The Canadian Dental Care Plan needs all four requirements met, including adjusted family net income under $90,000. Co-payments are 0%, 40%, or 60% of CDCP fees by income band.
Applies in: CA
Apply online through My Service Canada Account, through Canada.ca, or by phone with Service Canada. The Government of Canada says you must meet all four requirements to apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan: no access to private dental insurance, a tax return filed in Canada, adjusted family net income of less than $90,000, and Canadian residency for tax purposes.
The plan helps pay a portion of the cost of a wide range of oral health care services. Claims are handled through Sun Life: providers enrolled in the plan submit claims directly to Sun Life rather than having patients seek reimbursement.
1. No access to private dental insurance or coverage. That includes coverage through your work or pension plan, a family member's work or pension plan, a professional or student organization, coverage bought by you or a family member, and health spending accounts that cover dental costs. You count as having access even if you have never used the coverage, decided not to enrol, have to pay a premium for it, or it does not cover the full cost. The only exception is a retiree who opted out of pension dental coverage before December 11, 2023 and cannot opt back in.
Before you confirm, check the code on your tax slip: box 45 on a T4, or box 015 on a T4A. A code of 1 means your work or pension plan reported that you do not have access to dental coverage through them. Codes 2, 3, 4, or 5 mean some kind of dental coverage was offered. Check your spouse or common-law partner's slips too.
2. A tax return filed in Canada. You, and your spouse or common-law partner if you have one, must have filed tax returns in Canada so family income for the previous year can be assessed.
3. Adjusted family net income under $90,000. Work it out from line 23600 (family net income), minus universal child care benefit and Registered Disability Savings Plan income on lines 11700 and 12500, plus any of those amounts repaid on lines 21300 and 23200. Add your spouse or common-law partner's figures if you have one.
4. Canadian resident for tax purposes. You, and your spouse or common-law partner if you have one, must be Canadian residents for tax purposes.
Dental coverage through a provincial, territorial, or federal government social program does not disqualify you. If you qualify, the plans may coordinate so there is no duplication.
You must confirm every year that you have no access to private dental insurance or coverage. False information can lead to removal from the plan and repayment for services paid while you were not eligible.
This guide covers the application process only. It gives no advice on whether you qualify.
Covered services, when recommended by an oral health provider, include exams, x-rays, cleaning (scaling), fluoride, and sealants; permanent and temporary fillings and pain control; root canal treatments; cleaning under the gumline and non-surgical gum disease management; crowns, dentures, and denture repairs; removal of teeth and other oral surgery; and nitrous oxide or oral sedation. Some services, including crowns, partial dentures, and services beyond set frequency limits, require preauthorization before treatment. Orthodontic services are currently not available.
Your co-payment is the share of the CDCP established fees the plan does not cover:
CDCP fees may not match what a provider charges. You may pay extra on top of the co-payment if the service costs more than the plan will reimburse, or if you agree to services the plan does not cover. Ask the provider about any costs the plan will not cover before accepting treatment.
Only oral health providers get reimbursed. If you are covered, you should not pay the full cost up front.
The Canada.ca pages opened for this guide state the four requirements, the $90,000 income limit, and the three co-payment bands, but they do not state a processing time for a new application or the date a successful applicant's coverage starts, so this guide gives neither. The pages also do not list a fee to apply, so this guide does not describe applying as free or as paid.
| Adjusted family net income lower than $70,000 | CDCP covers 100% of eligible costs at CDCP fees; co-payment 0% |
|---|---|
| Between $70,000 and $79,999 | CDCP covers 60% of eligible costs at CDCP fees; co-payment 40% |
| Between $80,000 and $89,999 | CDCP covers 40% of eligible costs at CDCP fees; co-payment 60% |
Adjusted family net income must be less than $90,000 to qualify at all. A provider can charge more than the CDCP fee, and that difference is paid by the patient on top of any co-payment.
You must meet all four: no access to private dental insurance or coverage; you filed your tax return in Canada, and so did your spouse or common-law partner if you have one; your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000; and you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes, and so is your spouse or common-law partner if you have one.
Apply online through My Service Canada Account: sign in, go to the Canadian Dental Care Plan section, and select Apply for Canadian Dental Care Plan coverage. If you cannot use My Service Canada Account, apply through Canada.ca. If you cannot use either, call Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342, or TTY 1-833-677-6262.
Your co-payment is a share of the CDCP established fees set by adjusted family net income: 0% below $70,000, 40% between $70,000 and $79,999, and 60% between $80,000 and $89,999. You may also pay extra if the provider charges more than the CDCP fee or for services the plan does not cover. Ask the provider about costs that will not be covered before treatment.
Diagnostic and preventive services such as exams, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride, and sealants; restorative services such as fillings; endodontic services such as root canals; periodontal services; major services such as crowns and dentures, some needing preauthorization; oral surgery; and some sedation services. Orthodontic services are currently not available.
No. If you have dental insurance or coverage through a provincial, territorial, or federal government social program, you could still qualify for the Canadian Dental Care Plan. The plans may coordinate coverage so there is no duplication. Private dental insurance or coverage is what disqualifies, including coverage you have never used or decided not to enrol in.
Only oral health providers are reimbursed for services covered under the plan. Providers enrolled in the plan submit claims directly to Sun Life for payment. You should not pay the full cost up front; you pay any co-payment and additional charges directly to the provider.