The Canadian Dental Care Plan
Updated March 1, 2024
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help ease financial barriers to accessing oral health care for eligible Canadian residents who:
- have an annual adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 and
- don’t have access to dental insurance
This new Canadian Dental Care Plan will be replacing the government’s interim Canada Dental Benefit intended to help lower dental costs for eligible families of children less than 12 years of age, earning less than $90,000 per year.
Here is what we know so far about the proposed Canada Dental Care Plan:
- Am I Eligible For The Canada Dental Care Plan?
- How Do I Apply For The Canada Dental Care Plan?
- When Can I Book An Appointment with A Dentist?
- What Services Are Covered By The CDCP?
- What Services Are NOT Covered By The CDCP?
- How Much Will Be Covered By The CDCP?
- What Publicly Funded Dental Care Programs Currently Exist For Ontario Residents?
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
Am I Eligible For The Canada Dental Care Plan?
To qualify for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), you must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
- Not have access to dental insurance. This means you don’t have dental insurance:
- Through your employer or a family member’s employer benefits, including health and wellness accounts
- Through your pension (previous employer) or a family member’s pension benefits
- Purchased by you or a family member or through a group plan from an insurance or benefits company
- Have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000
- Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes
- Have filed your tax return in the previous year
If you have a spouse or common-law partner, you both need to meet the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility for children under 18 will be determined by the parents’ or guardians’ eligibility.
If you have dental coverage through government social programs (such as ODSP, OW or HSO), you can still qualify for the CDCP. If you meet all the eligibility criteria, your coverage will be coordinated between the 2 plans to ensure there are no duplication or gaps in coverage.
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
How Do I Apply For The Canada Dental Care Plan?
Applications for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will open in phases:
| Group | Applications open |
|---|---|
| Seniors aged 87 and above | As of December 2023 |
| Seniors aged 77 to 86 | Starting January 2024 |
| Seniors aged 72 to 76 | Starting February 2024 |
| Seniors aged 70 to 71 | Starting March 2024 |
| Seniors aged 65 to 69 | Starting May 2024 |
| Adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate | Starting June 2024 |
| Children under the age of 18 | Starting June 2024 |
| All remaining eligible Canadian residents | Starting 2025 |
Starting in mid-December 2023, letters will be mailed to seniors aged 87 and above who may qualify, followed by those aged 77 to 86 in January 2024, then those aged 72 to 76 in February 2024 and those aged 70 to 71 in March 2024. These letters will include a personalized application code and instructions on how to apply.
If you receive a letter,
- Follow the instructions in the letter to apply by phone.
- Wait for Service Canada to let you know if you qualify for the CDCP.
- If you do qualify, wait to receive your welcome package from Sun Life before scheduling any dental appointments. It will explain how and when you can get your care paid for.
Enrolment confirmation
Sun Life will manage the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) for the Government of Canada. Once you’ve applied and we’ve confirmed that you qualify, we’ll share your information with Sun Life, who will enrol you in the CDCP.
Sun Life will then send you a welcome package, which will include:
- Information on the CDCP
- Your member card
- Your coverage start date
Once enrolled in the CDCP, you may start seeing an oral health provider as early as May 2024, starting with seniors. Your start date will depend on your age group, when we receive your application, and when we complete your enrolment.
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
When Can I Book An Appointment with A Dentist?
Your coverage will begin on the date provided in the welcome package you receive from Sun Life. Appointments should be scheduled on or after that date for the eligible oral health care services to be covered under the plan. The CDCP will not reimburse you for services received before the start date.
Your start date will depend on:
- when we receive your application and
- when we complete your enrollment
The first group that will be eligible to visit an oral health provider will be as early as May 2024, starting with seniors.
When booking an appointment with an oral health provider, make sure to ask if they are participating in the CDCP. This will limit any unexpected out-of-pocket payments.
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
What Services Are Covered By The CDCP?
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help cover the cost of various oral health care services that keep your teeth and gums healthy and treat problems that can happen.
Examples of services that could be covered under the CDCP when recommended by an oral health provider, include:
Diagnostic And Preventive Services
Intended to evaluate your oral health status, to keep your teeth, gums and mouth healthy and to prevent cavities and gum disease. Services covered include:
- a range of dental exams, including complete, routine, specific and emergency exams
- x-rays
- cleaning (scaling and polishing)
- fluoride applications
- sealants
Basic Services
Restorative services
Intended to treat decayed or fractured teeth. Services covered include:
- permanent fillings
- temporary fillings
- pain control for diseased teeth
- other treatments for cavities
Endodontic services
Intended to treat teeth that are severely decayed, infected or broken. Services covered include:
- root canal treatments
- pulpectomies (first step of a root canal treatment)
- procedures to reduce infection and provide temporary pain relief
- retreatment of previously completed root canal treatment (requires preauthorization)
Periodontal services
Intended to treat areas around the teeth, including gums and bone supporting the teeth. Services covered include:
- cleaning under the gumline
- treatment of abscesses
- bonding for mobile teeth (requires preauthorization)
- post-surgical evaluations (requires preauthorization)
- non-surgical gum disease management
Major Services
Additional services are provided in support of another services. Services covered include:
- minimal sedation (conscious)
- moderate sedation (requires preauthorization)
- deep sedation (requires preauthorization)
- general anaesthesia (requires preauthorization)
Orthodontic Services
Some orthodontic services will be added to the CDCP starting in 2025. Orthodontic services will only be covered in cases of medical need based on stringent criteria and will include a maximum spending limit.
Note: Some oral health care services will require pre-authorization. Pre-authorization is a process where prior approval is required, based on the recommendation of the oral health provider, before the treatment is provided, to confirm it will be covered under the plan. These treatments and/or services take into consideration an individual’s oral health history and medical conditions. Services requiring pre-authorization will become available in November 2024.
Note: The CDCP will only pay for oral health care services covered within the plan at the established CDCP fees. These fees are not the same as provincial and territorial suggested fee guides that providers often use to charge for oral health services. People covered under the CDCP may have to pay any additional charges directly to the oral health provider.
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
What Services Are NOT Covered By The CDCP?
These are dental procedures that are outside the scope of the Plan and will not be considered for coverage nor considered for appeal. The list of exclusions will be available to participating providers, and will include (but not be limited to):
- Veneers in composite or ceramic
- ¾ crowns
- Teeth whitening
- Inlays/onlays in composite, precious metal or ceramic
- Temporomandibular joint therapy and appliances
- Fixed prosthodontics (bridges)
- Bruxism appliances
- Mouthguards
- Crown lengthening
- Root re-sectioning
- Dental Implants and any associated procedures
- Treatment for changing vertical dimension
- Bone grafts
- Ridge augmentation
- Complex complete/partial dentures
- Extensive rehabilitation
- Precision attachment partial dentures
- Fluorescent diagnostic light
How Much Will Be Covered By The CDCP?
The CDCP will reimburse a percentage of the cost, based on established CDCP fees and your adjusted family net income. You may have to pay additional charges directly to the oral health provider, if:
- your adjusted family net income is between $70,000 and $89,999
- your oral health provider charges more than the established CDCP fees, or
- you and your oral health care provider agree to services that the CDCP doesn’t cover; you’ll need to pay the full cost of these services if you receive them
Co-payments
You may have a co-payment based on your adjusted family net income. A co-payment is the percentage of the CDCP fees that isn’t covered by the CDCP, and that you will have to pay directly to the oral health provider. Your co-payment is based on your adjusted family net income.
| Adjusted family net income | How much will the CDCP cover | Co-payment you must cover |
|---|---|---|
| Lower than $70,000 | 100% of eligible oral health care service costs will be covered at the CDCP established fees. | 0% |
| Between $70,000 and $79,999 | 60% of eligible oral health care service costs will be covered at the CDCP established fees. | 40% |
| Between $80,000 and $89,999 | 40% of eligible oral health care service costs will be covered at the CDCP established fees. | 60% |
We encourage oral health providers to follow the CDCP fees, which are not the same as the provincial and territorial suggested fee guides. You may have to pay fees in addition to the potential co-payment if:
- your oral health provider charges more than the CDCP fees
- you agree to receive care that the plan doesn’t cover
Before receiving oral health care, you should always ask your oral health provider about any costs that won’t be covered by the plan. Make sure you know what you’ll have to pay directly to your oral health provider ahead of receiving treatment.
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
What Publicly Funded Dental Care Programs Currently Exist For Ontario Residents?
Traditionally, healthcare delivery has been the jurisdiction of the provinces. With the exception of dental care for indigenous peoples and the Canadian armed forces, the Federal government has no role in the direct delivery of dental care to Canadians. Instead, the federal government uses its spending power (Canada Health Transfer payments) under the Canada Health Act to influence each province’s medicare policies.
In Ontario, there are several publicly funded dental care programs:
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP): Free dental program for Ontarians with disabilities
- Ontario Works (OW): Free dental program for Ontarians who temporarily cannot find work or cannot work
- Health Smiles Ontario (HSO): Free dental program that includes regular check-ups, preventive care, and treatment for children and youth 17 and under
- Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP): Free dental services to low-income seniors aged 65 and over.
- Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP): Free emergency dental care for certain newcomers to Canada, including refugees and refugee claimants, protected persons, victims of human trafficking and detainees.
For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Atlas Dental for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.
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