostheses following oral surgery
- Repair of prostheses
- Addition of a structure to an existing partial prosthesis
To receive these services, you must obtain prior written authorization from your local employment centre and present it to your dentist or denturist.
The Health Insurance Plan does not cover prostheses on implants and vitallium metal dentures. To find out more, refer to the page Dental care and dentures on Québec.ca website.
Program Respecting Certain Services Provided by Dental Hygienists
The Program Respecting Certain Services Provided by Dental Hygienists came into force on June 1, 2023. Under certain conditions, you may obtain covered services from dental hygienists who practise independently and who have signed an agreement with RAMQ. You can receive these services in the office, in a mobile clinic or at home.
If you are a recipient of a financial assistance program with a valid claim slip (carnet de réclamation) for at least 12 consecutive months, you qualify for the following services free of charge, once per 12-month period:
Persons 12 years of age or over
- Teaching and demonstration of oral hygiene measures
- Dental cleaning
Persons 16 years of age or over
- Scaling
Persons 12 to 15 years of age
- Application of fluoride
You may obtain a free sedative dressing once on a single tooth in a 180-day period if you are:
- a person under 10 years of age
- a person 10 years or over, recipient of a financial assistance program with a valid claim slip (carnet de réclamation) for at least 12 consecutive months
You may obtain a free evaluation of oral condition once per 12-month period if you are:
- a person under 10 years of age
- a person 10 years or over, recipient of a financial assistance program with a valid claim slip (carnet de réclamation) for at least 12 consecutive months
Examples of non-covered and billable services
You have to pay for the following services, regardless of your age, situation or the location where you receive them:
- Apectomy
- Whitening
- Veneers
- Dental implants
- Orthodontics (fitting of braces, palate expansion or space maintainer, for example)
- Periodontics (root planing, gum grafts or periodontal surgery, for example)
- Recementing of crowns other than prefabricated
- Pit and fissure sealants
Frequently asked questions
No. The services of dental hygienists who are employed by a dentist in office are not covered by RAMQ. If you meet the eligibility requirements, however, you may be able to obtain covered services under the Program Respecting Certain Services Provided by Dental Hygienists.
You can file a complaint with the Ordre des dentistes du Québec.
- By mail
Bureau du syndic
Ordre des dentistes du Québec
800, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, bureau 1640
Montréal (Québec) H3B 1X9
- By telephone
514 875-8511, ext. 2270 (Montréal)
1 800 361-4887 (toll free)
If the situation is one where laws were not observed, refer to the webpage Report wrongdoing (a person or situation). To file a complaint regarding a service provided by RAMQ, SAAQ or a CLSC, use the form File a complaint on the quality of services.
If you lose or damage your prosthesis before the end of the 8-year period, you may be eligible for financial assistance. Consult your local employment centre to learn how to obtain the prior authorization needed.
You are not eligible for covered services during the waiting period. All services received before your eligibility date as covered dental services are at your expense. When you become eligible, we will cover the dental costs to which you are entitled.
No. Orthodontic services are not covered, regardless of the reason for which the treatment is required. The same rule applies to everyone. We therefore cannot reimburse the costs that you may be billed for these services.