Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) 2026: Eligibility, Coverage, and How to Apply

Before the Canadian Dental Care Plan launched in 2024, roughly nine million Canadians had no dental insurance at all. Most were not poor enough to qualify for provincial dental assistance programs, and not employed in jobs that offered workplace benefits. The result: many put off routine care until problems became serious, expensive emergencies.

The CDCP is a federal program designed to close that gap. It provides free or subsidized dental care to Canadian residents with adjusted family net income under $90,000 who have no private coverage. The program is administered by Sun Life on behalf of the federal government and is now fully open to all eligible Canadians — seniors, children under 18, adults with disabilities, and working-age adults alike.

This guide covers who qualifies, what is covered, how the co-pay system works, how to apply, and how to use your coverage once you have it. If you are comparing the CDCP to the Canada Dental Care Plan overview, note that these two pages cover the same program from different angles — this article focuses on eligibility, costs, and the application process in detail.

What Is the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

The CDCP is federal dental insurance for Canadians who would otherwise have no coverage. It is not means-tested assistance for the destitute — it extends to anyone with family income under $90,000 who lacks private insurance, which captures a large slice of self-employed workers, part-time employees, retirees not covered by former-employer plans, and people in jobs that simply don’t offer dental benefits.

There are no premiums and no deductibles. Lower-income households get 100% coverage; those in the $70,000–$89,999 band pay a co-payment on each service.

Eligibility

Income Thresholds

Eligibility is based on your adjusted family net income from your most recent tax return — not your gross income. Adjusted net income accounts for certain deductions, so your qualifying income is often lower than your gross pay. Filing your tax return every year is mandatory to maintain coverage; the CRA uses that data to verify continued eligibility automatically.

Other Requirements

You must meet all of the following to enrol:

The private-insurance rule is the one most people trip over. If you gain dental coverage through a new job, a spouse’s workplace plan, or any private policy, you become ineligible immediately and must notify the program. Continuing to use CDCP after gaining private coverage is considered fraud.

Who Is NOT Eligible

Rollout Timeline

The CDCP launched in phases to manage demand. As of 2026, the program is fully open to all eligible Canadians and no longer has waiting-period restrictions based on age.

Persons with disabilities who enrolled early may want to cross-reference their CDCP coverage with the Canada Disability Benefit, which provides additional income support for low-income working-age Canadians with disabilities.

Covered Services

CDCP covers a broad range of dental services — not just cleanings. Preventive and restorative work are covered without pre-authorization for most procedures; major services like crowns, oral surgery, and orthodontics typically require a pre-authorization submission by your dentist before treatment begins.

What Is Not Covered

Purely cosmetic work is excluded. Services with no clinical necessity — whitening, veneers for cosmetic purposes, and most cosmetic reshaping — fall outside the fee schedule.

Services Requiring Pre-Authorization

For major work, your dentist must submit a treatment plan to Sun Life before proceeding. This protects both you and the insurer — it confirms the service is covered and at what rate before you sit in the chair.

How to Apply

Online Application

1. Visit canada.ca/dental
2. Sign in with GCKey or your bank’s sign-in partner
3. Verify your identity
4. Complete the eligibility questions
5. Submit — you will receive a confirmation number immediately

Contact 1-833-537-4342 or visit canada.ca/dental for application status. You cannot use the benefit until your application is approved and your coverage effective date is confirmed.

By Phone

Calling is the better option if you have a complex household situation — for example, if you are separated, have a blended family income, or are unsure how to count your adjusted net income.

Your CDCP Member Card

Once approved, you receive a physical member card in the mail. Bring it to every dental appointment. It contains your member name, member ID, group number, effective date, and coverage type — everything the dentist needs to bill Sun Life directly.

If your card is lost or damaged, contact Sun Life at 1-833-537-4342 to request a replacement before your next appointment.

Finding a Participating Dentist

Not every dentist in Canada accepts CDCP. Participation is voluntary, and some practices have opted out entirely — often because the CDCP fee schedule pays below their usual rates.

To find a participating provider:

1. Visit oral-health.canada.ca/cdcp-find-provider
2. Enter your postal code and filter by service type
3. Call the office directly to confirm they are still accepting new CDCP patients — provider directories sometimes lag behind actual participation status

If your current dentist does not participate, you have a few options: ask them to enrol (some are still in the process of doing so), find a participating provider through the search tool, try a dental school clinic (most accept CDCP and have lower wait times for basic work), or check whether a community health centre in your area has a dental program.

What Your Care Will Cost

Your out-of-pocket cost depends entirely on your adjusted family net income. The three examples below use realistic 2026 fee schedule amounts.

Full Coverage — Income Under $70,000

40% Co-Pay — Income $70,000–$79,999

60% Co-Pay — Income $80,000–$89,999

Note that these amounts are based on Sun Life’s CDCP fee schedule, not on what a dentist might normally charge. Some dentists charge above the fee schedule — if they do, you may be billed for the difference. Ask before treatment begins whether the dentist bills at or above the schedule.

CDCP and Provincial Dental Programs

Most provinces have limited dental programs of their own — typically covering low-income children or recipients of social assistance. CDCP generally acts as primary coverage. If you are covered by both CDCP and a provincial program, coordinate with both providers to make sure claims are submitted in the right order.

Annual Coverage and Limits

CDCP does not impose hard dollar caps the way many private plans do. Instead, it uses the federal dental fee schedule — a list of approved service codes and the maximum amount payable for each. As long as the service is on the fee schedule and medically necessary, it is eligible for coverage.

Some higher-cost services (crowns, surgery, orthodontics) require pre-authorization before treatment. For those, your dentist submits a treatment plan and Sun Life approves the eligible amount. Work done without prior authorization for services that require it may not be reimbursed.

Renewing Your Coverage

CDCP coverage must be renewed each year during the annual renewal period. If you had coverage in the previous benefit year but did not renew before the deadline, you may have a gap in coverage and may need to re-apply. Visit canada.ca/dental or call 1-833-537-4342 to check your renewal status or re-apply.

If your circumstances change — you gain employer dental benefits, your income rises above $90,000, or you leave Canada — you must notify the program at 1-833-537-4342. Failing to report changes and continuing to use coverage you no longer qualify for is an offence.

Common Questions

What if I gain dental insurance through work? You become ineligible the day your private coverage begins. Contact the program to report the change. Your CDCP coverage ends; it does not coordinate with private insurance.

Can I use CDCP for a dental emergency? Yes. Emergency dental care is covered at participating clinics. If you cannot find a participating dentist quickly, note that the CDCP reimburses oral health providers directly — not patients. Coverage through non-participating providers is limited.

Does CDCP cover work done before I enrolled? No. Only services provided on or after your coverage effective date are eligible.

What if my dentist charges above the fee schedule? You are responsible for the difference. Always ask whether your dentist bills at the CDCP fee schedule rate before agreeing to treatment. This is most relevant for crowns and other major work.

What if I’m unsure of my adjusted family net income? Your notice of assessment from CRA will show your net income. Adjusted family net income includes your net income plus that of your spouse or common-law partner. If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, filing is a prerequisite — CDCP uses CRA data to verify eligibility.

Contact Information

Related Resources

• Canada Dental Care Plan — Full Coverage Details
• Canada Pharmacare: Free Contraception and Diabetes Medication
• Canada Disability Benefit: Eligibility and Amounts
• Canada Workers Benefit 2026
• Financial Help for Low-Income Canadians
• Canadian Government Benefits Guide

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