Dental pricing in Dubai is famously opaque. The same treatment can be quoted at wildly different figures, often because the quotes are not describing the same thing.
At Smart Care Polyclinic a filling is AED 85 (GIC) or AED 150 (composite) per tooth, and the consultation that decides whether you need one is free. This article explains what sits behind that number.
Why fillings are priced per tooth
A filling restores a single tooth after decay or a chip. Pricing it per tooth is the honest way to quote it: a headline price for 'a filling' tells you nothing if three teeth need work, and quoting a whole-mouth figure to someone who needs one filling is equally unhelpful.
At the consultation the dentist examines and, where needed, X-rays the teeth in question, then tells you how many need treatment and what the total will be before any work begins.
Why quotes differ between clinics
Several things legitimately change the price: the material used, the size and depth of the cavity, whether the tooth is at the front or the back, and whether the decay has reached the nerve — at which point a filling may no longer be the right treatment.
What should not vary is whether you are told the total before treatment starts. A clinic that cannot tell you the figure in advance has not finished examining you.
- Tooth-coloured composite fillings, shade-matched to the tooth beside them
- Priced per tooth so the total scales with what you actually need
- X-rays where the dentist needs to see below the surface
- The full figure confirmed before treatment begins
When a filling is not the answer
If decay has reached the pulp, a filling will not resolve it and root canal treatment is usually discussed instead. If the tooth is too damaged to restore, extraction may be the honest recommendation.
A dentist who explains why a cheaper option is not appropriate is doing their job. So is one who tells you a tooth can be watched rather than filled.
What delay actually costs
Decay does not pause. A small cavity that could be filled becomes one that needs root canal treatment, which at AED 599 to AED 849 per tooth, depending on the tooth, is a different order of expense — and often a crown afterwards on top of that.
The cheapest dental appointment you will ever have is the early one.
Common questions
How much is a dental filling in Dubai?
At Smart Care Polyclinic in Deira, a GIC filling is AED 85 and a composite filling AED 150 per tooth. Because it is priced per tooth, your total depends on how many teeth need treatment — and the dentist confirms that figure before starting.
Is the dental consultation free?
Yes. The consultation is free at Smart Care Polyclinic; charges apply only once you and the dentist agree on treatment.
How long does a filling take?
A straightforward filling is usually completed in a single appointment. If several teeth need work the dentist may split it across visits, and will tell you the plan in advance.
This article is general health information, not medical advice, and does not replace a consultation. Care at Smart Care Polyclinic is provided by DHA-licensed clinicians.