Root canal treatment: costs, quotes and what the schemes cover

Who this is for

• Anyone who has been told they need root canal treatment and wants to know what it will cost and who pays.
• Medical card holders checking what the Dental Treatment Services Scheme covers.
• People planning to claim tax relief or wondering whether PRSI helps.

Before you start

• The practice’s displayed fee list. Dentists must have their private fees visible where you can see them before the consultation.^[1][2]
• Your medical card, if you have one, and the name of a dentist who takes part in the Dental Treatment Services Scheme; your local primary care centre may have a list.^[1]
• A written treatment plan and estimate before treatment starts, which the Dental Council’s code expects for complex or costly work.^[2]

Step by step

1. 1

   Ask for the fee range and a written estimate

   The Dental Council’s code of practice requires dentists to display fees for root canal treatment, and allows them to show it as a range, but both the minimum and maximum must be given and the displayed fees must be accurate, transparent and inclusive of all costs.^[2] For treatments not on the display list the dentist should give an estimate and get your agreement before starting, and for complex or costly procedures a written treatment plan and estimate of cost.^[2] Citizens Information says the same: fees must be visible before the consultation, and where a range applies you should be told the fee before treatment.^[1]
2. 2

   Check what the quote includes

   Root canal treatment and crowns are separate lines on the fee notice, so a root canal fee does not by itself say whether a crown is included.^[2] Ask whether the price covers the crown, a post if one is needed, X-rays, consultations and follow-up visits. Where a practice publishes its fee list, FairCare shows it on the practice profile with the date it was read.
3. 3

   Medical card: check the scheme first

   If you have a medical card and are 16 or over, the Dental Treatment Services Scheme gives a free examination each calendar year, extractions, two fillings a year, a scale and polish, and one first-stage endodontic (root canal) treatment each year for teeth at the front of the mouth; Citizens Information says to check with your dentist.^[1][6] All other treatments, including dentures, need prior approval from the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.^[1][6] No page we read explains what “first-stage” covers or whether the scheme pays for a crown afterwards, so ask the dentist before starting.
4. 4

   PRSI: know that it does not apply here

   Treatment Benefit, run by the Department of Social Protection through dentists on its panel, pays for an oral examination once a calendar year and, from 31 January 2026, €50 towards a scale and polish or €42 towards periodontal treatment. Root canal treatment is not among the listed benefits.^[7] See PRSI Treatment Benefit.
5. 5

   Claim tax relief afterwards

   Root canal treatment (endodontics) is non-routine dental care, so it qualifies for relief at 20%, as do crowns, posts and inlays; fillings, scaling, extractions and dentures do not.^[8] Your dentist completes a Form Med 2, which is a receipt you keep rather than a claim form, with a separate Med 2 for each year of treatment. You claim under health expenses in myAccount or ROS, within four years after the end of the tax year, and keep receipts for six years.^[8][9][10] Treatment abroad also qualifies if the dentist is qualified under that country’s law and completes a Med 2.^[8] Full steps in how to claim tax relief on health expenses.

Questions to settle before treatment starts

Who pays what

Who provides it, and what “endodontist” means in Ireland

Root canal treatment is provided by dentists, and every dentist practising in Ireland must be registered with the Dental Council; the public Register of Dentists is searchable by name or registration number.^[4][5] Only two dental specialties are recognised for the specialist register, oral surgery and orthodontics, so a dentist with endodontic training cannot be registered as a specialist endodontist here, and the Council advises dentists not to hold themselves out as specialists unless they are on that register.^[3] If a practice describes someone as a specialist, the Council suggests asking what supports the claim.^[4]

If it cannot wait

Children under 16 are entitled to emergency dental care for pain, infection, swelling or injury through the local HSE dental clinic.^[1] For adults, ring your own dentist first; no official page we read describes an HSE out-of-hours dental service for adults. The HSE says to go to an emergency department if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling around the eye or neck.^[11]

FairCare lists dental practices with the fees, hours and scheme participation their own websites state. It does not recommend a treatment or a practice.

Common questions

How much does a root canal cost in Ireland?

No official body publishes a price, and FairCare does not estimate one. The rule is that the practice must display its fee, which for root canal treatment may be a range with a stated minimum and maximum, and should give you a written estimate for costly work.

Does the medical card cover root canal treatment?

One first-stage root canal treatment each year on teeth at the front of the mouth is covered under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme. Anything else needs prior approval from the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.

Can I use PRSI for a root canal?

No. Treatment Benefit covers a yearly examination and a contribution towards a scale and polish or periodontal treatment. Root canal treatment is not on its list.

Is the tax relief 20% or 40%?

20%. Only nursing home fees are relieved at the higher rate.