Q: My wife and I are seniors who earned a combined $70,000 last year. Do we qualify for the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
A: The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), introduced in 2023, is a government plan that helps pay a portion of the cost for a wide range of oral health-care procedures that prevent and treat oral disease, from dental exams and cleanings to root canals and oral surgery. It is a federal government program that provides coverage for Canadian residents who do not have access to dental benefits and have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 a year.
To qualify, you have to meet four requirements:
• You’re a Canadian resident;
• You don’t have access to any type of dental insurance or coverage;
• You and your spouse/common-law partner must have filed your tax returns in Canada so that your family income can be assessed for the previous year;
• Your annual adjusted family net income is less than $90,000.
“You and your spouse’s income calculations for the CDCP come from your tax returns for last year,” says Anil Kishen, dean of the faculty of dentistry at the University of Toronto. “If you brought in less in 2025, and expect that will impact your coverage, file your taxes promptly in spring.”
For Canadians whose annual income is between $80,000 and $89,999, the CDCP will cover 40 per cent of eligible oral health-care services; for those in the $70,000 to $79,999 range, the plan covers 60 per cent, and those whose income is less than $70,000 receive 100 per cent coverage. You can see exactly what’s covered on the government of Canada’s website.
In many cases you will have a co-payment based on your adjusted family net income. A co-payment is the percentage of the established CDCP fees that isn’t covered by the CDCP, and that you will have to pay directly to the oral health provider.
Kishen says the CDCP renewal window will likely open between March 1 and June 1, 2026, and any changes to your coverage will kick in on June 30. You can still apply anytime, but if you miss the renewal window, there might be a gap in your coverage.
Keep in mind that if your dentist charges more than the dental benefits grid outlines (a fee guide set by Health Canada), you have to pay the difference — Kishen says this is called balance billing.
“For some treatments that are less essential, your health-care provider will seek preauthorization, and you may or may not be approved for coverage,” Kishen says. Note that dentists are not involved in deciding who is eligible or what services are covered.
Always ask your oral health provider about costs that won’t be covered by the plan; before accepting and receiving treatment, find out what you’ll have to pay directly.
If you have dental coverage through a government social program, you can still qualify, and your coverage will be co-ordinated between the plans.
If you think you might quality for the CDCP, you can apply online or by calling 1-833-537-4342. Find a dentist in your area who accepts the CDCP by using the search tool created by Sun Life, which administers the CDCP. Hot tip for those on a restricted budget: “Dental schools across Canada, including the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry, work with the CDCP and have reduced costs, so you will have lower co-pays and avoid any balance billing,” Kishen says.
Money Coach is a weekly feature that helps Canadians find helpful solutions to personal finance challenges. If you have a question, email Lora at [email protected].
