Newcomer Digest – Thursday's Edition

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Canada May Pay for Your Dental Care. Check 4 Rules.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan is open for 2026-2027. It is free to apply, but you have to meet all four rules.

You have a toothache, no dental plan at work, and a bill you did not plan for.

There is a federal plan built for that gap. It is called the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Applying costs nothing.

What it pays depends on your adjusted family net income:

• Under $70,000: the CDCP covers 100% of eligible costs at its set fees. You pay 0% of those fees.
• $70,000 to $79,999: the CDCP covers 60%. You pay 40%.
• $80,000 to $89,999: the CDCP covers 40%. You pay 60%.

Covered services include exams, x-rays, cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, dentures and tooth extractions. Orthodontics is not available.

Read the full guide on our website

What This Means for You

The 4 rules

You must meet all four:

1. No access to private dental insurance. That includes a plan through work, a spouse or common-law partner, a pension, a student organization, or one you bought yourself.
2. You filed a tax return in Canada for the previous year. Your spouse or common-law partner must have filed too.
3. Your adjusted family net income is under $90,000.
4. You are a Canadian resident for tax purposes. So is your spouse or common-law partner.

The newcomer catch: The CRA says most newcomers do not file their first Canadian return until the year after they arrive. The CDCP pages do not say what that means if you arrived this year. Call Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342 before you apply.

Where people commonly go wrong:

• Assuming a spouse is covered. A spouse or common-law partner has to submit their own application.
• Booking care first. Only care received after your start date is covered.
• Skipping the renewal. You renew every year. Care during a gap is not covered or reimbursed.
• Answers that do not match your tax slips. You may face an eligibility review. If you are found ineligible, you can be removed and may have to repay what the plan paid.

General information, not advice. Review the official eligibility requirements before you apply.

What You Can Do Now

Four steps to apply and keep your coverage

1. Check for dental insurance. Work, spouse, pension, student plan. If you have access to any of it, you do not meet rule 1.
2. Check your tax return and income. Confirm you filed, and find your adjusted family net income. The official page shows which tax lines to use.
3. Apply. Use My Service Canada Account, the Canada.ca application, or call 1-833-537-4342. Have your SIN, date of birth, full name and address ready, for yourself and each dependant.
4. Wait for your letter, then book. It lists your start date and co-payment level. To find a provider, use Sun Life's CDCP Provider Search or call 1-888-888-8110.

Canada.ca: Who qualifies for the Canadian Dental Care Plan
Canada.ca: How to apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan

Helpful Resource

The official Canadian Dental Care Plan pages

Canada.ca explains who qualifies, how to apply, what is covered and what happens after you apply.

• Who qualifies: Canadian Dental Care Plan: Who qualifies (Canada.ca)
• How to apply: Canadian Dental Care Plan: How to apply (Canada.ca)
• What is covered: Canadian Dental Care Plan: Coverage (Canada.ca)
• After you apply: Canadian Dental Care Plan: After you apply (Canada.ca)

Applying and renewing are free. Do not give banking or credit card details to anyone who contacts you about the plan.

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