Do you qualify
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Eligibility requirements
To apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), you must meet all 4 requirements.
- Requirement 1: No access to private dental insurance or coverage
- Requirement 2: File your tax return in Canada
- Requirement 3: Your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000
- Requirement 4: You are a Canadian resident
Requirement 1: No access to private dental insurance or coverage
To be eligible for the CDCP, you cannot have access to private dental insurance or coverage, including health spending accounts which cover dental costs. You are excluded if you have coverage through any of the following:
- your work or pension plan
- a family member's work or pension plan
- a professional or student organization
- insurance or coverage purchased by yourself or a family member for dental costs, including any purchased enhancements, supplementary or top-up insurance that provides dental care coverage
The only exception is you may be eligible if you are retired and opted out of your dental insurance or coverage through your pension plan before December 11, 2023, and cannot opt back in.
You are not eligible for the CDCP if you have any kind of dental insurance or coverage, even if:
- you have never used it
- you decided not to enrol in it
- you have to pay a premium for it
- you opted out of your pension dental insurance or coverage after December 11, 2023 (whether or not you can opt back in)
- it does not cover the full cost of your dental care
In these cases, we consider you to have access to dental insurance or coverage.
How to check if you have access to dental insurance or coverage using your tax slip
Before you confirm in your application or renewal that you do not have access to dental insurance or coverage, check the code shown on your T4 or T4A:
- If you work, look at box 45 on your T4 tax slip(s)
- If you receive a pension, look at box 015 on your T4A tax slip(s)
If you see the number 1 in these boxes, it means you do not have access to dental insurance or coverage through your work or pension plan.
If you see the number 2, 3, 4 or 5, it means your work or pension plan offers some kind of dental insurance or coverage for you and your family.
If you apply for the plan and your T4 or T4A slip shows that you had access to dental insurance or coverage, you may be asked to provide proof that you no longer have access. This may be required even if your situation has changed or if the information on your tax slip was incorrect.
If the proof you send determines that you have access to dental insurance or coverage, we will remove you from the plan. You may have to reimburse the Government of Canada for the services paid by the plan while you were ineligible.
Note: Before you confirm that you do not have access to dental insurance or coverage, check the code on the T4 or T4A slips of your spouse or common-law-partner (if applicable). You or your dependants may have access to dental insurance or coverage through their work or pension plan.
Requirement 2: File your tax return in Canada
To be eligible for the CDCP, you and your spouse or common-law-partner (if applicable) must have filed your tax returns in Canada to assess your family income for the previous year.
Requirement 3: Your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000
To be eligible for the CDCP, your adjusted family net income must be less than $90,000.
How to calculate your adjusted family net income
Complete this equation using the specified lines on your tax return, and your spouse or common-law partner's tax return (if applicable).
Requirement 4: You are a Canadian resident
To be eligible for the CDCP, you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
Coverage of dental services through government social programs
If you have dental insurance or coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program, you could still qualify for the CDCP. If you qualify, the plans may coordinate your coverage to make sure there is no duplication.
Eligibility review
To be eligible for coverage under the CDCP, you must confirm every year that you have no access to private dental insurance or coverage. If you provide false information on your application or renewal, you and your family will be removed from the plan. You may have to reimburse the Government of Canada for the services paid by the plan while you were ineligible.
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