Here’s when you can apply for the CDCP, if you’re between 18 and 64 years old:
The CDCP is already accepting applications from the following groups, for the coverage period ending on June 30, 2025:
- Adults aged 65 or older
- Adults with a valid disability tax credit certificate for 2023
- Children under age 18
You can apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan online. For the current coverage period, you will need to have filed your 2023 income tax return and received your notice of assessment (NOA).
What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
Announced by the Liberal government as part of its 2023 budget, the CDCP aims to improve access to dental care for Canadians with an adjusted net family income below $90,000 and no private insurance.
Application dates for the CDCP have been rolling out gradually since the end of 2023, starting with the Canada Dental Benefit (CDB) for kids under age 12. As of late March 2025, more than 3.4 million Canadians were approved to participate in the CDCP, and nearly 1.7 million received care, according to government data. About 25,000 oral health providers are currently participating in the program. Eligible providers include dentists, dental hygienists, dental specialists, denturists, and dental schools and educational institutions for oral health professions.
Who can apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
To be eligible for the CDCP, Canadians must meet these four requirements:
- No access to dental insurance
- You and your spouse/common-law-partner (if applicable) must have filed your tax returns in Canada for the previous year
- Your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000
- You’re a Canadian resident for tax purposes
If you already have dental coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program, you can still qualify for the CDCP. Your benefits will be co-ordinated between programs.
What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan Status Checker?
The CDCP Status Checker is an online tool you can use to check the progress of your Canadian Dental Care Plan application, for yourself or your child. Access the Canadian Dental Care Plan Status Checker.
I have been told by my dentist that the plan only covers one hour of preventative scaling/cleaning per year. Is this true? (If so, this is outrageous). No where, on any site I have looked at, answer or deal with this question.
It is hard to find a dentist that is participating in the program.
Red tape seems to be the issue.
My 94 YO mother got approved received her card, and no dentist will accept it as payment for dental cleaning. They all say it is t worth it for them to partake in the program. I wrote a Liberal MP for help with no reply.
All of the info regarding treatments and frequencies is here: anada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/guide
Four units of scaling per 12 month period is indicated.
“If you already have dental coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program, you can still qualify for the CDCP. ” Why would you need 2 different Dental Plans. I am assuming they would cover the same things and have similar amount?
The correct web page for treatments covered and frequencies is this:
canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/guide
The “c” in canada didn’t appear in my first post.
Also, it is important to note that a further disqualifier for the program is any sort of HSA, health spending account. It does not matter how much $$ of a HSA a person can access, just the availability of funds disqualifies people/families. For the 2024 tax year, and onward, tax slips will indicate whether a person has an HSA.
This plan disqualifies anyone who already has any access to a dental plan benefit (opt in or out) regardless of if it is only $500 per calendar year and that’s just for BASIC CARE ONLY (Empire Life). This is so unacceptable as it holds many who need this plan coverage hostage to a benefit provider that has way less than adequate coverage for Canadians. There needs to be a top up for those in this situation all of whom pay into this federal dental benefit via taxes paid.