In the chair, the dentist clicked on a light and peered inside. She winced. “It’s infected. We can pull it, or…” She hesitated, lowering her voice. “Off the record, if you had $400, I could do a temporary crown. It’ll last two years.”
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. ontario works dental coverage
Her son, Leo, aged seven, swung his legs on the plastic chair beside her. “Mom, does it hurt?” In the chair, the dentist clicked on a
Across from her, a man in a torn carpenter’s jacket stared at a pamphlet titled Ontario Works: Your Health Benefits . He’d been laid off when the warehouse automated his shift. Maria understood. She’d been on OW for four months now, ever since the diner closed. The monthly $733 cheque barely covered her basement room and groceries. But the dental card—a flimsy piece of yellow paper—was her only lifeline. We can pull it, or…” She hesitated, lowering her voice