The Canadian Dental Care Plan

The Canadian Dental Care Plan expanded significantly in 2025, bringing the remaining working-age population into the eligibility framework. For employers, the question is what that expansion means alongside workplace dental coverage.

The CDCP is not simply another dental plan an employee can choose instead of an employer plan. Access to private dental coverage is itself part of the eligibility test.

01 - Eligibility

To qualify for the CDCP, an individual must be a Canadian resident for tax purposes, have filed the required tax return, have adjusted family net income below $90,000, and have no access to private dental insurance or coverage. That access can come through an employee's own workplace, a family member's work or pension plan, a professional or student organization, individually purchased dental coverage, or a health spending account that covers dental expenses. Choosing not to enrol in available workplace coverage does not make someone eligible. The same applies where the individual has never used the coverage or is required to pay part of the premium.

02 - The 2025 Expansion

The CDCP was introduced in stages. In 2025, applications opened to the remaining adult age groups: ages 55 to 64 on May 1, ages 18 to 34 on May 15, and ages 35 to 54 on May 29. Coverage for eligible new applicants could begin as early as June 1. The expansion removed the remaining age restriction for adults. The other eligibility requirements, including the income threshold and lack of access to private dental coverage, continued to apply.

03 - What the CDCP Pays

CDCP coverage does not necessarily mean the entire dental bill is paid. Eligible services are reimbursed according to CDCP-established fees, which may differ from the amount a provider charges. The percentage paid by the CDCP also depends on adjusted family net income. Below $70,000, the CDCP pays 100% of its established fee. From $70,000 to $79,999, it pays 60%. From $80,000 to $89,999, it pays 40%. A patient may still have costs where a co-payment applies, where the provider charges more than the CDCP-established fee, or where a service is not covered by the program.

04 - Covered Services

The CDCP covers a range of oral-health services, including diagnostic and preventive care, fillings, certain root canal treatment, periodontal services, dentures, oral surgery, and other eligible procedures. Coverage is subject to the program's rules. Some services have frequency limits, clinical criteria, or preauthorization requirements. Orthodontic services are currently not available under the CDCP. Whether a category of treatment is covered and whether a particular procedure qualifies in an individual case are not always the same question.

05 - Provider Billing

Sun Life administers CDCP claims on behalf of the federal government, which is why it forms part of the billing process. Providers have two ways to participate: they can formally sign up through Sun Life or submit eligible claims directly to Sun Life on a claim-by-claim basis. In either case, the provider bills Sun Life directly for covered services. CDCP members cannot pay the full bill themselves and then submit it to Sun Life for reimbursement. They are responsible only for amounts not covered by the program, where applicable. Patients should confirm before treatment that their provider will accept CDCP claims and ask whether any amount will remain payable directly.

06 - What This Means for Employers

The CDCP does not coordinate with private employer dental coverage because an individual with access to private dental insurance or coverage is generally not eligible for the CDCP. Employers are also required to report whether dental insurance or coverage is offered through Box 45 of the T4. Pension plan administrators report this information through Box 015 of the T4A where applicable. For that reason, any review of workplace dental coverage should account for the CDCP's actual eligibility rules rather than treating the federal program as an interchangeable form of employer coverage.

The CDCP has expanded access to dental care for Canadians who meet its income and coverage requirements. Employer-sponsored plans operate separately, with their own eligibility terms, covered services, reimbursement levels, limits, and cost-sharing provisions. For employees with access to workplace dental coverage, eligibility comes before comparison: that access may determine whether the CDCP is available to them at all.