Open ProvincesCanadian Dental Care Plan: who qualifies and how to apply
The four eligibility conditions, the $90,000 income test, how to apply and what you may pay.
You must meet all four requirements: no access to private dental insurance, you filed a tax return in Canada, you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes (and your spouse or common-law partner also files and is resident), and your adjusted family net income is under $90,000. That income is the family's, not only yours, and is calculated from specific lines of your and your partner's tax returns. Applications for the 2026-2027 benefit period are open.
How to apply
- Online at Canada.ca/dental, by phone at 1-833-537-4342, or at a Service Canada Centre.
- If you were covered in 2025-2026 and did not renew by the deadline you can apply again, but there will be a gap in coverage.
What you may pay
A 2023 Health Canada document listed co-payment tiers by income: none under $70,000, 40% from $70,000 to $79,999 and 60% from $80,000 to $89,999. You may also pay the provider directly if the cost is above the plan's established fees. This tier information comes from an older document: confirm on the official page.
File your tax return every year, even with no income: the plan relies on it.
Canadian Dental Care Plan ↗ · Do you qualify ↗
Sources and limits
Read on November 14, 2026 on Canada.ca; co-payment tiers come from a 2023 document.
General information based on federal and national rules; provincial rules may differ. Confirm with the official body before acting. Last reviewed : 2026-11-14.