If you're not sure whether you qualify for the Canadian Dental Care Plan — or you've heard about it but don't know how to apply — this page walks through the basics. Our team helps patients with the application at every visit if you don't want to do it alone.
Ask about your eligibility
The Canadian Dental Care Plan is open to eligible Canadians who meet income, age, and residency criteria — and who don't already have dental coverage through a private insurance plan or employer benefits. The program rolled out in phases, with seniors (65 and older), children under 18, and adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate becoming eligible first. Adults aged 18 to 64 became eligible in 2025.
Eligibility is based on your adjusted family net income from your most recent tax return. Higher income tiers have higher co-pay percentages; the lowest income tier typically has no co-pay on covered services. You also need to be a Canadian resident for tax purposes and not be covered by other dental insurance you can use instead. See what CDCP covers for the specific services included, or our CDCP for seniors page if you're 65 or older.
The Government of Canada CDCP page has the current income thresholds, age phases, and other eligibility rules — those numbers update over time, so we point you there rather than reprinting outdated figures.
If you've confirmed you're eligible, here's the application process. Bring this page to your visit if you'd like our help walking through it.
Check the Government of Canada CDCP page to confirm you fall into one of the currently-eligible groups (seniors 65+, children under 18, Disability Tax Credit holders, or adults 18–64). If you're not sure, our team can help you check at your visit.
Have your Social Insurance Number, your most recent tax filing on hand, and confirmation that you don't have other dental insurance you could use instead. For seniors, the application is handled by Service Canada — for everyone else, it's online through canada.ca.
Submit through the official application portal at canada.ca. The process takes about 10–15 minutes once you have your documents. If you're eligible, you'll receive a confirmation along with details on your enrollment tier and co-pay percentage.
Sun Life administers CDCP on behalf of the Government of Canada. After your application is approved, you'll receive a member card that you bring to dental visits. Suncoast direct-bills Sun Life for your covered services.
Bring your CDCP card and any other insurance details. We'll predetermine your benefits, confirm what's covered and what your portion will be, and book your treatment with no surprise bills.
A significant share of our CDCP patients arrived having heard of the program but not knowing how to apply, whether they were eligible, or what to expect. We've helped many patients work through the application step by step — sitting with them at our practice, walking them through the questions, and giving them realistic timelines on when they'd be approved.
There's no fee for this help. If you'd like to apply and you'd rather not do it alone, just mention it when you book. Our team will set aside time at the start of your visit to walk through the application with you, or schedule a separate session if your situation is more involved.
Common questions about who qualifies and how to apply.
Mention when you book that you'd like help with the CDCP application. We'll set aside time to walk you through it, or send you home with a clear list of what to gather before applying.