Rollout of the Canadian Dental Care Plan

Oral health is essential to Canadians’ overall health, but oral health care can be expensive. A third of people living in Canada do not have dental insurance, and, in 2022, one in four Canadians reported avoiding visiting an oral health professional because of the cost.

Poor oral health can lead to respiratory disease, diabetes complications, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, pregnancy complications, life-threatening infections, and greater mortality from all causes. It can also lead to related mental health issues, reductions in quality of life, and, in extreme cases, employment challenges, social shame, nutritional issues and isolation.

The Government of Canada is committed to making life more affordable for Canadians. Budget 2023 outlined the Government of Canada’s plan to build a healthy future for Canadians from coast to coast to coast by investing $13 billion over five years, and $4.4 billion ongoing to implement the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).

Once fully implemented, the CDCP will help ease financial barriers to accessing oral health care for up to nine million uninsured Canadian residents with an annual family income of less than $90,000.

Details on who qualifies, when applications open and how to apply, can be found here.