Canadian Dental Care Plan Approves Coverage for 2 Million Seniors

Two million Canadian seniors have been approved to receive insurance coverage under the Canadian Dental Care Plan since the program’s rollout three weeks ago, federal officials report.

Speaking at a media conference on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated that since the first phase of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) launched on May 1, nearly 90,000 seniors have received care from dental providers nationwide.

“I’m really happy to announce that as of this week, two million Canadian seniors have been approved to receive coverage under our new Canadian dental care plan. That’s two million seniors across Canada who are now able to get the dental care they need,” Freeland said during the conference.

In addition to the millions of seniors now signed up for insured dental care, Freeland mentioned that nearly 10,000 oral health providers are offering these services to patients under the insurance plan provided by Sun Life.

In a release, Health Minister Mark Holland announced that by next year, nine million uninsured Canadians will have their dental care covered.

The CDCP plan originated from the Liberals’ supply-and-confidence deal with the NDP in 2022. It provides dental care benefits directly to uninsured Canadian residents with a household income under $90,000.

Seniors aged 65 and over who lack dental insurance and have a family net income of less than $90,000 can apply for the CDCP online or in person at Service Canada.

Starting in June, children under 18 and individuals with a valid disability tax credit certificate can apply.

All other eligible Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 64 can apply online starting in 2025.