[Summer 2025 GPS] Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that aims to make dental care more accessible for Canadians who do not have private dental insurance and don't meet the income requirements to qualify for it. The plan is open to eligible Canadians of all ages. To qualify for the CDCP, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
 

• Be a resident of Canada for tax purposes.
   
• No access to private dental insurance, meaning you don't have coverage through your employer's dental benefits.
   
• Have filed your tax return for the previous year to prove your family's income.
   
• Adjusted family income is less than $90,000 per year.
   

What Does the Plan Include?
 

The CDCP helps pay for a variety of dental services, primarily covering basic and preventive care. Some of the services that are covered include:
 

• Dental checkups, cleanings (scaling), fluoride treatments, x-rays, and sealants are all types of preventive care.
   
• Restorative therapies include fillings (both permanent and temporary), crowns, inlays, and onlays to fix teeth.
   
• Endodontic therapy includes root canals and other procedures to treat infection or deterioration of the pulp inside a tooth.
   
• Periodontal services include caring for the gums and bones, cleaning under the gumline, treating abscesses, and managing gum disease.
   
• Emergency and diagnostic services include exams, x-rays, pain management, and other urgent dental care.
   

Cosmetic treatments such as whitening, mouth guards, implants, and certain types of crowns and prosthodontics are not covered.
 

How Much Does It Cost?
 

CDCP offers different levels of coverage depending on total family income:
 

• Less than $70,000 a year will qualify for 100% coverage on approved of dental expenditures, with no out-of-pocket fees.
   
• $70,000 to $79,999 a year: 60% of the CDCP's set costs are covered.
   
• $80,000 to $89,999 a year: 40% of fees are paid.
   
• More than $90,000 a year: Not able to join the plan.
   

How to Apply
 

Applications may be completed online, by phone or at a Service Canada Centre. Members of the plan must renew their coverage every year; otherwise, it lapses