The rising cost of dentistry in a tariff war

September 9, 2026 Blog 0

Yes, we are going there. We might as well address the very large elephant in the room.

There will be no discussion about renaming lakes — or any other geographically significant areas. But that does not mean we can ignore the impact of the collapse in trade talks, or the tariffs…counter-tariffs…and counter-counter-tariffs that followed.

The effects will be felt across the Canadian economy, and dentistry will not be able to avoid them.

In truth, the dental world has already been feeling the pressure. Supply and equipment costs, which were pushed higher by the supply-chain disruptions of COVID, are now facing even more stress.

Dental supply costs in Canada are estimated to have increased by approximately 6% over the past 12 months — about three times the general rate of inflation. If your practice spent $150,000 on supplies last year, buying the same volume could now cost you an additional $9,000.¹

By contrast, the average increase in provincial fee guides across Canada was 3.46%.² Bear in mind, this is an average number and increases across provinces varied between 2% and 4.5%.³

The message is pretty clear: dental practices are losing ground in the current protectionist economic climate. And the situation may get worse.

Until the latest breakdown in Canada–U.S. trade talks, the tariff impact had been concentrated in certain sectors. Now, the products dentists use every day may face even greater upward pressure. Importers and suppliers are unlikely to be able to absorb all of those added costs.

That leaves dentists with some difficult decisions to make in the months ahead.

To increase fees or not to increase fees?

At the very least, make sure your fees are not below the current fee guide for your province. Most dentists are diligent about keeping their fees aligned with the guide, so this is rarely the real issue.

The more difficult question is this: if you have never charged above the fee guide, might now be the time?

Before answering, you need to understand your target market and the economic realities in your region. If you practise in an area where employers are cutting jobs because tariffs have reduced demand for their products, a fee increase could be difficult for patients to absorb.

Even where employment remains strong, tariffs may raise the cost of many everyday goods. Patients may simply have less disposable income available for dental care — particularly for treatment not fully covered by insurance.

I am not suggesting you should avoid increasing your fees. I am suggesting that the decision should be strategic. Understand your costs, know your market, and assess your patients’ ability to absorb higher fees before making the change.

Consolidate your purchasing

Everybody loves a deal!

There is a certain satisfaction that comes from shopping around and finding a better price. That is why so many practices pay a team member to spend hours each week searching online, comparing regular prices, and tracking specials from multiple suppliers.

But is that really the best use of that team member’s time?

More importantly, chasing the lowest price on every individual item may not produce the lowest total cost for the practice. You may actually reduce your overall spending by consolidating purchases with a smaller number of suppliers.

Yes, another supplier may offer a tempting deal on a handful of products, and it can be hard to resist. However, concentrating more of your purchasing with fewer suppliers may give your representative greater flexibility to negotiate better pricing across your entire order.

Bulk buying — and supplier loyalty — can still have their privileges.

Speaking of bulk buying…

Consider joining a dental buying group.

In the interest of full disclosure, I operate a buying group. I want to be completely upfront about that. However, my group is not your only option, and the point remains the same.

There may be a cost to join, but a buying group combines the purchasing power of multiple practices. That collective volume may provide access to pricing and savings that an individual practice would have difficulty negotiating on its own.

Do a Google search for “dental buying groups in Canada,” explore the options, and ask questions. Look at the membership cost, participating suppliers, product selection, pricing, and the level of support being offered.

You may need to change some of the suppliers you currently use because not every supplier works with every buying group. But if making that change lowers your costs without compromising quality or service, it may be a change worth considering.

The bottom line

So much of what we once took for granted now seems to be under constant pressure to change. Tariffs are only the latest reminder that practice owners cannot assume yesterday’s costs, pricing strategies, or purchasing habits will continue to work tomorrow.

You may not be able to control trade policy, supplier pricing, or the broader economy. But you can control how closely you monitor your costs, how thoughtfully you set your fees, and how strategically you purchase supplies.

Trying something new just might be part of the solution — and an important step toward protecting your practice’s profitability as we navigate whatever comes next.

References