Common questions about the Canadian Dental Care Plan

There’s a new dental plan available that is quickly becoming the talk of the town. It’s called the Canadian Dental Care Plan and it’s funded by the Canadian government.

We want to take this opportunity to share some more details on how this might impact your dental services in Surrey, including what it is, what it does and who qualifies. Here's a quick overview of questions we’ll cover, with the answers found below.

Common questions about the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)

• What is the CDCP?
• How does it work?
• Who qualifies?
• What services are covered?
• How do I apply?

What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a program aimed at making dental care more affordable for families who don’t otherwise have access to dental benefits.

How does it work?

The CDCP acts similarly to other benefit plans in that it helps to pay some of the costs associated with dental care.  Co-payments are determined by a family’s net income.

Families with adjusted net incomes below $70K will have no co-payment. For those with net incomes between $70K-$79,999, the co-pay will amount to 40%. Those making between $80K-$89,999 annual net income will see a 60% co-payment.

Additionally, individual dental offices may opt to include their own standard fees which patients may be required to pay in addition to the co-payment.

Who qualifies?

To be accepted into the plan you need to be a Canadian resident for tax purposes and meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You must not be receiving dental coverage from another source. For example, common sources of coverage come from employment benefits, student organizations, pension benefits (some exceptions apply) and private policies.
• You (and your spouse if applicable) must have filed returns in the previous year so net income can be assessed.
• Your adjusted family net income must be less than $90K.

What is covered?

A wide variety of treatments are covered. We’ll list a few, however to see a broader spectrum of services, visit this link.

Treatments covered by the CDCP

• Dental exams
• X-rays
• Cleaning
• Fillings
• Root Canals
• Periodontal services
• Crowns
• Dentures
• Tooth extraction
• Sedation

Orthodontics( starting in 2025)

How do I apply?

Canadians aged 65 and older, adults with a 2023 Disability Tax Credit certificate, and children under 18-years-old can all apply now if they meet eligibility requirements. Everyone else can begin applying in 2025.

Applications can be filed online here, and you can check the status of your application as well. Representatives are available to answer questions at this number: 1-833-537-4342. 

More information can be found in this CDCP faq.

Whew! We hope we’ve provided you with a good overview of this new government benefit plan to make dental care more affordable for Canadians. For localized information, call your personal provider of dental services in Surrey for more details.

Talk to us! We love to hear from our patients and patients-to-be. Riverside Heights Dental Centre is not far from Fraser Heights and the Guildford area of Surrey. Call: 604-584-2535