Government of Canada expands access to the Canadian Dental Care Plan
Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages, and Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced that eligible children under the age of 18 and adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate can apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).
Since its launch, more than 2.1 million seniors have been approved to receive coverage under the Plan and since May 1, more than 250,000 have already received care for services like cleaning, fillings, dentures from close to 12,000 providers.
With applications now open for two new groups of Canadians, another 1.2 million people will have access to improved dental care. This means approximately 938,000 children and close to 183,000 adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate will have more affordable access to the oral health care that they need.
The Government of Canada is also taking action to make it easier for oral health providers including dentists, dental hygienists, denturists or dental specialists, to treat patients and submit CDCP claims. As of July 8, eligible providers in Canada can now provide services to CDCP clients on a claim-by-claim basis without formally signing up.
To limit out-of-pocket costs for CDCP patients, providers seeing a CDCP patient will need to agree to bill Sun Life directly and accept payment for services covered under the CDCP, regardless of how they choose to participate.
If CDCP clients do not already have a provider, they can talk to a dentist, dental hygienist, denturist or dental specialist in their community or consult Sun Life’s CDCP Provider Search to find a provider.
Successful CDCP applicants will receive a welcome package from Sun Life within approximately three months of their application, which will include an overview of their coverage, their member card, and their coverage start date. Expenses for treatments provided under the CDCP will not be covered prior to the coverage start date.
CDCP patients may have to pay additional charges, in addition to their co-payment, if applicable, depending on the services received and the cost of the treatment. Before receiving any services, CDCP patients should always ask their provider about any additional costs that won’t be covered by the plan.
Oral health care is an integral part of our overall health. No one should have to choose between taking care of their teeth and paying their bills. The CDCP is going to help make dental care more affordable for up to nine million Canadians who are estimated to currently not have coverage.
