All dental care providers can now provide care under the Canadian Dental Care Plan

The Government of Canada opens up simplified process for all dental care providers to provide care to CDCP members

DARTMOUTH, NS, July 8, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is one of the largest social programs in Canadian history and, once fully implemented, will provide oral health care for up to 9 million eligible Canadians. As of today, more than 2.1 million Canadians have already been approved under the Plan and approximately 250,000 members have received care under the CDCP.

The Government is 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.

To date, close to 12,000 providers have signed up to the CDCP and more continue to join every day. We have heard that some providers prefer not to formally sign on to the program but would still like to see CDCP patients. Starting today, 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. Once a claim is approved, providers will receive reimbursement from Sun Life within 48 hours initially, and we will move towards a 24-hour turnaround time.

This means that Canadians covered by the CDCP will be able to see the provider of their choice, as long as their provider agrees to bill Sun Life directly. For those who don't 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 tool to find providers who have confirmed their participation in the CDCP.

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.

Providers play a vital role in delivering oral health care, and the CDCP is allowing more Canadian residents to benefit from their care. The Government of Canada is committed to working with partners to improve access and provide more affordable dental care to eligible Canadians across the country.

For more information, visit Canada.ca/dental.

Quotes

"Allowing providers options for how they provide care to CDCP clients means that more people will be able to receive affordable dental care. We are dedicated to collaborating closely with oral health partners to make sure that all CDCP members enjoy equitable access to affordable care. This is something every Canadian deserves."

The Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health

"Dental care is an integral part of our health and well-being. We're making it easier for more Canadian families to access quality dental care. This change reduces out-of-pocket costs for families and speeds up reimbursements, making dental services more accessible and affordable across the country. It's another concrete step towards fairness for every generation."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"I'm hearing from folks in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour who are getting the dental care they need for the first time in decades — this program matters. And making it even easier for oral health providers to provide care to Canadian Dental Care patients is the right thing to do."

Darren Fisher
Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour

"Providing the flexibility for oral health providers to help Canadian Dental Care Plan clients on a claim-by-claim basis makes it easier for those needing dental care to get the services they deserve. Our focus is to make sure that Canadians have access to essential oral health services."

The Honourable Terry Beech
Minister of Citizens' Services

"More than 2.1 million Canadians are now enrolled in the Canadian Dental Care Plan and over 250,000 of them have had access to the care they need, thanks to the participation of oral care providers. We look forward to developing new partnerships with even more oral health providers to help Canadians access affordable oral health care."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"We look forward to working with even more providers across Canada to ensure claims are processed and Canadians have access to the care they need. Oral health care providers are critical to the CDCP, and we're thrilled to provide more ways for them to participate in this important and life-changing program."

Dave Jones
President, Sun Life Health

Quick Facts

The claim submission process is the same regardless of how the provider chooses to participate in the plan – they can submit claims directly to Sun Life and be reimbursed either by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) within 48 hours (moving toward a 24-hour turnaround time) if they have a Sun Life Direct account, or by receiving a cheque on a monthly basis.
For providers who have formally signed up, there is no change or impact to their participation or how they file claims.
CDCP provider participation is entirely voluntary. Oral health providers eligible to participate and who can bill for services include:
- dentists
- denturists
- dental hygienists
- dental specialists
For more information on how providers can participate or see CDCP patients on a claim-by-claim basis, please visit Canada.ca/dental or Sun Life.
Oral health providers can find information on how to submit claims as well as a side-by-side comparison of the two provider participation options here.
To qualify for the CDCP, you must be a Canadian resident with an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000, not have access to employer/pension-sponsored or private dental insurance and have filed your 2023 tax return.
The CDCP is now open to eligible seniors, adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate, and children under 18. All remaining eligible Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 64 will be able to apply online in 2025.
Those who successfully apply to the CDCP will receive a welcome package within approximately three months of their application, which will include the coverage start date (benefit effective date). You can track the status of your application online.