To apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan, sign in to your My Service Canada Account (MSCA) or go to Canada.ca and submit the application online. Health Canada runs the program and Service Canada processes applications. You qualify if you’re a Canadian resident for tax purposes with an adjusted family net income below $90,000, you’ve filed last year’s tax return, and you don’t have access to private dental insurance. As of 2026, all eligible age groups can apply.
Confirm You Qualify Before You Start
Four conditions have to be true on the day you apply:1Canada.ca. Canadian Dental Care Plan – Do You Qualify
- You’re a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
- You (and your spouse or common-law partner, if you have one) filed your Canadian tax return for the previous year and received a notice of assessment.
- Your adjusted family net income is below $90,000. This is Line 23600 of your return, added together if you have a spouse or common-law partner.
- You don’t have access to private dental insurance.
Read that last condition carefully. “Access” is not the same as “enrolled.” If dental benefits are offered through your employer, your spouse’s employer, a pension plan, a professional or student organization, or a plan you could buy privately, you’re considered to have access even if you never signed up. Health and wellness spending accounts and retiree pension dental benefits count too.1Canada.ca. Canadian Dental Care Plan – Do You Qualify
Provincial, territorial, and federal social dental programs are treated differently. Coverage through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, Veterans Affairs Canada Dental Services, or the Interim Federal Health Program doesn’t disqualify you. Those programs are billed first, and the CDCP pays as a secondary payer.2Government of Canada. Information for Oral Health Professionals
What to Have Ready Before You Apply
Pull these together before you open the application:3Government of Canada. Apply – Canadian Dental Care Plan
- Your Social Insurance Number, plus the SIN of your spouse or common-law partner if applicable. Children’s SINs are requested if available.
- Dates of birth for everyone you’re including.
- Your home and mailing address.
- Your most recent tax return and notice of assessment, and your partner’s if applicable, so you can confirm the Line 23600 figure.
- The name of any provincial, territorial, or federal social dental program you’re already receiving benefits through.
Keep the tax documents in front of you while you fill out the form. The system cross-references what you enter against Canada Revenue Agency records, and any mismatch will flag your application. Providing false information can get you and your family removed from the plan and required to repay any benefits already claimed.1Canada.ca. Canadian Dental Care Plan – Do You Qualify
Submitting the Application
Since June 2, 2026, you can apply online through MSCA or directly on Canada.ca.3Government of Canada. Apply – Canadian Dental Care Plan Through MSCA, sign in or create a profile, then open the Canadian Dental Care Plan section on your dashboard.4Government of Canada. Canadian Dental Care Plan in MSCA
The form asks whether you have access to dental insurance through a current or former employer, whether a spouse’s workplace makes coverage available to you, and whether a provincial or territorial government program covers you. Answer these based on what’s offered, not what you use.
If you don’t have internet access or you want help, call the CDCP Call Centre at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY: 1-833-677-6262). You can also authorize a designated representative to apply on your behalf.
What Happens After You Submit
Service Canada verifies your identity and checks your reported income against CRA records to confirm you’re under the $90,000 threshold. Your coverage start date depends on two things: when Service Canada receives your application and when your enrollment finishes.5Government of Canada. After You Apply – Canadian Dental Care Plan
Don’t book a dental appointment until that start date is confirmed. Only services received on or after it are covered. You can track your application in MSCA, and the Government of Canada will notify you by mail or email once enrollment is complete.5Government of Canada. After You Apply – Canadian Dental Care Plan
Once you’re approved, your information goes to Sun Life, the private insurer that manages CDCP claims. Sun Life mails a welcome package with your member card, your coverage start date, and information about how the plan works.5Government of Canada. After You Apply – Canadian Dental Care Plan6Sun Life. Member – Canadian Dental Care Plan
What You’ll Pay Once You’re Covered
Your co-payment depends on the adjusted family net income you reported:7Government of Canada. Canadian Dental Care Plan – What Is Covered
- Below $70,000: the plan pays 100% of eligible services at its established fees. No co-payment.
- $70,000 to $79,999: the plan pays 60%. You pay a 40% co-payment.
- $80,000 to $89,999: the plan pays 40%. You pay a 60% co-payment.
Even in the top tier, you can still owe more if your provider’s fees are higher than the CDCP’s established rates or if you agree to services the plan doesn’t cover. Reimbursement is tied to the CDCP fee schedule, not to what your dentist charges.
Renewing Each Year
CDCP coverage runs one benefit year at a time, from July 1 to June 30, and you have to renew by June 1 each year. A renewal window generally opens around March, so you have a few months to confirm you still meet the income and insurance-access rules.
Miss June 1 and your coverage ends June 30. You can still renew afterward, but any dental care you receive in the gap between June 30 and your new start date won’t be reimbursed. Marking the renewal date is the simplest way to avoid an unplanned lapse.