Canadian Dental Care Plan Information for 2026–2027

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that helps make dental care more affordable for eligible Canadian residents without access to private dental insurance.

The program can help cover the cost of a variety of eligible oral health services. The amount covered depends on CDCP guidelines, your adjusted family net income, the services provided, and other applicable factors.

Applications are currently open for the 2026–2027 benefit year. Unlike during the program’s initial rollout, eligible Canadians across all age groups can now apply.

To qualify for the CDCP, you must meet all four eligibility requirements:

• You do not have access to private dental insurance or coverage.
• You and your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable, have filed your Canadian tax returns so your family income can be assessed.
• Your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000.
• You are a Canadian resident for tax purposes.

Having dental coverage through certain provincial, territorial, or federal government social programs does not necessarily prevent you from qualifying. If you meet the CDCP eligibility requirements, the programs may coordinate coverage.

The current CDCP benefit year runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

CDCP coverage must be renewed annually. This allows the Government of Canada to confirm that members continue to meet the program’s eligibility requirements.

The renewal period for people who had CDCP coverage during the 2025–2026 benefit year ended on June 1, 2026.

If you were previously covered but did not renew by the deadline, you can submit a new application for the 2026–2027 benefit year. However, you may experience a gap in coverage while your new application is processed.

Dental services received during a gap in CDCP coverage are not covered and cannot be reimbursed retroactively. For this reason, always confirm that your coverage is active before receiving treatment that you expect the CDCP to cover.

When applying, you should be prepared to provide information requested by the Government of Canada for yourself and, when applicable, your spouse or common-law partner. This may include:

• Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Date of birth
• Full name
• Home and mailing address
• Information about dental coverage through government social programs, if applicable
• Information from your most recent Canadian tax return and Notice of Assessment

Your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable, must also have filed the required Canadian tax return before your family income can be assessed.

Do not assume that submitting an application means your coverage is immediately active.

Once you are approved, review the information provided by the Government of Canada and Sun Life for your benefit coverage start date and member information. Dental appointments for services you want covered by the CDCP should take place on or after your coverage start date.

Our team can also use your CDCP information to help confirm active coverage and determine how the plan may apply to proposed treatment.

Not necessarily. The CDCP may cover some or all of the eligible amount for a service based on your adjusted family net income and the CDCP fee schedule.

You may still have an out-of-pocket cost if a co-payment applies, if the CDCP does not cover a service, or if the dental office’s fee is higher than the amount covered by the plan.

Before treatment, our team can help you understand estimated costs so you can make an informed decision about your care.

Our team is happy to assist with questions about using your CDCP benefits at our office, estimated co-payments, treatment costs, and scheduling your visit.

Contact Dr Neil J. Gajjar Associates & Specialists at (365) 389-8338 or email appointment@drgajjar.com to learn more or schedule an appointment.