Start with your question
Families usually arrive at this page with one of four questions. Pick the one closest to where you are right now.
Referral routes, hospital programs, and private sensory-friendly practices across Ontario.
Desensitization, social stories, and the sensory accommodations to ask for ahead of time.
What nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anesthesia involve, and who provides each.
Canadian Dental Care Plan eligibility and what to verify before you book.
Routine dental visits involve a concentrated cluster of sensory experiences that many autistic children find overwhelming. Understanding the specific barriers helps families advocate for appropriate accommodations.
Finding care
Several pathways exist to access dental care appropriate for autistic children in Ontario, from hospital-based programs to private sensory-friendly practices.
SickKids offers comprehensive dental services for children with complex medical and developmental needs. Referral from a physician or dentist is required. Sedation and general anesthesia options are available.
CHEO provides specialized dental care for children with disabilities and complex medical needs in the Ottawa region. Referral required.
Hospital-based dental program serving children and adults with developmental disabilities in southwestern Ontario.
Provides dental services for children with complex needs in the Hamilton and surrounding regions.
A growing number of private dental practices in Ontario specialize in neurodivergent and special needs patients. Ask your child's care team for referrals, or contact the Ontario Dental Association (oda.ca) for a referral service.
Preparation
Gradual desensitization, slowly introducing dental experiences in a controlled, low-stakes way, is the evidence-based approach for building tolerance. This requires a patient, experienced dental team and a structured plan.
No instruments, no procedures. Introduce the chair, lights, team members. Let the child explore at their own pace. Goal: positive association with the environment.
Create or download a social story describing the dental visit step-by-step. Review it daily in the week before the appointment. Predictability reduces anxiety significantly.
Noise-cancelling headphones for drilling sounds, sunglasses for bright lights, weighted blanket for proprioceptive input, a preferred object for comfort. Call ahead to confirm what the office can provide.
Plan a preferred activity or item immediately after the appointment. This creates a positive outcome to anticipate and helps build a tolerable dental routine over time.
When preparation isn’t enough
For children who cannot tolerate routine dental care due to sensory or behavioural factors, sedation provides a safe and effective alternative. Options range from mild relaxation to full general anesthesia.
(Laughing Gas)
Mild sedation delivered through a small mask. The child remains conscious and cooperative. Wears off quickly. Suitable for mild-to-moderate anxiety and shorter procedures.
(Medication by Mouth)
Medication given before the appointment produces deeper relaxation. Child is drowsy but typically conscious. Requires supervision during recovery. Less predictable than IV sedation.
(Hospital-Based)
Full unconsciousness in a hospital operating room. Used for children with extreme dental anxiety, extensive dental needs, or those unable to cooperate with other sedation methods. Provides opportunity to complete all work in one session.
The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan launched coverage for Canadians without private dental insurance. Children under 18 are eligible regardless of family income, provided they do not have access to private dental benefits.
For families accessing hospital dental programs under general anesthesia, ask your CDCP-enrolled dentist or hospital dental team about coverage for anesthesia and facility fees. Some costs may be covered through provincial programs for children with disabilities.
Start by asking your child's pediatrician or developmental paediatrician for a referral to a dentist experienced with special needs patients. Hospital dental programs at SickKids, CHEO, London Health Sciences Centre, and McMaster Children's Hospital treat children with complex needs. The Ontario Dental Association (oda.ca) can help locate dentists in your area. When calling, ask specifically about their experience with sensory sensitivities and autism spectrum disorder.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), launched in 2023, provides dental coverage for eligible Canadians without private insurance. Children under 18 are eligible regardless of family income if they lack private dental coverage. The plan covers a range of preventive and restorative services. For children who require sedation or hospital-based dentistry, additional steps may be required, check with your CDCP-enrolled dentist about coverage for specialized procedures.
Sedation dentistry uses medication to help patients remain calm during dental procedures. Options include nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedation, and general anesthesia administered in a hospital setting. For children with significant dental anxiety or sensory sensitivities, sedation may be the safest approach. Hospital-based dental programs at SickKids, CHEO, and children's hospitals across Ontario provide general anesthesia for dental procedures when clinically indicated.
Desensitization works best with gradual exposure over multiple visits. First visits can be purely exploratory, no instruments, just familiarization with the chair, lights, and staff. Social stories describing the dental visit step-by-step can reduce anxiety beforehand. Visual schedules, noise-cancelling headphones, weighted blankets, and bringing a preferred comfort item are all accommodations dentists experienced with autism can provide. Call ahead to discuss your child's specific sensory profile.
Yes. Several Ontario hospitals offer specialized dental programs for children with complex needs including autism. The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa, London Health Sciences Centre, and McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton all provide hospital-based dental care. Referrals typically come from a pediatrician or dentist. Wait times vary by program.
Who this affects
These challenges are common among the children waiting for services.
Registered
89,799Children registered
Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Funded
20,633Have active funding
Only 23% of registered children
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Waiting
69,166Still waiting
Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Verified , MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 89,799 |
| Have active funding | 20,633 |
| Still waiting | 69,166 |
How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?
As of March 4, 2026, 89,799 children are registered with the Ontario Autism Program. However, only 20,633 (23%) have an active Core Funding Agreement. This represents approximately 290% growth in registrations since 2019, with 69,166 children still waiting for essential funding.
Source: OAC FOI Mar 2026, FAO Report 2024 · Verify Link
Is the Ontario Autism Program underfunded?
Yes. The Financial Accountability Office (FAO) determined that $1.35 billion annually is needed to serve all registered children at 2018-19 service levels. The 2026-27 Ontario Budget allocated $965 million, leaving an estimated $385M+ annual shortfall. This gap is the primary driver of the perpetual 89,799+ child waitlist.
Source: Financial Accountability Office of Ontario [FAO] · Verify Link
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements (23%) — less than one in four