Missing teeth affect more than your smile — eating, speaking and even the shape of your jaw change over time. So once you’ve decided on dentures, the next decision matters: who makes them, who fits them, and who looks after you afterwards. Any clinic can show you a nice website. These seven questions get underneath it.
1. Who will actually see me — a licensed denturist?
In Ontario, denturists are regulated by the College of Denturists of Ontario. Ask who you’ll be seen by at each visit, and whether the same denturist follows your case from impressions to final fit. At Smile Denture & Implant Clinic, you’re seen by licensed denturists at every clinical visit — and the consultation where you meet them is free.
2. Where are the dentures actually made?
Many clinics send impressions to an outside laboratory, which adds handoffs and waiting. Ask where the lab is and who runs it. Our dentures are crafted in our own Ottawa lab by our lab technicians, working alongside the denturists who designed them — and fittings happen at whichever of our clinics suits you, in Ottawa, Perth or Carleton Place.
3. Do they direct-bill CDCP — and will I see a written estimate first?
The Canadian Dental Care Plan can cover a meaningful part of eligible denture treatment, but clinics handle it differently. Ask two things: do they bill CDCP directly (so you’re not paying up front and waiting), and will they put your estimated portion in writing before treatment begins? We do both — and for private insurance, our team prepares the claim paperwork for you.
4. What does the first visit cost?
A consultation is where the real answers live: your options, the timeline, the costs. Ask what that first visit costs and whether you need a referral. Here, consultations are free and no referral is needed — you’ll leave understanding your options and what shapes the price, which we’ve also written up in our plain-language cost guide.
5. What happens after the denture is delivered?
New dentures almost always need small adjustments as your mouth adapts — that’s normal, not a defect. Ask how follow-ups and adjustments are handled, and what it costs to come back with a sore spot. Our answer: follow-up adjustments are part of the process, and a denture that keeps bothering you should be looked at, not endured.
6. Can they repair a denture — even one made somewhere else?
Cracks, breaks and lost teeth happen at inconvenient times. Ask whether repairs are assessed in-house and whether dentures made elsewhere are welcome. Because our lab is our own, many repairs are handled without a long wait — and yes, dentures made elsewhere are welcome. (Whatever you do, skip the glue: it makes a proper repair harder.)
7. What do the recent reviews say?
Stars are a start, but recency tells you more — read what patients wrote in the last few months, on Google or anywhere else. Look for mentions of how the clinic handled the small stuff: adjustments, phone calls, questions. That’s the part you’ll live with.
Bring this list to any clinic — including ours
Good clinics don’t mind these questions; they enjoy them. If you’d like to put ours to the test, book a free consultation at any of our clinics, or ask Smiley — our on-site assistant — anything about dentures, repairs or CDCP coverage first.
Reviewed by our licensed denturists · Updated July 4, 2026