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Dental practices · Abbotsford

Dental accountant in Abbotsford

Reviewed by EverStone CPA · July 2026

Dental practices carry a tax wrinkle most businesses do not: much of what they do is GST-exempt, which changes how input tax credits work. EverStone is an Abbotsford small-business CPA for dentists — exempt-supply GST, incorporation, equipment and tax — at fixed fees, fully online.

Quick answer: Dental practices face a specific GST complication — most dental care is an exempt supply, so input tax credits are limited and must be apportioned where work is partly cosmetic (taxable) — alongside incorporation decisions, expensive equipment to depreciate, and different setups for associates versus owners. EverStone handles the exempt-supply GST treatment, incorporation, equipment and tax for Abbotsford dentists at a fixed fee, fully online.

Because most dental care is an exempt supply, a practice generally cannot claim input tax credits on the cost of providing it and has to apportion the credit on any purchase supporting both exempt and taxable cosmetic work — which is the single feature that separates dental bookkeeping from an ordinary business
Exempt supplies are why the credits do not simply follow the spending.

The For incorporated professionals sets out what is different about a professional corporation and indexes every related guide and calculator.

The GST exempt-supply wrinkle

This is what makes dental accounting genuinely different. Most dental services performed for health reasons are exempt from GST/HST, while cosmetic procedures can be taxable. The consequence is that you generally cannot claim input tax credits on the costs of providing exempt services, and where a purchase supports both exempt and taxable work, the input tax credits must be apportioned. The CRA addresses this directly in its guidance on input tax credits related to dental practices. Getting the split right — and not over-claiming — is central to a clean dental file.

Incorporation and equipment

Established practices often benefit from incorporating — retaining income at lower corporate rates and deferring personal tax — though whether and when depends on your earnings and draw. Dental practices are also equipment-intensive: chairs, imaging and operatory equipment are significant capital assets depreciated through capital cost allowance. We handle both the incorporation question and the equipment schedule — the guide to dental practice incorporation covers the professional corporation rules, associate status and the CCA classes in detail.

Staff, payroll and the practice as a business

A dental practice is a real business with staff, so payroll and source deductions, benefits and the associated bookkeeping all have to run cleanly alongside the clinical side. One CPA keeping the payroll, GST, equipment and corporate tax aligned means the business side does not distract from the practice.

Associating, buying in, or running your own practice

A dentist's accounting depends heavily on where they are in their career, and the same person often moves through several stages. An associate is frequently self-employed — invoicing the practice, deducting their own vehicle, professional and development costs, and setting aside their own tax — and the most common mistakes here are under-remitting and missing legitimate deductions. A dentist buying into or purchasing a practice faces a significant transaction with financing, goodwill and equipment to structure, and how the purchase is set up has lasting tax consequences. A practice owner runs a full business: staff and payroll, equipment, the GST exempt-versus-taxable split, and usually a corporation. Each stage has a different optimal setup, and the transitions between them — associate to owner, sole practice to incorporated — are exactly the moments where good advice pays for itself. We tailor the accounting to your stage and keep it aligned as your practice grows.

What EverStone handles for you

One CPA, one fixed fee quoted up front, everything below covered:

  • T2 corporate tax return and year-end financial statements
  • GST exempt-versus-taxable split and input-tax-credit apportionment
  • Incorporation assessment and setup
  • Equipment (chairs, imaging, operatory) CCA schedules
  • Payroll and source deductions for practice staff
  • CRA correspondence handled for you

Fixed fees, fully online

EverStone is an Abbotsford CPA firm, and every engagement runs online — video calls, e-signature and secure document exchange — so you never lose a day to an office visit. You are not billed by the hour or the phone call: your fee is a fixed amount agreed before any work starts, so you can ask a question in June without watching a meter. The same CPA handles your file all year, which means the person who prepares your return is the person who answers when you call. See what it costs or book a free, no-obligation consult and leave with a clear written quote.

About this article
EverStone CPA

Prepared and reviewed by a Chartered Professional Accountant at EverStone CPA, an Abbotsford CPA firm working with small businesses and incorporated contractors across the Fraser Valley and Canada. About the firm  ·  Book a free consult

What an incorporated professional has to get right

Where professional rules and tax rules meet — for a business operating in Abbotsford, British Columbia
ItemWhy it matters
Who may own sharesProfessional corporations are restricted by the governing regulator, not just by tax rules
Salary or dividendsThe mix changes both the corporate return and your personal one
Retained earningsIncome left in the corporation is taxed differently from income taken out
Regulator filingsThe corporate permit is separate from anything the CRA requires
Sales tax where you operate5% GST plus 7% BC PST — two registrations, two returns

Source: Professional corporations explained. General information, not advice.

Common questions

Abbotsford dental accounting FAQ

Do dentists charge GST/HST?+
Most dental services provided by a licensed dentist for medical or health reasons are exempt from GST/HST, while cosmetic procedures can be taxable. That mix matters, because you generally cannot claim input tax credits on the costs of providing exempt services, and where purchases relate to both exempt and taxable work the input tax credits have to be apportioned. It is a genuine complication specific to health-care practices, and one we handle carefully.
Should I incorporate my dental practice?+
Many established dentists benefit from incorporating — it can allow income to be retained and taxed at lower corporate rates and deferred, and it provides a cleaner structure for a practice with equipment and staff. Whether and when it makes sense depends on your earnings, your draw, and your plans for the practice. We assess it on your actual numbers rather than a rule of thumb.
How are associate dentists taxed versus practice owners?+
An associate is often self-employed, invoicing the practice and deducting their own costs, while a practice owner runs a business with staff, equipment and often a corporation. The tax setup is quite different, and associates in particular sometimes miss deductions or set aside too little for tax. We tailor the approach to whether you are associating, buying in, or running your own practice.
Are you based in Abbotsford?+
Yes — EverStone is an Abbotsford CPA firm, and we work with local dentists and dental practices fully online. Our office is in Abbotsford; the engagement runs remotely by video call, e-signature and secure document exchange, which fits a clinical schedule better than office visits.
Can I claim input tax credits if my dental services are exempt?+
Mostly no, and it catches new practice owners off guard. Because most dental services are exempt rather than zero-rated, the GST you pay on rent, equipment and supplies is generally not recoverable and becomes a real cost. Certain supplies, such as some cosmetic procedures and orthodontic appliances, are treated differently. The mix of services you offer decides how much of that tax you can recover.
How should I write off dental equipment and my operatory build-out?+
Through capital cost allowance rather than as an expense, with chairs, imaging equipment and leasehold improvements each falling into different classes and rates. Leasehold improvements are written off over the lease term, which makes the lease length itself a tax variable. An asset must also be available for use before it can be claimed, so a chair delivered but uninstalled at year-end may not count.
Can I pay my spouse from my dental corporation?+
Only where the payment reflects real work at a reasonable rate, in which case a salary is generally supportable. Paying dividends to a family member who is not genuinely involved runs into the tax on split income rules, which apply regardless of the province. Document the role and the hours as the work happens — reconstructing it after a CRA question rarely holds up.

Practising in Abbotsford?

GST exempt-supply rules, incorporation and equipment handled by a CPA. Book a free consult.