A report from Global News interviewed Health Minister Mark Holland on the expansion of the federal government’s dental care plan. 

The CDCP, originally researched and developed by the NDP, was adopted and legislated through the current bi-party agreement with the Liberal party and moved forward into legislation last year. The federal dental care plan has now entered the second phase of the rollout. The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is now available for uninsured Canadian residents with an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 in the following three categories: 

• Seniors aged 65 and over 

• Children under the age of 18 

• Adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate 

A wide range of dental care services are covered, including: 

• Scaling (cleaning) 

• Exams 

• X-Rays 

• Fillings 

• Removable dentures 

• Root canal treatments 

• Oral surgery 

The CDCP will reimburse a percentage of the cost, based on established CDCP fees and your adjusted family net income. Additional charges may be payable directly to the oral health provider if: 

• Your adjusted family net income is between $70,000 and $89,000 

• The cost of your oral health care services is more than the established CDCP fees 

• You and your oral health provider agree to services the CDCP doesn’t cover. 

Downloadable fact sheet posters are available in Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Michif Cree, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, Ukrainian and Vietnamese at: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/providers/toolkit/multilingual-factsheets.html  

In the Global News interview with Minister Holland in June, the Health Minister reported, “In six weeks, 200,000 people have gotten care. Almost 11,500 providers representing about 40 per cent of providers across the country are participating. Almost all hygienists, almost all denturists, are participating.” The Minister noted that the federal government was working with provinces and territories to manage the phased rollout. 

The Global New report outlined the planned rollout of the CDCP: 

• Applications for the dental plan first opened for seniors aged 87 and up starting in December 2023, expanding in phases by age group. 

• Starting in January 2024, seniors aged 77 to 86 could apply. Then in February 2024, seniors aged 72 to 76 could apply. Starting in March 2024, seniors aged 70 to 71 were eligible to apply and in May 2024, seniors aged 65 to 69 could start applying. 

• In June 2024, the second last phase of the rollout was announced. 

• Starting in 2025, all remaining eligible Canadian residents will be able to apply online. 

Since July 1, 2023, eligible families with up-front, direct payments of up to $650 per eligible child under 12 for dental care services received between July 1st of the current year and June 30th of the following year can receive benefits if they meet the following criteria: 

• They have a child or children under 12 as of the July 1st commencement date and are currently receiving the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for that child. 

• They have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000. 

• Their child does not have access to private dental care coverage. 

• They have filed their tax return for the previous tax year; and 

• They have out of pocket expenses for their child’s dental care services incurred in Canada during the current CDCP operating year for which costs have not been fully covered under another federal, provincial or territorial government program. 

Applications for coverage are made through the family’s Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) MyAccount.