The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) helps eligible Canadian residents reduce the cost of oral health care. If you have recently received CDCP coverage, you may be wondering what the plan covers, whether you could still have costs to pay, and what information to bring to your first dental appointment.
Ottawa Smiles Family Dental welcomes eligible CDCP patients at our Bank Street clinic. This guide explains the basic process in plain language. Coverage rules can change, and every treatment plan is different, so confirm your active coverage and expected costs before receiving care.
Confirm that your coverage is active
Your CDCP benefit start date appears in your welcome information. Do not book care under the plan before that date. The Government of Canada recommends checking that your coverage is active before every appointment.
At your first visit, bring:
- your CDCP member ID;
- a piece of identification;
- your benefit coverage start date; and
- information about your co-payment level.
You do not have to wait for a physical member card if you already have the required information and your coverage has started. CDCP members must renew their coverage when required to avoid a gap. Services received during a gap are not covered.
What dental services may be covered?
The CDCP may help pay for a range of services when they are recommended by an oral health provider and meet the plan’s rules. Examples listed by the Government of Canada include:
- complete, routine, specific and emergency examinations;
- dental X-rays;
- scaling and certain preventive services;
- permanent and temporary fillings;
- root canal treatment and procedures used to reduce infection or pain;
- non-surgical gum disease management;
- tooth and root removal;
- standard complete dentures and some denture repairs; and
- certain crowns, partial dentures, sedation services and other treatments when the required preauthorization is approved.
Coverage is not automatic for every service. Frequency limits can apply, and some procedures require preauthorization before treatment. The plan may decline a request even when a dentist recommends the treatment. Orthodontic services are not currently available under the CDCP; the federal government says a limited range is planned for a future date that has not yet been announced.
Your dentist must still examine you before recommending care. A website or telephone conversation cannot determine which treatment is clinically appropriate. Learn more about our complete and emergency examinations, professional dental cleaning, dental fillings, and root canal treatment.
Does the CDCP make dental care free?
Not necessarily. The CDCP reimburses according to its own established fees, which may differ from the fees charged by a dental office. You may be responsible for a co-payment, a difference between the clinic fee and the CDCP-established fee, or the cost of a service the plan does not cover.
According to the current federal rules:
- adjusted family net income below $70,000 has a 0% co-payment on eligible services at CDCP-established fees;
- income from $70,000 to $79,999 has a 40% co-payment; and
- income from $80,000 to $89,999 has a 60% co-payment.
Even a member with a 0% co-payment could have an additional amount to pay. Ask the dental office for an estimate and an explanation of any expected patient portion before agreeing to treatment.
How billing works
For eligible covered services, participating oral health providers submit claims directly to Sun Life. CDCP members should not pay the entire cost upfront expecting Sun Life to reimburse them later; Sun Life reimburses providers, not individual members.
At the clinic, the team can confirm active coverage, review the proposed services and explain the expected patient portion based on the information available at that time. A preauthorization or estimate is not a guarantee of the final amount because coverage rules, fee schedules and treatment needs can affect the result.
What happens at the first appointment?
The first visit normally begins with a review of your dental and health history, your current concerns and an examination. X-rays may be recommended when clinically appropriate. The dentist will then explain the findings and discuss suitable options.
If treatment is recommended, ask:
- Is this service eligible under my CDCP coverage?
- Does it require preauthorization?
- What amount is the CDCP expected to pay?
- What amount might I have to pay?
- Are there reasonable alternatives?
This conversation helps you make an informed decision without assuming that every recommended service will be fully covered.
Book with an Ottawa clinic that accepts CDCP patients
Ottawa Smiles Family Dental accepts eligible CDCP patients and welcomes new patients at 1935 Bank Street in Ottawa. Care is available in English, Arabic and Spanish.
Call 613-520-0222 or request an appointment online. Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive medical details in the online form. For severe swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, major facial trauma, trouble breathing or another medical emergency, seek urgent medical assistance.
ملخص باللغة العربية
تستقبل عيادة Ottawa Smiles Family Dental المرضى المؤهلين لبرنامج الرعاية السنية الكندي (CDCP). قد يساعد البرنامج في دفع جزء من تكاليف الفحوصات والتنظيف والحشوات وعلاج العصب وخدمات أخرى وفقاً لشروط التغطية. قد تكون هناك مساهمة أو رسوم إضافية، لذلك يجب التأكد من أن التغطية فعّالة والسؤال عن التكلفة المتوقعة قبل بدء العلاج. اتصل بنا على 613-520-0222 لحجز موعد باللغة العربية.
Resumen en español
Ottawa Smiles Family Dental acepta pacientes elegibles para el Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). El plan puede ayudar a pagar parte de los exámenes, limpiezas, empastes, tratamientos de conducto y otros servicios, según sus reglas. Puede existir un copago u otros cargos, por lo que debe confirmar que su cobertura esté activa y preguntar el costo previsto antes del tratamiento. Llame al 613-520-0222 para solicitar una cita en español.
Official CDCP information
- Government of Canada: What services are covered
- Government of Canada: What to know after you apply
- Government of Canada: 2026 Dental Benefits Guide
Last fact-checked: August 22, 2026.