Coverage under the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)

Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a helpful Federal initiative and social framework designed to make dental care more accessible and affordable for eligible Canadians. If your family’s annual income is less than $90,000 and you lack dental insurance, this program will provide you with the coverage you need to maintain oral health.

Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is now open to all eligible Canadian residents. Make sure you meet all four of the eligibility requirements before applying. Anyone who makes less than $90K annually* (combined income with spouse) and finds themselves without access to private dental insurance or coverage through any of the following programs, will likely qualify.

Employer benefits or a family member’s employer benefits, including health and wellness accounts.
A professional or student organization,
Insurance purchased by you, a family member or through a group plan.
A personal pension plan or a family member’s pension plan, including federal, provincial and territorial government employer pension plans.

— Step 1 —
Find out more about eligibility here

— Step 2 —
If you are eligible for benefits, you can apply online here

Sign Up Today

Archer Dental is here to help navigate the CDCP and to provide quality dental care for children and adults of all ages. Here’s everything you need to know about the program. If you have questions about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.

Eligibility Criteria for the Canadian Dental Care Plan

To qualify for the CDCP, you must meet the following requirements:

Income Limit: Annual family income below $90,000.
No Dental Insurance: No access to dental insurance through work, pensions, or private plans.
Residency: Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
Tax Filing: Have filed a tax return in the previous year.

For children under 18, their eligibility depends on their parent’s or guardian’s qualifications.

The amount covered by the CDCP depends on your adjusted family net income. Patients in higher income brackets may be required to pay a co-payment for dental services, while those with lower incomes may have their treatment fully covered according to the CDCP fee schedule.

The table below summarizes how coverage is determined based on family income.

Adjusted family net income	How much will the CDCP cover	Co-payment you must cover
Lower than $70,000	100% of eligible oral health care service costs will be covered at the CDCP established fees.	0%
Between $70,000 and $79,999	60% of eligible oral health care service costs will be covered at the CDCP established fees.	40%
Between $80,000 and $89,999	40% of eligible oral health care service costs will be covered at the CDCP established fees.	60%
$90,000 or higher	Not eligible for coverage under the Canadian Dental Care Plan.	100% (patient responsible for full cost)

There may be a co-payment requirement based on your adjusted family net income, as outlined in the provided chart. Please be prepared to cover any applicable co-payment using acceptable forms of payment, including cash, debit, credit card (Visa, Mastercard accepted), or e-transfer.

For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us for more information. We provide new patient exams, general dental services for children and adults of all ages.

How to Apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is now open to all eligible Canadian residents. Make sure you meet all 4 of the eligibility requirements before applying.

When to apply

All eligible Canadians can apply now.

What you need

To complete the application, you’ll need to provide the following information for each applicant and your spouse or common-law partner (if you have one):

Social Insurance Number (SIN) (if available for children)
Date of birth
Full name
Home and mailing address
List of dental coverage through government social programs (if applicable)
You and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must have filed your tax return for 2023 and have received your Notice of Assessment

Apply online

Follow this link to submit an online application for CDCP coverage. If and when your application is approved, Sun Life, the CDCP provider, will send a welcome package with your coverage start date and membership card. You’ll need this info to book ‘covered’ dental appointments.

Remember, you can start scheduling dental appointments immediately after your coverage start date. Ensure your dental clinic accepts CDCP coverage before booking to avoid unexpected costs.

Renewing Your CDCP Coverage

Patients enrolled in the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) must renew their coverage each year to confirm that they still meet the program’s eligibility requirements.

For the upcoming benefit year, the renewal period begins on April 15, 2026. Patients should complete their renewal before June 1, 2026 to ensure their coverage continues without interruption for the July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 benefit period.

If renewal is not completed on time, your coverage may end on June 30, 2026, which could result in a gap in coverage. Dental services received during a coverage gap will not be reimbursed by the CDCP, even if treatment had previously been approved.

Before renewing, patients must have filed their 2025 income tax return and received their Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency.

What Services Are Covered By The CDCP?

The CDCP covers a range of essential dental services, including:

Preventive care (exams, x-rays, cleanings)
Restorative care (fillings, crowns)
Endodontics (pulpectomies, root canals)
Prosthodontics (complete dentures, partial dentures, overdentures, repairs, reline)
Periodontics (gum treatments)
Oral surgery (extractions)

Some services may require pre-authorization from Health Canada, and coverage frequency limits apply. Check with your dentist or contact us for more information to see if pre-authorization is necessary for your treatment.

The full list of services under Schedules A and B can be found here.

What Services are NOT Covered by Canadian Dental Care Plan?

Certain dental procedures are not covered by the CDCP, including:

Cosmetic treatments like dental veneers or teeth whitening
Dental implants
Complex prosthodontics like dental bridges
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) therapy and appliances

For any treatments not covered by CDCP, you can still receive care at Archer Dental under our standard fee schedule. Contact us for more information

How Much Does the CDCP Cover?

The percentage of coverage provided by the CDCP depends on your family’s adjusted net income:

Income under $70,000: 100% of eligible dental expenses.
Income $70,000–$79,999: 60% of eligible dental expenses.
Income $80,000–$89,999: 40% of eligible dental expenses

Co-payments may apply for certain procedures, and the coverage limits are based on the CDCP fee guide. At Archer Dental, we adhere to the Ontario Dental Association Fee Guide, but fees may vary based on treatment and coverage under CDCP.

For more information about about the Canada Dental Care Plan, contact us at Archer Dental for more information.

Does Archer Dental Accept CDCP Patients?

Yes! Archer Dental accepts patients covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan. While the CDCP fees may differ from our ODA Fee Guide pricing, we ensure full transparency regarding any costs you may need to cover, such as co-payments or balance billing.

Please note: Archer Dental does not participate in OW, ODSP, or HSO programs, and we do not coordinate with those programs.

For more information about about our services, contact Archer Dental.