WARNING! Canadian dental school costs posted online are wildly inaccurate. Almost all the sites, including many of the individual Canadian dental school websites, state only the dental school tuition. Amongst all university programs, dentistry programs are unique in that in addition to tuition you must purchase costly mandatory instruments, books, and supplies from the university directly. These additional costs make a dentistry degree the most expensive university degree and must be considered as “tuition” since it is part of the fees paid to the university, hence in our analysis below we have included these costs.
The cost of dental schools in Canada is an important factor in deciding which dental school you attend. We’ve compiled the most up-to-date information on the total cost you can expect to pay for each of the 10 dental schools in Canada. If you would like to skip to a specific part of this guide you can click any of the links below:
- Domestic Dental School Tuition Fees for In-Province Students
- Domestic Dental School Tuition Fees for Out-of-Province Students
- Dental School Tuition Fees for International Students
- Living Expenses
Domestic Dental School Tuition Fees for In-Province Students
For Canadian residents living in the same province as the dental school, the table below summarizes the tuition costs. The tuition stated includes all the mandatory dental school costs of the program including tuition, instruments, books, fees, and supplies.
The 3 dental schools in Quebec charge a higher tuition to non-Quebec Canadian residents.
| University | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Total Tuition Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | $49k | $48k | $44k | $42k | $183k |
| University of Western Ontario | $52k | $54k | $41k | $38k | $185k |
| University of Alberta | $42k | $44k | $44k | $42k | $172k |
| University of Manitoba | $45k | $41k | $32k | $29k | $147k |
| University of British Columbia | $59k | $58k | $58k | $58k | $233k |
| McGill University | $8k | $27k | $13k | $9k | $57k |
| Dalhousie University | $55k | $46k | $39k | $40k | $180k |
| University of Saskatchewan | $52k | $50k | $45k | $46k | $193k |
| Université de Montréal* | $16k | $14k | $13k | $13k | $60k |
| Université Laval | $21k | $24k | $12k | $3k | $60k |
Domestic Dental School Tuition Fees for Out-of-Province Students
The table below summarizes the tuition costs for Canadian residents not residing in the province of Quebec. The tuition stated includes all the mandatory dental school costs of the program including tuition, instruments, books, fees, and supplies.
| University | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Total Tuition Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McGill University | $20k | $38k | $23k | $17k | $98k |
| Université de Montréal | $24k* | $22k* | $20k* | $24k* | $90k* |
| Université Laval | $32k | $35k | $22k | $10k | $99k |
All the non-Quebec dental schools in Canada charge the same tuition to all Canadian residents.
Dental School Tuition Fees for International Students
The table below summarizes the dental school tuition costs for international students studying in a dental school in Canada. The tuition stated includes all the mandatory dental school costs of the program including tuition, instruments, books, fees, and supplies.
| University | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Total Tuition Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | $106k | $105k | $101k | $99k | $411k |
| University of Western Ontario | $105k | $104k | $87k | $63k | $359k |
| University of Alberta | $111k | $113k | $113k | $113k | $450k |
| University of Manitoba | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| University of British Columbia | $119k | $119k | $119k | $119k | $476k |
| McGill University | $47k | $60k | $45k | $31k | $183k |
| Dalhousie University | $80k | $72k | $65k | $65k | $282k |
| University of Saskatchewan | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Université de Montréal | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Université Laval | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Living Expenses
In addition to tuition fees, it is important to take into consideration the cost of living in the various cities these universities are located in.
| University | Monthly Living Expenses Without Rent | Monthly Rent for 1 Bedroom Apartment | Total Living Expenses for all Years of Study |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | $1.2k | $2k | $154k |
| University of Western Ontario | $1.1k | $1.3k | $115k |
| University of Alberta | $1.2k | $1.2k | $115k |
| University of Manitoba | $1.1k | $1k | $101k |
| University of British Columbia | $1.2k | $2k | $128k |
| McGill University | $1.1k | $1.3k | $115k |
| Dalhousie University | $1.2k | $1.4k | $94k |
| University of Saskatchewan | $1.2k | $1.2k | $84k |
| Université de Montréal | $1.1k | $1.3k | $139k |
| Université Laval | $1k | $1k | $96k |
Dental school tuition cost should only be one aspect of determining which school you apply to. The other key factors in determining which dental school you want to apply to are admission statistics, rankings, and prerequisites and dental school requirements. Additionally, click here for information regarding the dental school costs in the USA and medical school costs in Canada.
FAQ on Dental School Costs in Canada
How much does dental school cost in Canada?
In Canada, for Canadian residents, the total dental school tuition for the 4 years of the program ranges from $60,000 to $233,000 depending on the school. For an international student, the total tuition ranges from $183,000 to $476,000. The tuition stated includes all the mandatory dental school costs of the program: tuition, instruments, books, fees, and supplies.
Is Dental School 3 or 4 years?
In Canada, 9 of the 10 dental schools are 4 years. The Dental Program at Université Montreal is 5 years long.
Is dental school more expensive than medical school?
Dental Schools in Canada are about 50% more expensive than medical schools. A dentistry degree is the most expensive degree in university because of the high mandatory costs of the instruments and supplies that students must purchase in order to train.
I am from Cameroon, I will like to know whether I can continue in Manitoba dental university for my master’s degree
Hi Fonban. Most likely this will not be possible as your dental degree is most likely not equivalent to a Canadian degree. However, please check with the University of Manitoba directly to get further information.
Hi i’m Demilade, please i just wanted to ask which universities i would be able to do Dental school in, i’m studying in the U.S. currently and i would like to come to canada, please do you have know about the equivalence between the U.s Dental admission Test and the Canadian Dental admission test.
Hi Demilade. Take a look at our page entitled requirements for dental schools in Canada! It details which schools accept the American DAT. Best of luck
Dalhousie has 10 spots for American students.