Coverage: Ontario Works Dental

Maria looked away. Her smile was gone. But at least the infection was too.

The clinic was one of three in Hamilton that still accepted OW patients. She’d called 14 others. Not taking new patients. Not taking social assistance. The reimbursement is too low. When she finally got through here, the receptionist’s voice was clipped: “Emergency extractions only. No fillings. No root canals.”

“Maria Torres?” The dentist, a young woman with tired eyes, waved her in. ontario works dental coverage

Her son, Leo, aged seven, swung his legs on the plastic chair beside her. “Mom, does it hurt?”

She nodded, tears prickling—from pain or defeat, she wasn’t sure. On the bus home, she saw a billboard for a private dental clinic: Smile with confidence. Payment plans available. Maria looked away

Ontario Works had kept her housed and fed. But it couldn’t save her teeth. And without teeth, she wondered how many employers would ever hire her to wash dishes, answer phones, or smile at customers again.

Maria thought of Leo’s lunch—soft bread, yogurt, soup. She hadn’t bitten into an apple in months. She thought of job interviews, how she covered her mouth when she laughed. The clinic was one of three in Hamilton

Maria knew what that meant. The molar wasn’t just aching; it was cracked. A filling would cost $200. A root canal, $1,200. An extraction under OW? Free.