Accountants for dentists and dental practices.
A specialist accountant for dentists, not a generalist who sees one dental return a year. We handle tax, bookkeeping and corporate accounting for dental practices the way they actually run, from solo practitioners in Whitby, Oshawa and Ajax to multi-chair clinics across the GTA, all from a chartered professional accountant (CPA, CA) with 20+ years working with dental clients.
Dental accounting is its own animal.
Most general accountants treat a dental practice like any other small business. It isn't. Most of what a dentist bills is exempt from HST. Your equipment depreciates across several different CCA classes. Your associates and hygienists get paid in ways the CRA pays attention to. And your dentistry professional corporation runs on rules the Royal College sets.
So yes, dental practices genuinely need an accountant for dentists, not a generalist learning on your file. We've handled tax planning, bookkeeping and corporate accounting for dental professionals and other regulated owners across Durham Region and the GTA for over 20 years. The patterns are familiar, the mistakes are predictable, and the tax planning wins are real.
Dental accounting services, the full picture.
One firm for tax, bookkeeping, payroll and advisory services. One point of contact, one consistent set of advice, and nothing falls between your accountant and your bookkeeper because they are the same team, so you can focus on patient care.
Personal and corporate tax
Your personal T1 and your professional corporation T2 tax return filed together, planned together, and on time every year, with the salary and dividend mix set for tax efficiency.
HST apportionment
Most dental work is HST-exempt, but mixed exempt and taxable services need the input tax credits apportioned correctly, so you claim what you are entitled to and nothing that invites a CRA review.
Monthly bookkeeping and financial statements
Bookkeeping reconciled to your practice management software (Dentrix, ClearDent, Tracker) and your bank every month, with financial statements that show the real cash flow of the practice.
Payroll and contractor pay
Payroll for hygienists, assistants, associates and front-desk staff run cleanly, with the right T4s and T4As at year-end and source deductions remitted on time.
Incorporation and tax planning
Whether to incorporate a dentistry professional corporation, when, and how to pay yourself once you do. Salary, dividends or both, modelled as part of your wider tax planning to optimize how you draw income.
Practice purchase, sale and advisory
Advisory services for buying in, selling out, or moving from associate to owner. We model the asset deal versus share deal numbers, and the financial planning around them, before you sign.
Four things most accountants miss.
These are the questions that come up almost every time a dental practice changes accountants. Worth knowing whether or not we end up working together.
HST is not just "we're exempt"
Clinical dental services supplied for a patient's health are exempt from HST, which is why you do not charge it, and why you generally cannot claim input tax credits on the expenses behind them. But cosmetic work that is not for medical or reconstructive purposes, and product sales, are taxable. A practice doing both has to apportion its input tax credits between the exempt and taxable side. Most clinics either miss the partial credits they are owed or claim too much and create an audit risk.
Hygienist and associate classification
The CRA pays close attention to whether the people billing your dental practice are employees or independent contractors. Get the structure wrong and you are either overpaying source deductions or sitting on a future reassessment. We review the arrangement and document it so the answer holds up.
Who can own shares of your professional corporation
Ontario dentists can incorporate a dentistry professional corporation, but the Royal College of Dental Surgeons sets who can hold the shares: voting shares stay with dentists, and non-voting shares are limited to close family or a trust for minor children. Those share rules, not a special dental version of the CRA's TOSI rules, are what really narrow income-splitting for a dental practice. TOSI applies to a professional corporation the same way it applies to any private company. It is worth a real conversation before you set up the structure.
Equipment and leasehold CCA classes
Operatory chairs and large equipment, dental instruments, computer and imaging hardware, and leasehold improvements all sit in different CCA classes, roughly Class 8, Class 12, Class 50 and Class 13, each with its own write-off rate. Put an item in the wrong class and you lose years of tax deferral. We sort the classification once, apply the accelerated first-year CCA where it is available, and run depreciation cleanly from then on.
Three kinds of dental clients.
Solo practitioners
One or two chairs, one location. We handle the personal tax return, the corporation return, payroll for a small team, and quarterly check-ins on cash flow.
Group practices and partnerships
Multi-dentist clinics where shareholder agreements, profit splits and inter-corporate dividends all have to line up. We work alongside your lawyer on the structure and keep the dental accounting consistent across the group.
Associates buying in or selling out
Moving from associate to owner, or planning your exit from the dental practice. We model the share deal versus asset deal numbers and the tax around them before you commit.
You'll work directly with Elena.
EK CPA Pro is owner-operated. When you call, you're talking to the CPA, CA who's actually doing the work, not a junior who hands the file off at year-end. Elena has been working with owner-operated businesses across Durham Region since 2009, and is a graduate of CPA Canada's In-Depth Tax Program.
Questions dentists ask first.
Do dental practices really need a specialized accountant?
Most do. A dental practice has HST-exempt billing, equipment spread across several CCA classes, associate and hygienist pay the CRA scrutinizes, and a professional corporation the Royal College regulates. A general accountant can miss all of it. A specialized accountant for dentists has seen the patterns before, which usually means cleaner books, lower tax and fewer surprises. That is the whole reason dental accounting exists as its own thing.
Should I incorporate my dental practice?
Usually yes once your practice income clears what you need to live on, because the small business deduction gives you a much lower tax rate on retained earnings. But it depends on your debt, your spouse's income, what you are saving for and how soon you might sell. We model both options with your real numbers before you decide.
How does HST work for a dental clinic?
Clinical dental services provided for a patient's health are exempt, so you do not charge HST, and you generally cannot claim input tax credits on the related expenses. If you do work that is taxable, such as cosmetic procedures that are not for medical reasons, or product sales, you apportion your input tax credits between the two sides. We set up the tracking once and run it every month.
Can I income-split with my spouse through my professional corporation?
It is limited. The Royal College restricts who can own shares of a dentistry professional corporation, so the structures that work for non-professional businesses are narrower for dentists. The CRA's TOSI rules then apply to dividends paid to family members the same way they apply to any private company. There are still planning opportunities. We will walk through what is actually available in your situation.
What expenses can I deduct as a dentist?
Most operating costs of the practice: rent, staff wages, dental supplies, lab fees, insurance, association dues, continuing education, equipment depreciation and professional liability. The grey areas are usually vehicle use, home office, conferences with travel, and meals. We go through the list in the first meeting and tell you what holds up with the CRA.
How do you bill?
Fixed-fee, quoted up front. You will know the cost of your year-end, your tax return and your monthly bookkeeping before we start. No surprise invoices, no hourly billing.