The Canadian Dental Care Plan was put forth by the Federal Government in 2022 and is now available to some Canadians. Application for the CDCP was first made accessible to Canadian Seniors in 2023 and CDCP-funded dental care in Kitchener became available to eligible Canadians in May, 2024.
If you would like to learn more about Canadian Dental Care Plan funding for dentistry in Kitchener or Waterloo, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on the CDCP, below.
CDCP Dental Program in Kitchener-Waterloo: FAQ
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) at a Glance
The CDCP is a Federal program providing dental coverage to Canadians who are not currently covered by private or employer-provided dental benefits. If you have an annual household income of less than $90,000, you may be eligible for the program.
The CDCP is overseen by Health Canada and administered through Sun Life Insurance Company. These 2 groups decide who is eligible for the CDCP. Health Canada and Sun Life also determine what treatments can be covered and at what rate of reimbursement.
Kitchener-Waterloo Dentists accepting CDCP funding, provide treatment and can submit information to Sun Life for the purpose of determining eligible treatments. Dentists have no role in deciding who is eligible. Dentists do not determine what treatments are covered through the program.
Am I eligible?
The easiest way to find out if you can access CDCP funding for Dental Care in Kitchener is to visit the Federal Government’s webpage regarding eligibility criteria, here: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/qualify.html.
To qualify for the CDCP, you cannot currently have access to dental insurance, you must be a Canadian resident with a net family income of less than $90,000 per year, and you are required to have filed your tax return for the previous year.
I'm covered by CDCP and would like to book an appointment now
If I am on the CDCP, is my dental care free?
Unfortunately, no. The CDCP is designed to subsidize or cover a portion of the cost of your ongoing dental care. This means that patients will be responsible for paying a co-payment, or the portion of dental care costs not covered by the Canadian Dental Care Program.
The percentage coverage that you will receive from the CDCP is based on a tiered system according to your annual net household income. To gather more information about what percentage dental care coverage you may be eligible for, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/coverage.html.
The best way to avoid surprises when accessing CDCP funding for dental care in Kitchener-Waterloo is to ask your Dentist to send a pre-determination for dental costs to Sun Life Canada. Sun Life will then provide you with information regarding your funding for dental care. Sun Life may not communicate directly with your Kitchener Dentist so it’s important to follow up with them regarding your pre-determination and approved funding.
Which dental services are covered under the CDCP?
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help to subsidize a range of dental care services aimed at combatting oral health care issues and diseases. The program is meant to help Canadians in keeping their teeth and gums healthy.
Here are some of the services that could be covered under the new CDCP:
The above services are fairly comprehensive toward treating dental decay and cavities, gum disease, infections and other dental emergencies.
Is it a good idea to wait until I’m approved for CDCP coverage to visit my Kitchener Dentist?
We don’t recommend deferring dental assessment and care, especially if it has been a long time since you’ve visited a Dentist. Also, we don’t currently know when the CDCP will be made available to everyone and waiting to visit the Dentist could allow for existing problems to worsen over time. As problems progress, they typically become more expensive to treat.
Many Dentists will offer payment plans to spread out expenses over time so that patients can get some or all of the care they need toward maximizing their oral health.
When it comes to addressing your oral health, sooner is always better!
I'm covered by CDCP and would like to book an appointment now
