Canadian Dental care Plan (CDCP)
What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)
The CDCP is a federally funded dental care program, designed to reduce financial barriers to oral healthcare for Canadian residents who lack dental benefits with an annual net income of less than $90,000.
The program provides coverage for various dental services, including preventive, diagnostic, restorative, endodontic, prosthodontic, periodontal, and oral surgery services.
Who is eligible for the CDCP?
Individuals must meet the following criteria, established by the Government of Canada to qualify as an eligible CDCP member:
- Does not have access to dental insurance.
- Has a family net income of less than $90,000.
- Be a Canadian resident and has filed a tax return in the previous year.
- To retain eligibility, CDCP members are required to re-enrol for the program annually.
- Learn more about the CDCP
What is Covered by the CDCP?
- Basic oral health services will be covered starting in May
- Services requiring pre-authorization (more complicated treatments or those exceeding frequency limitations) will be available in November 2024
- Co-payments will be required for those with an adjusted family net income between $70,000 and $89,999
- Providers may charge higher fees than the established CDCP fees; patients are responsible for paying the difference
Timelines for Eligible Groups
Eligibility groups will be invited to apply on an ongoing basis: Date Group
May 2024 Seniors age 65+
June 2024 Children under 18
June 2024 Adults with Disability
Tax Credit
2025 Adults aged 18-64
How does the Patient Get Coverage?
The CDCP covers a range of dental procedures, focused on preventing and treating oral health disease and the impacts of oral disease. The rollout timelines for CDCP services vary, based on pre-authorization requirements.
Currently, invitations to apply are being sent in the mail; patients can follow the instructions in the letter to apply over the phone.
Starting in May, eligible patients may apply through an online portal. Once approved, Patients will receive a welcome package from Sun Life within three months of applying, which includes:
- Information on the CDCP
- A member card
- Their individual coverage start date
Patients can also be directed to Health Canada’s CDCP website for more information on eligibility, covered services and more.