Canadian Dental Care Plan

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that helps cover the cost of treatment for eligible Canadians who don’t have private dental insurance.

• Available to individuals with an annual household income under $90,000.
• Covers a range of dental services, from preventive care to more major services.
• Now open to all qualifying Canadians, making oral health care more accessible.

If you’ve been skipping dental visits due to cost, the CDCP could help you get the care you need.

 Once you have applied, Health Canada will confirm your eligibility and share your information with Sun Life to enroll you in the plan. You will receive a welcome package from Sun Life within three months of your application, which will include:

• The start date of your coverage. 
• Your membership card. 
• Information about the CDCP. 

Once enrolled, you must meet the eligibility requirements each subsequent year with an annual reassessment.

 No — if you currently have access to a dental insurance plan through your employer, union, or other organization, you are not eligible for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).

The CDCP is intended to help Canadians who do not have access to any private dental insurance. If you lose your workplace dental coverage in the future (e.g. due to retirement or job change), you may become eligible and can apply at that time.

However, if you only have partial dental coverage through a government program (like NIHB, ODSP or Healthy Smiles), you may still qualify for the CDCP. In such cases, eligibility is assessed individually.

 CDCP requires annual renewal to confirm that patients continue to meet all eligibility requirements. Renewing ensures you avoid any gaps in your dental coverage. Once you receive your annual tax assessment you can renew your coverage online at canada.ca or through your My Service Canada Account (MSCA). Be sure to submit your renewal application by June 1st of each year, to prevent any potential lapse in coverage.

If your renewal is approved, you’ll get a letter confirming your coverage and any updates, valid until June 30th of  the following year. If your coverage has changed based on your net family income, the letter will include details about the changes to your coverage. Just bring it to your next dental visit so your provider is up to date.

When the federal government introduced this program, it established its own fee schedule. These fees are set lower than the provincial or territorial fee guides followed by most dental offices. As a result, patients may have out of pocket expenses when using this plan. 

Your coverage level of 100 percent 60 percent or 40 percent is determined by your household net income as reported on your previous year’s tax return. This percentage applies to the CDCP fee guide amount, not the actual fees charged by most dental practices.

Some services, including dentures, crowns, and additional cleanings, require prior authorization from the CDCP. Approval is not guaranteed and may be limited, even when treatment is clinically necessary.

For patients who have not seen a dentist in some time or who have more complex dental needs, restoring oral health is often a gradual process and may involve costs beyond what the CDCP covers.

Our dental team is committed to providing high quality care tailored to your individual needs. We will always be transparent about your diagnosis, treatment options, and any associated costs. Our goal is to work collaboratively with you to develop a treatment plan that respects both your dental health and your budget.

 No, the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is not entirely free. While it is a government-funded program designed to make dental care more affordable, it does not cover 100% of all costs for most treatment. 

 The aim of the CDCP is to help make the cost of dental care more affordable for Canadian residents who do not currently have access to dental insurance.  However, even when patients have to pay additional charges, the CDCP will still result in significantly lower costs for them, compared to what they face now without any dental coverage. 

The Government states that CDCP fees differ from provincial/territorial fee guides, but on average represent 80‑90% of those fee guides. Canada.ca  In other words, CDCP’s  fee schedule tends to be 10–20% lower than provincial guides.

 Anyone wishing to participate in this plan must meet the eligibility requirements outlined below.

• Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
• Filed an income tax return for the previous year.
• Do not have dental insurance through a private or pension plan or with an employer.
• Have a net (after tax) family income of less than $90,000 annually.

Please consult the Canadian Dental Care Plan webpage on the Service Canada website here. Please note that the explanation on Service Canada is extremely vague and it is highly recommended that you consult with our Practice Manager to understand what procedures are covered and frequency limitations of this program. 

FULL DENTURES

Full dentures do not need to be pre-approved by SunLife CDCP as long as you have not already had these type of dentures already made and paid for by the plan. Your out-of-pockets expenses will be approximately $450 per Full Denture

PARTIAL DENTURES

If you require partial dentures, an estimate has to be sent to the CDCP plan. They will review the documentation we send and apply a set of criteria to determine if you are eligible.  our out-of-pockets expenses will be approximately $450 per partial Denture

The Canadian Dental Care Plan may provide coverage for crowns in limited circumstances, but they are not automatically covered.

Crowns require prior authorization from the CDCP, meaning the treatment must be reviewed and approved before it can be done. Approval is not guaranteed and is based on strict eligibility and clinical criteria set by the program.

Even when a crown is approved, the CDCP fee schedule is lower than the fees charged by most dental offices, so patients should expect out of pocket costs.

Our dental team will assess whether a crown is clinically necessary, help submit the required authorization request, and review any costs with you in advance so there are no surprises.