Canadian Dental Care Plan

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is one of the largest benefit programs in Canadian history. Oral health care is important to your overall health and well-being. Regular visits reduce the risk of health problem. In 2022, one in four Canadians reported avoiding visiting an oral health professional due to the cost.

A year ago, CDCP expanded to all eligible Canadians who have been able to access the affordable dental care they need, and each saves an average of $900 per year on dental costs. As of Mar 2026, more than 6.5 million Canadians are now covered under the plan, with more than 4 million already receiving the care they need. For Burnaby North-Seymour in particular, over 20,000 approved applicants are under CDCP coverage. Every Canadian deserves accessible, affordable and essential dental care.

Eligibility

To qualify, applicants must meet all four requirements:

• 1. not have access to private dental insurance, or coverage through any of the following:
  • their own job or a family member’s job
  • their pension plan, or a family member’s pension plan
  • a professional or student organization
  • coverage they or a family member purchased privately
• 2. have filed their tax return in the previous year
• 3. have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000
• 4. be a Canadian resident for tax purposes

Click here to understand full details of Eligibility.

Apply

Information Needed for each Applicant

• Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Date of birth
• Full name
• Home and mailing address
• List of dental coverage through government social programs (if applicable)
• Each applicant must have filed their tax return in Canada for the previous year and have received their notice of assessment

Application Methods

Easily apply online or over phone.

• Online: through My Service Canada Account (MSCA);
• Online: Canada.ca/dental;
• Phone: through the automated self-service system at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY: 1-833-677-6262).

Click here to get prepare and Apply.

Renewal

All CDCP members must renew their coverage annually.

Important Dates

• Renewals take place from April 15 to June 1, 2026, for the 2026–2027 benefit year (which runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027).
• Please note that members must submit their renewal application by June 1, 2026, to avoid any interruption in their coverage. Otherwise, oral health services received during this period will not be covered or reimbursed retroactively.
• Members who do not renew by June 1 will lose coverage at the end of the benefit year on June 30, and will need to reapply as new applicants when the next application period opens.

Eligibility Review

To be eligible for coverage, CDCP members must attest every year that they do not have access to private dental insurance. The Member eligibility review process allows Health Canada to verify the accuracy of these attestations by reviewing documentation, such as tax records, to demonstrate that CDCP members do not have access to private coverage. Check here for Member Eligibility Review

Renewal Methods

Renewal is simple and can be done in one of the following ways:

• Online: through My Service Canada Account (MSCA);
• Online: Canada.ca/dental;
• Phone: through the automated self-service system at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY: 1-833-677-6262).

Click here to understand full details of Renewal.

Tips

Check the Tax Slips for Dental Coverage

• There are codes on your tax slips that indicate access to dental coverage.
• For example, box 45 on a T4 for workers, and box 015 on a T4A for pension recipients.

Beware of Scams

• The CDCP will never ask people to pay to apply or renew.

Milestones

Dental Benefits Guide (effective Apr 1, 2026)

The Dental Benefits Guide summarizes the terms and conditions and policies, including criteria, guidelines and limitations, under which the CDCP covers oral health care services for eligible CDCP clients.

• Dental Benefits Guide

Find an oral health provider

If you don’t already have a provider, you can check Sun Life’s CDCP Provider Search, or call the Sun Life CDCP Contact Centre at 1-888-888-8110 for help.

For full details, please refer to Canada.ca/dental.