Canadian Dental Care Plan
The CDCP, explained simply
Who is eligible, what is covered, what you pay and how to apply — the official rules, in plain language.
Covered by the CDCP?
To find out how the CDCP applies to your visit with us, call us at 450 510-1717 and we'll walk you through it.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a Government of Canada program, administered with Sun Life. It covers many everyday dental services: exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, root canals, dentures and more. For each service, it pays part or all of the fee it has set itself — its own fee grid, separate from the clinic's fees.
It is meant for Canadian residents who have no access to private dental insurance and whose adjusted family net income is under $90,000. There is no age requirement: every eligible Canadian resident can apply. Here is what you need to know, in plain language.
Information checked on canada.ca on August 29, 2026. Rules can change: the official sources always take precedence.
Who is eligible
- You have no access to private dental insurance: not through your work or pension plan, a family member's work or pension plan, a professional or student organization, insurance purchased by you or a family member (including supplementary or top-up insurance), or a health spending account that covers dental costs. You are considered to have access even if you never used it, decided not to enrol, have to pay a premium, opted out of your pension plan's dental coverage after December 11, 2023, or it doesn't cover the full cost.
- You file your tax return in Canada — and so does your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable.
- Your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000.
- You are a Canadian resident for tax purposes (and so is your spouse).
- There is no age requirement: the four conditions apply to everyone, children and adults alike.
- Coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program (for example, dental care covered by RAMQ) doesn't count as private insurance and doesn't exclude you: you could still qualify, and the plans may coordinate to avoid duplication.
Before applying, check your situation on the official eligibility page on canada.ca — and look at box 45 of your T4 or box 015 of your T4A: code 1 means you have no access to dental insurance through your employer or pension plan.
What the plan pays based on your income
| Adjusted family net income | Plan covers | You pay |
|---|---|---|
| Under $70,000 | 100% of the CDCP fee (not 100% of the bill) | No co-payment; only the difference with the clinic's fees |
| $70,000 to $79,999 | 60% of the CDCP fee | 40% co-payment on the CDCP fee + the difference with the clinic's fees |
| $80,000 to $89,999 | 40% of the CDCP fee | 60% co-payment on the CDCP fee + the difference with the clinic's fees |
| $90,000 and over | Not eligible for the plan | The full cost |
"100%" means 100% of the fee set by the CDCP, not 100% of your bill. In Québec, most dentists — including our clinic — bill according to the ACDQ fee guide (Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec), whose fees are higher than the CDCP fees. So there is always a difference to pay to the clinic, at every tier — even at 100% — on top of your co-payment if you have one. The clinic tells you both amounts before treatment.
"Adjusted family net income" is your family net income (line 23600 of your return and your spouse's), minus any UCCB and RDSP income received (lines 11700 and 12500), plus any UCCB and RDSP amounts repaid (lines 21300 and 23200). In canada.ca's words, "a co-payment is the percentage of the CDCP fees that isn't covered by the CDCP, and that you will have to pay directly to the oral health provider," and "the CDCP fees may not be the same as what providers charge."
What is covered
- Diagnostic: dental exams (complete, routine, specific and emergency) and X-rays
- Preventive: cleaning (scaling), fluoride applications and sealants
- Restorative: permanent and temporary fillings, pain control for diseased teeth and other cavity treatments
- Endodontic: root canal treatments, pulpectomies and procedures to reduce infection or relieve pain (re-treating a root canal requires preauthorization)
- Periodontal: cleaning under the gumline, treating abscesses and non-surgical gum disease management (bonding mobile teeth and post-surgical evaluations require preauthorization)
- Major restorative: posts, crown repairs and re-bonding; crowns, cores and posts for crowns (preauthorization required, ages 18 and up)
- Removable dentures: standard and temporary complete dentures, repairs, relines, rebases and tissue conditioning; partial, immediate and overdentures (preauthorization required)
- Oral surgery: tooth extractions (check the details and limits on canada.ca)
Not everything is covered, and many services have frequency limits. For example, crowns are only for clients 18 and up, at most 4 in any 120 months and 1 per tooth in any 96 months; a complete denture is covered once per arch in any 96 months, and its repairs once per arch in any 12 months. Services marked "preauthorization" must be approved by the plan before treatment. The complete, up-to-date list is on the "Coverage" page on canada.ca.
What you pay
First amount: the co-payment. Depending on your income tier, you pay 0%, 40% or 60% of the fee set by the CDCP, directly to the clinic. Official canada.ca example for two units of scaling, where the CDCP fee is $134: with an adjusted family net income of $32,000, the plan pays the full $134; at $76,000, it pays $80.40 and your co-payment is $53.60; at $82,000, it pays $53.60 and your co-payment is $80.40.
Second amount: the difference between the CDCP fee and the clinic's fees. The CDCP sets its own fees, independently of the provincial dental associations' fee guides. In Québec, most dentists — including our clinic — bill according to the ACDQ fee guide, whose fees are higher than the CDCP fees. That difference therefore always applies, at every tier, even when the plan covers "100%".
In canada.ca's official example, the provider charges $145 while the CDCP fee is $134: the patient pays the $11 difference ($64.60 in total with a 40% co-payment; $91.40 with a 60% co-payment). That $11 is only an illustration from canada.ca, not the actual difference: it varies by service and by clinic.
At a participating clinic you have nothing to send to the government: the plan's share is claimed directly from Sun Life, and you pay only your co-payment and this difference. The clinic tells you both amounts before treatment.
How to apply
- 01
Check your eligibility
Go through the four conditions above. Check box 45 of your T4 or box 015 of your T4A, and your spouse's slips: code 1 means no access to dental insurance; 2, 3, 4 or 5 means your employer or pension plan offers coverage.
- 02
Gather your information
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN), date of birth, address, your dental insurance situation (yours and your spouse's) and confirmation that your tax returns have been filed. Have the details of any family members included in the application handy too.
- 03
Apply online or by phone
You apply with the government, not at the clinic: online at canada.ca or by phone at 1-833-537-4342. When you apply, you attest that you have no access to private dental insurance; false information leads to removal of you and your family from the plan.
- 04
Wait for the decision
The government notifies you of its decision by letter. If you are eligible, Sun Life then sends your member details, including your coverage start date. Keep them: they are what the clinic will ask for. For processing times and the status of your file, check on canada.ca.
- 05
Book with a participating clinic
Wait for the start date on your letter, then choose a participating clinic and mention your CDCP coverage when you book. To find out how the plan applies to your visit with us, give us a call.
Official links
- Check my eligibility (canada.ca, in French)
- Check my eligibility (canada.ca)
- Apply (canada.ca, in French)
- Apply (canada.ca)
- Renew my coverage (canada.ca, in French)
- Renew my coverage (canada.ca)
- Find a participating provider (canada.ca, in French)
- Find a participating provider (canada.ca)
- Service Canada: 1-833-537-4342
Renewing every year
Coverage doesn't carry over on its own: it is renewed every year, and the government re-checks your eligibility using your most recent tax return — yours and your spouse's. So file your return every year, even with no income to report. At renewal, as when you apply, you must confirm that you still have no access to private dental insurance; if access is confirmed, you are removed from the plan and may have to reimburse the government for services paid while you were ineligible.
A renewal deadline is set each year: check it on canada.ca, as it can change. If you missed it, all is not lost: since June 2, 2026, the application period for the 2026-27 benefit year is open to all eligible Canadian residents, including those who missed the renewal deadline. If your situation has changed — new insurance, higher income — your coverage or your co-payment may change too.
At the clinic
- Mention your CDCP coverage when you book and confirm that the clinic participates in the plan.
- Bring your Sun Life letter or member number, along with a piece of ID.
- Before treatment, ask what is covered, what needs preauthorization and the amount to pay: your co-payment, if any, and the difference between the CDCP fee and the clinic's fees. Both amounts are paid at the clinic.
- Know your income tier: it sets your co-payment (0%, 40% or 60% of the CDCP fee).
Frequently asked questions
No. The CDCP greatly reduces the cost of care, but there is always an amount to pay to the clinic, which can include two parts. First, a co-payment if your adjusted family net income is $70,000 or more: 40% of the CDCP fee between $70,000 and $79,999, 60% between $80,000 and $89,999 (no co-payment under $70,000). Second, the difference between the CDCP fee and the clinic's fees: in Québec, most dentists — including our clinic — bill according to the ACDQ fee guide, whose fees are higher than the CDCP fees. That difference applies at every tier, even at "100%". The clinic tells you both amounts before treatment.
No. Having access to dental insurance through your work, your pension plan or a family member's excludes you from the CDCP — even if you never used it, decided not to enrol, pay a premium, or it doesn't cover the full cost. A quick check: box 45 of your T4 (or 015 of your T4A) shows 2, 3, 4 or 5 when coverage is offered to you. The only exception: retirees who opted out of their pension plan's dental coverage before December 11, 2023 and cannot opt back in.
The CDCP has no age requirement: your children can be covered if your family meets the four conditions. In Québec, children under 10 already get some care through RAMQ, and that doesn't exclude them: coverage through a provincial public program doesn't prevent eligibility, and the plans may coordinate to avoid duplication. Check the details for your family on canada.ca.
The government doesn't publish a guaranteed timeline, and we can't predict it for you. You'll first get the decision by letter, then, if you are eligible, your Sun Life member details with your coverage start date. The best way to avoid delays: have your tax returns (yours and your spouse's) filed before you apply. To check on your file, see canada.ca.
At a participating clinic, no: the plan's share is claimed directly from Sun Life, and you have nothing to send to the government. You pay only two amounts, at the clinic: your co-payment (0%, 40% or 60% of the CDCP fee) and the difference between the CDCP fee and the clinic's fees. That difference applies at every tier, and the clinic tells you both amounts before treatment. First confirm that the clinic participates in the plan. To find out how the plan applies to your visit with us, call us at 450 510-1717.
Your coverage isn't carried into the new benefit year, and any care you receive without coverage is entirely at your expense. The good news: since June 2, 2026, people who missed the renewal deadline can apply again for the 2026-27 year. File your tax return, reapply on canada.ca, then, once your coverage is confirmed, check with the clinic of your choice that it participates in the plan. To find out how the plan applies at our clinic, call us at 450 510-1717.
Official sources
- Admissibilité au RCSD — canada.ca (FR)
- Do you qualify — CDCP, canada.ca (EN)
- Ce qui est couvert — canada.ca (FR)
- What is covered — canada.ca (EN)
- Exemples de quotes-parts et de frais supplémentaires — canada.ca (FR)
- Examples of co-payments and additional charges — canada.ca (EN)
- Renouveler votre couverture — canada.ca (FR)
- Renew your coverage — canada.ca (EN)
- Information for oral health providers (coordination of benefits) — canada.ca (EN)
- News release, June 2, 2026 — 2026-27 application period open to all eligible residents (EN)
- Communiqué du 30 mars 2026 — accès aux soins buccodentaires au Québec (FR)
- Tarifs établis par le RCSD (indépendants des guides des associations provinciales) — canada.ca (FR)
- Mise à jour pour les fournisseurs : les tarifs du RCSD diffèrent des guides tarifaires provinciaux — canada.ca (FR, 22 avril 2024)
- RCSD : tous les patients paient le même tarif, la différence est payée par le patient — ACDQ (FR)
- CDCP: same fees for all patients, the difference is paid by the patient — ACDQ (EN)
- Message important de votre dentiste au sujet du RCSD (lettre type) — ACDQ (FR)
- Les tarifs et honoraires du dentiste — Ordre des dentistes du Québec (FR)
- Professional fees — Ordre des dentistes du Québec (EN)
- FAQ pour les fournisseurs : frais additionnels lorsque le tarif facturé dépasse le tarif du RCSD — Sun Life (FR)
Next step
Covered by the CDCP?
Book an appointment and mention it: we'll tell you what to bring.