The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that pays for dental care for Canadian residents who have no dental insurance and an adjusted family net income under $90,000. If your family income is under $70,000, the plan pays 100% of its set fees for covered services. Applications for the benefit period that runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 are open now, online or by phone.
How much you can get
The CDCP doesn’t pay you money. It pays your dentist, denturist or dental hygienist directly for covered care. How much of the bill it covers depends on your adjusted family net income. These are the co-payment levels published by the Government of Canada as of September 2026:
| Adjusted family net income | CDCP pays | You pay (co-payment) |
|---|---|---|
| Under $70,000 | 100% of CDCP fees | 0% |
| $70,000 to $79,999 | 60% of CDCP fees | 40% |
| $80,000 to $89,999 | 40% of CDCP fees | 60% |
| $90,000 or more | Not eligible | Not eligible |
The CDCP sets its own fee for each service. If your provider charges more than the CDCP fee, you may have to pay the difference, on top of any co-payment. Ask your provider before treatment whether there will be extra charges.
Across the program, members save an average of about $900 a year on oral health care, according to the Government of Canada.
Who qualifies
The CDCP is open to eligible Canadian residents of all ages. Since May 2025, adults aged 18 to 64 can apply, joining the seniors, children under 18 and adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate who could already apply. To qualify, all four of these must be true:
- You have no access to dental insurance. That includes coverage through your job or pension, a family member’s job or pension, a professional or student group, or a plan you bought yourself. You are not eligible even if you have access to coverage and chose not to use it or not to sign up.
- You filed your tax return in Canada for the previous year, and so did your spouse or common-law partner, if you have one.
- Your adjusted family net income is under $90,000.
- You are a resident of Canada for tax purposes, and so is your spouse or common-law partner.
A few details that trip people up:
- Government dental programs don’t disqualify you. If you get dental coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal social program, you could still qualify for the CDCP. In Ontario, for example, low-income seniors may be able to use the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program as well.
- Some retirees still qualify. If you retired, opted out of your employer or pension dental plan before December 11, 2023, and can’t opt back in, you may be eligible.
- Check your tax slips. Box 45 on your T4 or box 015 on your T4A shows whether you had access to dental coverage through that job or pension. Code 1 means no access. Codes 2 to 5 mean you had access.
Adjusted family net income is your net income (line 23600 of your return), plus your spouse’s or partner’s, with some adjustments for Universal Child Care Benefit and RDSP income.
How to apply
Each adult applies separately. Your spouse or common-law partner must send in their own application to be covered.
- File your taxes. You and your spouse or partner must have filed your 2025 tax returns. For renewals, the Government of Canada said members needed their 2025 Notice of Assessment first.
- Gather your details. You’ll need your Social Insurance Number (if you have one), date of birth, full name, address, and the details of any government dental program you’re covered by. Have the same information ready for your spouse or partner and for any children you’re applying for.
- Choose how to apply. Apply online through My Service Canada Account, use the online application on Canada.ca, or call Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY 1-833-677-6262).
- Apply for your children. Parents or guardians apply for children under 18 and other dependants.
- Get help if you need it. A friend, relative or caregiver can help you apply with your consent. Someone with legal authority, such as a power of attorney or trusteeship, can apply for you with proof of that authority.
After you apply, you’ll get a confirmation by mail or email. You can check your status online with your application code or member ID and your SIN.
How coverage works with Sun Life
Sun Life runs the CDCP for the Government of Canada. Once you’re enrolled:
- Your letter comes first. Service Canada sends a letter with your plan number, member ID, coverage start date and co-payment level. Your start date depends on when your application is received and processed.
- Your card comes next. Sun Life mails a welcome package with your member card. You don’t need to wait for the card. From your coverage start date, you can get care by giving your provider your member ID and identification.
- Find a provider. Use Sun Life’s CDCP provider search (linked from the Canada.ca “after you apply” page) or call the Sun Life CDCP Contact Centre at 1-888-888-8110. Book for a date on or after your coverage start date.
- Your provider bills Sun Life. Members can’t send in claims for reimbursement. Your provider bills the plan directly, and you pay only your co-payment and any amount above the CDCP fee.
What’s covered, and what needs pre-authorization
The CDCP covers a wide range of oral health care, including:
- Preventive and diagnostic care: exams, x-rays, cleaning, polishing, fluoride and sealants.
- Basic services: fillings, root canals and treatment of gum disease.
- Major services: crowns, complete and partial dentures, denture repairs and relines, and oral surgery such as extractions.
- Sedation: laughing gas (nitrous oxide) and oral sedation.
Orthodontic services, such as braces, are not available under the CDCP as of September 2026.
Some services need pre-authorization. That means your provider must get approval from the plan before you receive the treatment. According to the CDCP’s Dental Benefits Guide, this includes crowns and posts, partial dentures and some other dentures, root canal re-treatment, certain oral surgery, conscious sedation and general anesthesia, and any service beyond the plan’s frequency limits. Most pre-authorizations stay valid for up to 12 months.
Frequency limits apply. For example, the guide allows one recall exam every 12 months and one set of complete dentures every 96 months. Your provider can check what’s allowed before booking.
What’s changed for 2026 to 2027
- A new benefit period started July 1, 2026 and runs to June 30, 2027.
- The renewal window has closed. Members could renew from April 15 to June 1, 2026. If you had coverage in 2025 to 2026 and didn’t renew by June 1, you can apply again now, but there will be a gap in your coverage. Care you receive during the gap is not reimbursed.
- The rules to qualify stayed the same. The $90,000 income limit and the 0%, 40% and 60% co-payment levels are unchanged in the Government of Canada’s 2026 announcements.
- An updated Dental Benefits Guide took effect April 1, 2026. It sets the current list of covered services, frequency limits and pre-authorization rules.
Things to watch for
- Confirm your coverage before each visit. Ask your provider to check that your coverage is active and what, if anything, you’ll pay.
- Renew every year. You must confirm you still qualify each year. Missing the renewal window means a gap in coverage.
- Tell the truth about insurance. If you give false information, you can be removed from the plan and asked to pay back what the plan covered.
- Scam warning: there is no fee to apply for or renew the CDCP. The government never asks for payment or gift cards to release a benefit. See our scams guide.
To see which other programs you may qualify for, try the benefits checkup. If you or someone in your family has a disability, the becoming disabled checklist lists other supports that may help.
Common questions
Is the Canada Dental Care Plan free?
It’s free to join, and if your adjusted family net income is under $70,000, the plan pays 100% of its set fees for covered services. You may still pay extra if your provider charges more than the CDCP fee.
Can seniors on OAS and GIS get the dental plan?
Yes, if you have no dental insurance, filed your taxes and your adjusted family net income is under $90,000. Getting GIS or OAS doesn’t affect your eligibility.
Can I get the CDCP if I have dental coverage through my pension?
Usually not. Having access to a pension dental plan makes you ineligible, even if you don’t use it. The exception is if you opted out before December 11, 2023, and can’t opt back in.
Does every dentist accept the Canada Dental Care Plan?
No. Use Sun Life’s CDCP provider search or call 1-888-888-8110 to find a participating provider, and confirm with the office before your appointment.
Does the CDCP cover dentures?
Yes. Complete and partial dentures, repairs and relines are covered, with frequency limits. Partial dentures and some other types need pre-authorization before your provider starts.
I missed the renewal deadline. What now?
Apply again online or by phone. You’ll be covered from your new start date, but care received during the gap won’t be reimbursed.
