Dental offices are similar to medical clinics and must adhere to strict regulatory standards in the interest of ensuring the highest level of patient safety and care. Specialized equipment, sterilization and safety protocols, hiring trained and licensed staff, and ongoing continuing education for the dental team may all factor into the cost of dental care. External lab costs, materials used in treatment, the complexity of the treatment, and practice location can also be among the considerations in determining costs. Operating costs will vary between dental offices as well as provincially.