About 70 per cent of Quebec's dentists have opted out of the public health-care system, leaving children under 10 and welfare recipients scrambling.

The dentists opted out after demands for more money were not met by the provincial government.

Thursday's mass exodus saw about 2,700 dentists acting on an ultimatum they made a month ago, demanding a higher rate from the government for the patients they treat under the public system: children under the age of 10 and social assistance recipients.

"We are not abandoning these patients, all we are asking from the government is that they understand why we are claiming what we are claiming," Steven Kerner, a Montreal dentist, told CTV Montreal.

Quebec dentists have been working without an agreement with the province since 2003. The association wants to increase its fee scale by at least 35 per cent to address rising dental care costs.

Health Minister Philippe Couillard said Thursday that the government is prepared to issue a decree to force the dentists to treat those eligible for dentistry under Medicare. The decree would come into effect on Friday, April 4, the soonest possible by law.

Couillard also had some choice words for the opting out dentists.

"I can only state my personal conviction here but . . . it's not acceptable for a well-paid professional for a dispute over a few dollars to impose such an effect on low income people and children," he said.

In the meantime, those covered by the public system will have to pay their dentists directly but will be reimbursed by the province, he said. Those on welfare will be able to get a cash advance for a dental visit by visiting a Local Employment Centre.

If the decree is issued on April 4, dentists will bill their clients, who will send the bill to Medicare. Medicare will then issue cheques to the patients, who are then responsible for paying their dentists.

However, Couillard said he is confident the province will be able to reach an agreement with the dentists before he has to issue such a decree.

Last-minute talks continued until mid-day Thursday, when the Quebec Association of Dental Surgeons rejected the government's final contract offer.

The goal of the dentists' association is to recoup about 80 per cent of what it costs them to treat those covered by the province. At present, the remuneration rate is about 67 per cent.

The average salary of a dentist in Quebec is $125,000.

Some dentists have remained in the system, citing the importance of providing the public service of dentistry to those who can't afford it.

Saad Sidarous, a Montreal dentist for 30 years, knows the rising cost of running a practice. Still, he can't bring himself to opt out.

"From my personal feelings, I don't want to have my patients subject to this kind of pressure," he said.

The Quebec Health Insurance Board has published a list of such dentists in an effort to help those left in the lurch.