Dental fees and insurance, before you're in the chair.

The common fees

We follow the BC Dental Association's Suggested Fee Guide, the province-wide reference, updated every February. These are the common visits under the 2026 guide, effective 1 February 2026.

One unit of time is 15 minutes. A cleaning is usually one to three units, depending on how long it has been and how much there is to do. We tell you which before we start, not after.

Why the fees are published

The practice's promise is that you see every fee before anything happens. Publishing the common ones before you've even called is the first part of keeping it. It also means you can compare: dentists set their own fees, and the BCDA guide is a suggestion rather than a rule, so ask us, and ask any other office you're considering. The full list is public: BCDA 2026 Abbreviated Fee Guide for Patients (PDF).

Treatment is quoted in writing

Fillings, crowns, root canals and implants vary by tooth, by surface and by what we find. That's why nothing is quoted from a website or over the phone. After an exam, your plan comes back in plain English, with what each item is, why it matters and every fee on it, before you agree to anything. If the numbers change, the plan comes back to the screen before we continue.

Bigger plans can be staged around your budget: this year, next year, one step at a time. "Not yet" is a complete answer.

Direct billing to your insurance

Where your plan allows it, we submit the claim to your insurer directly and you cover only your portion. Bring your insurance card to the first visit and we'll go through the fine print together, before treatment, not after. Every plan is different, so the plan with your fees on it is also the moment to talk about what your insurance is likely to cover.

We also accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan. See CDCP at Tandem for who qualifies and how co-payments work.

Questions about a fee? Call (250) 545-2169, Monday to Thursday, 8:00 to 5:00, or email info@tandemdental.ca.