The Canadian Dental Care Plan’s initial phase kicked off nationwide on Wednesday. This new phase enables 1.9 million seniors to access dental care, although other Canadians will need to wait a bit longer for coverage.
As of May 1, dental plan coverage is now available for seniors who are 70 years and older. Additionally, seniors aged 65 and older who qualify can also begin applying for the plan.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) emerged from the Liberals’ supply-and-confidence agreement with the NDP in 2022. It provides dental care benefits to uninsured Canadian residents with household incomes below $90,000, but the rollout is occurring in phases.
As of Wednesday, over 1,200 seniors have already utilized the plan, visiting dentists and processing their claims through the federal government’s new initiative, according to Citizens’ Services Minister Terry Beech during a press conference.
The first million seniors who registered received their benefits cards and became eligible to submit claims starting May 1. The program’s first patient was attended to at 7:08 a.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador, Beech noted.
Who is eligible?
To access the dental care program you must:
- be a Canadian resident
- not have access to any dental insurance
- have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000
- have filed your 2023 tax return
Applications are now available for eligible seniors 65 and older.
Starting in June, children under the age of 18 and people with a valid disability tax credit certificate can apply.
All remaining eligible Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 64 can apply online starting in 2025.
Where to apply
Eligible Canadian residents can apply online, over the phone, or in person at a Service Canada.
To complete the application, you will need:
- social insurance number
- date of birth
- full name
- home and mailing address
- list of the dental coverage you have through government social programs (if applicable)
What dentists have enrolled?
More than 6,500 oral health providers signed up to participate and are ready to provide services to CDCP patients, Health Canada stated in the press release Wednesday
If eligible individuals don’t have an existing oral health provider, they can use Sun Life’s CDCP Provider Search tool to locate a dentist, dental hygienist, denturist, or dental specialist within their community.
Before July 8, claims will only be processed from a participating provider. If CDCP patients pay the full costs themselves, they will not be reimbursed.
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