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Do you qualify

To qualify for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), you must meet all the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility criteria

To qualify for the CDCP, you must:

  • What does not having access to dental insurance mean?

    This means you do not have access to any type of dental insurance or coverage through:

    • your employment benefits or a family member’s employment benefits, including health and wellness accounts
    • a professional or student organization
      • Note: If you’re eligible for dental coverage through your employment benefits or through a professional or student organization, you’re not eligible for CDCP. This is true even if:
        • you decide not to take it
        • you have to pay a premium for it
        • you don’t use it
    • your pension benefits or a family member’s pension benefits
      • this includes federal, provincial and territorial government employer pension plans
      • Exception: You may be eligible for the CDCP if you’re retired and:
        • you opted out of pension benefits before December 11, 2023, and
        • you can’t opt back in under the pension rules
    • coverage purchased by you or a family member or through a group plan from an insurance or benefits company
      • if you purchased your current dental insurance policy privately  (and not as part of any of the coverage described above), you’re not eligible for the CDCP while that coverage is in effect.
  • What is adjusted family net income?
    • Your family net income (line 23600 of your tax return plus line 23600 of your spouse's or common-law partner's tax return, and any world income not reported in a tax return to the CRA, such as by a new resident)
    • Minus any universal child care benefit (UCCB) and registered disability savings plan (RDSP) income received (line 11700 and line 12500 of your or your spouse's or common-law partner's tax return)
    • Plus any UCCB and RDSP amounts repaid (line 21300 and line 23200 of your or your spouse's or common-law partner's tax return)
    • equals adjusted family net income

You need to meet all the eligibility criteria to qualify for the CDCP.

If you have dental coverage through government social programs

If you have dental coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program, you can still qualify for the CDCP. If you meet all the eligibility criteria, your coverage will be coordinated between the plans to ensure there are no duplication or gaps in coverage.

If you provide false information on your application, you and others you applied for may be removed from the plan. If you or your family members were not eligible to apply, you or your family member may have to repay the full cost of care received through the CDCP.

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