Canadian Dental Care Plan for Seniors

March 26, 2024 Update

February 8 2024 Update

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help ease financial barriers to accessing oral health care for eligible Canadian residents with an annual adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 who do not have access to dental insurance.

To qualify for the CDCP, you must:

1. not have access to dental insurance
2. have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000
3. be a Canadian resident for tax purposes
4. have filed your tax return in the previous year

Applications for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will open in phases.

• Seniors aged 87 and above - Starting December 2023
• Seniors aged 77 to 86 - Starting January 2024
• Seniors aged 72 to 76 - Starting February 2024
• Seniors aged 70 to 71 - Starting March 2024
• Seniors aged 65 to 69 - Starting May 2024
• Adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate - Starting June 2024
• Children under the age of 18 - Starting June 2024
• All remaining eligible Canadian residents - Starting 2025

When can you visit an oral health provider

Canadian residents who are enrolled in the CDCP will be able to start seeing an oral health provider as early as May 2024.

Sun Life is the contracted service provider who will manage the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) on behalf of the Government of Canada. Once you’ve applied and it is confirmed that you qualify, your information will be shared with Sun Life, who will enrol you in the CDCP.

Sun Life will then send you a welcome package, which will include:

1. information on the CDCP
2. your member card
3. your coverage start date

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help cover the cost of various oral health care services that keep your teeth and gums healthy and treat problems that can happen.

Examples of services that could be covered under the CDCP, as recommended by an oral health provider, includes the following:

• preventive services, including scaling (cleaning), polishing, sealants, and fluoride
• diagnostic services, including examinations and x-rays
• restorative services, including fillings
• endodontic services, including root canal treatments
• prosthodontic services, including complete and partial removable dentures
• periodontal services, including deep scaling
• oral surgery services, including extractions

How much will be covered

People covered under the CDCP will not have to pay the full cost out of their own pocket. Oral health providers enrolled in the CDCP will be required to submit the claims directly to Sun Life for payment rather than having patients seek reimbursement from Sun Life for services covered under the plan.

Co-payments are based on adjusted family net income. (Line 23600 on your Federal Tax Return)

How much will the CDCP cover:

Lower than $70,000 =  100%*
Between $70,000 and $79,999  =  60%*
Between $80,000 and $89,999 = 40%*

*Percentage of eligible oral health care service costs that will be covered at the CDCP established fees.

For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan.html

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