Guides
Canadian Dental Care Plan: Who Is Eligible and How to Apply
The Canadian Dental Care Plan has four eligibility tests, a free application through My Service Canada Account or by phone, and a yearly renewal that ends the June 30 benefit period.
What to take away
- You must meet all four testsno access to private dental coverage, a tax return filed in Canada for the previous year, adjusted family net income below $90,000, and Canadian residency for tax purposes.
- Having coverage you never use still counts as access. Opting out of an employer or pension dental plan after December 11, 2023 makes you ineligible.
- Apply online through My Service Canada Account, through the Canada.ca application link, or by phone at 1-833-537-4342. There is no fee to apply or renew.
- Your share of the bill depends on family income0% under $70,000, 40% from $70,000 to $79,999 and 60% from $80,000 to $89,999.
- Coverage starts on the date in your letter, and only care received after that date is covered. Renewal is yearly.
This explainer follows the Government of Canada's published pages as they stood in late October 2026. Programs change, so check Canada.ca before you apply.
What the plan is, and why eligibility trips people up
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that helps eligible residents pay for dental care. It is not a general entitlement: it is for people with no dental insurance of any kind and household income below a fixed ceiling. The Government of Canada states that you must meet all four requirements before you apply, and the rules around existing coverage are stricter than many people expect.
The four eligibility tests
1. No access to private dental coverage
You are excluded if you have dental coverage through your own or a family member's work or pension plan, through a professional or student organization, or through insurance that you or a family member bought for dental costs.
The page is blunt about the edge cases. You are not eligible if you have any dental coverage, even if you never use it, do not enrol, pay a premium, or it does not cover the full cost. Opting out of a plan after December 11, 2023 also makes you ineligible. The one exception is a retiree who opted out of pension dental coverage before December 11, 2023 and cannot opt back in.
Coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal social program does not automatically disqualify you, because those plans may coordinate coverage to avoid duplication.
To check your status, look at your tax slips. Box 45 on a T4 or box 015 on a T4A shows your access to employer or pension dental coverage. A code of 1 means no access, and codes 2 through 5 mean dental coverage was offered. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, their slips matter too.
2. A tax return filed in Canada
You, and your spouse or common-law partner if you have one, must have filed a tax return in Canada for the previous year. The government uses it to assess family income, which is why a household that skips filing cannot qualify.
3. Adjusted family net income below $90,000
The page says adjusted family net income must be less than $90,000. It is calculated from family net income (line 23600), minus UCCB and RDSP income received (lines 11700 and 12500), plus UCCB and RDSP amounts repaid (lines 21300 and 23200). The figure is the household's, not just yours.
4. Canadian resident for tax purposes
You and your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable, must be residents of Canada for tax purposes, so that the full family income can be assessed.
An application may be accepted on your statement that you have no access to private dental coverage, but it can be reviewed later and you would be told by mail. Each year you confirm again, and false information can lead to removal from the plan and repayment of costs.
How to apply, step by step
The application route is spelled out on the Canada.ca page.
- Gather the details.For each applicant, including dependants, you need a full name, date of birth, home and mailing address and, if available for children, a Social Insurance Number. List any dental coverage you get through government social programs.
- Choose a channel.Sign in to My Service Canada Account, open the Canadian Dental Care Plan section on the dashboard, and choose to apply for coverage. If you cannot use that account, the Canada.ca page links to an application form. You can also phone Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY 1-833-677-6262).
- Add your spouse's information.If you have a spouse or common-law partner, you give their details so family income and coverage status can be confirmed, but they must submit their own application.
- Get help if needed.A friend, relative, caregiver, translator or interpreter can help if you clearly consent. A person with legal authority to act for you, such as under a power of attorney, can apply as your delegate after proving that authority.
- Watch for the letter.The government confirms by mail or email whether you are enrolled. If you are, the letter gives your CDCP plan number, member ID, benefit coverage start date and co-payment level, and you can also see it in your account.
The page said applications were open for the 2026-2027 benefit period and showed no closing date. It does not state how long a decision takes. You can check the status online or by phone.
The Canada.ca page also carries a warning that there is no fee to apply or renew, and urges caution about unsolicited requests for personal, banking or credit card information. Because there is no fee, a message that asks you to pay for coverage is not the program.
What you pay, and what is covered
The government sets your co-payment from your adjusted family net income:
| Adjusted family net income | The plan pays | You pay |
|---|---|---|
| Under $70,000 | 100% of eligible costs at CDCP established fees | 0% of those fees |
| $70,000 to $79,999 | 60% | 40% |
| $80,000 to $89,999 | 40% | 60% |
These percentages apply to CDCP established fees, which may differ from what a provider charges. You may face additional charges if the provider bills more than the plan reimburses, or if you agree to a service the plan does not cover.
Covered services fall into diagnostic and preventive care (exams, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride and sealants), basic services (fillings, root canals and gum care), major services (crowns and related work, dentures and oral surgery) and anesthesia or sedation. Orthodontic services are listed as currently not available.
Some services need preauthorization before treatment, including crowns, cores and posts, partial dentures, root canal re-treatments and deeper levels of sedation. Approval depends on your oral health history and medical conditions, and not all requests are approved, so a dentist who proposes a crown needs to send the request before work starts.
Using the plan at the dentist
Do not book appointments before your start date. As the government puts it, only care received after your start date will be covered. Sun Life mails a welcome package with a member card once you are found eligible, but you do not have to wait for it, and a printable card can be downloaded from your Sun Life account.
Bring your member ID, identification, start date and co-payment level. Confirm that the provider accepts CDCP clients and bills Sun Life directly, and check your coverage is active before each appointment.
For the household budget, the co-payment band is the number that matters. Turning a headline figure into a monthly cost is the same exercise as translating inflation data into household context, and another Canadian program worked through from the official figures is Bank of Canada rate moves and variable mortgage math.
Renewal and the June 30 date
You must renew every year to confirm you still meet eligibility. Coverage runs in a single benefit period ending each year on June 30. The renewal period for 2026-2027 closed on June 1, 2026, and renewals for 2027-2028 are expected to open in spring 2027. Members renew through My Service Canada Account, confirm or update each applicant's details, and have filed a tax return and received a notice of assessment for the previous year. Your spouse or partner renews separately.
Missing the deadline is costly in a specific way. You can submit a new application, but there is a gap in coverage until it is approved, and dental care received during the gap is not covered or reimbursed retroactively. People who missed the June 1, 2026 deadline can still apply for the 2026-2027 period.
Eligibility can also be reviewed during a benefit period under the member eligibility review. In any official notice, the habit in how to read government decision documents applies: find the date, the rule and the action required.
