Most Canadian adults pay for dental care out of pocket or through private insurance, because provincial health plans generally don’t cover it. This page covers how dental insurance works, what drives its cost, and the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan. It is part of the health and income protection guides; other health costs provincial plans leave out (prescriptions, vision, paramedical services) are covered in health insurance in Canada.
Types of Dental Coverage in Canada
| Type | Who Pays | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Employer group plan | Employer pays some or all of the premium | Employed Canadians with benefits |
| Individual dental plan | You pay the premium | Self-employed, no employer plan |
| Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) | Federal government, with a co-payment above $70,000 | The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan covers Canadian residents for tax purposes who have no access to private dental insurance, have filed their tax return (as has any spouse or partner) and have adjusted family net income under $90,000. |
| Health Spending Account (HSA) | Employer-funded | Employees of businesses that offer one |
What Dental Insurance Covers
| Coverage Group | Services Included | How It’s Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive and basic | Exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, extractions | Highest reimbursement percentage on most plans |
| Major restorative | Crowns, bridges, dentures | Lower percentage, and not included on some basic plans |
| Orthodontic | Braces and other orthodontic treatment | Only on some plans, often with a lifetime maximum |
| Annual maximum | All services combined, per person | A dollar cap per person each year |
As one example, Pacific Blue Cross’s Stand-Alone Dental Plan in BC reimburses 60% of eligible costs in the first 12 months, 70% in months 13 to 24 and 80% after that, with an annual maximum per person of $500, $750 and then $1,000. It has a 3-month no-claims waiting period and a $100 calendar-year deductible (checked September 2026; confirm current terms).
Check each plan’s exclusions before buying. Cosmetic work is a common exclusion: Healthy Smiles Ontario, for example, excludes cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening and braces, and the CDCP does not currently cover orthodontic services.
Waiting Periods
Individual plans usually limit what you can claim at first, so you can’t buy a plan just before known work and claim right away. The limit can be a no-claims period, a lower reimbursement percentage, a lower annual maximum or all three, as in the Pacific Blue Cross example above.
Where to Buy an Individual Dental Plan
Individual health and dental plans are sold by the provincial Blue Cross organizations (such as Pacific Blue Cross in BC), by insurers and by online sellers such as PolicyMe. Compare the reimbursement percentages, the annual maximum in the first years, the waiting period and whether major or orthodontic work is covered at all, not just the premium.
Employer Plans vs Individual Plans
| Factor | Employer Group Plan | Individual Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to you | Lower: the employer pays some or all of the premium | You pay the full premium |
| Limits when you join | Usually none | Often a waiting period, lower reimbursement or lower maximum at first |
| Orthodontic coverage | Included on some plans | Included on some plans |
| Tax treatment | Employer-paid premiums to a private health services plan are not a taxable benefit federally (Quebec taxes them as a provincial benefit) | Premiums can be claimed as a medical expense; self-employed people who meet CRA’s conditions can deduct them instead |
| Portability | Usually ends when you leave the employer | Stays with you |
Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)
The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan helps people with no access to dental insurance: The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan covers Canadian residents for tax purposes who have no access to private dental insurance, have filed their tax return (as has any spouse or partner) and have adjusted family net income under $90,000. Who qualifies, what it covers and the co-payment by income and how to apply and renew each have their own page.
Paying for Dental Care Without Insurance
| Alternative | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Health Spending Account (HSA) | Employer allocates dollars for health and dental expenses, tax-free federally (Quebec taxes the employer’s contributions as a provincial benefit) | Employees of businesses that offer one |
| CDCP | Federal program for eligible residents | People who meet the CDCP eligibility requirements |
| Provincial programs | Coverage for certain groups, such as children in lower-income families (for example, Healthy Smiles Ontario, for children 17 and under) | Eligible families |
| Medical expense tax credit | Claim eligible dental costs above the lesser of 3% of net income or a fixed dollar threshold set each year | Anyone with out-of-pocket dental costs |
Is Dental Insurance Worth It?
| Scenario | Worth It? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy teeth, cleanings only | ⚠️ Maybe not | Premiums can exceed what the plan pays back for routine care, especially with a lower reimbursement in the first year |
| Regular fillings or other basic work | ✅ Often | Basic work is where most plans reimburse the highest share |
| Need major work (crown, root canal, dentures) | ⚠️ Plan ahead | Waiting periods and first-year maximums limit what an individual plan pays at first |
| Family with kids needing orthodontics | ✅ If the plan covers it | Check whether orthodontics is covered and its lifetime maximum |
| Eligible for CDCP | ✅ Use CDCP first | Free or low-cost government coverage |
| Self-employed | ✅ Often | Premiums may be deductible if you meet CRA’s conditions |
Related Resources
- Is Dental and Health Plan Coverage Taxable?
- Canadian Dental Care Plan guide
- PolicyMe Review: includes its individual health and dental plan
- Disability Insurance Guide
- Medical Expenses Tax Credit
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 25, 2026 and October 13, 2026. How we check facts.
- Canada Revenue Agency: Lines 33099 and 33199 – Eligible medical expenses you can claim on your tax return
- Government of Canada: Canadian Dental Care Plan - What is covered
- Government of Canada: Do you qualify - Canadian Dental Care Plan
- Government of Ontario: Teeth cleaning, check-ups and dental treatment for kids
- pac.bluecross.ca: Dental only | When all you need is dental| Personal health insurance