What the CDCP Covers, What You Still Pay, and Your First Visit
According to the Government of Canada, the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) helps pay a portion of the cost of a wide range of oral health services, such as exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings and root canals, when your dentist recommends them. Limits, co-payments, exclusions and fee differences all affect what you owe.
Dr. Kyle Lesko
The quick version
The Government of Canada lists exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings and root canals as examples of what the CDCP could cover. As of October 2026, its Dental Benefits Guide says orthodontic services are currently not available, and braces are orthodontic treatment.
As of October 2026, the Government of Canada says access to dental coverage through an employer, a pension or a family member's plan makes you ineligible, and its page for oral health professionals says there will be no coordination with private, employer or other such plans.
As of October 2026, the Government of Canada says you may owe a co-payment based on income, plus any gap between your provider's fee and the plan's fee. Ask about costs before treatment.
As of October 2026, Service Canada says only providers are reimbursed, so there is no pay-and-claim route. Phone the office to confirm it is taking new CDCP patients.
Status as of October 2026
Benefit period: coverage ends each year on June 30, and applications for the 2026 to 2027 benefit period are open (Service Canada and the main CDCP page, updated September 22, 2026).
Renewal: the 2026 renewal period closed on June 1, 2026, and renewals for the 2027 to 2028 benefit period open in spring 2027 (renewal page, updated September 22, 2026).
Alberta: the CDCP is billed first, then eligible Alberta programs (provider factsheet, July 2026, and Alberta Blue Cross, April 2026).
According to the Government of Canada, the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) helps pay a portion of the cost of a wide range of oral health services, such as exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings and root canals, when your dentist recommends them. Limits, co-payments, exclusions and fee differences all affect what you owe.
This guide covers eligibility, costs, your first visit, preauthorization, renewal and Alberta programs. TLC Family Dental Centre, led by Dr. Kyle Lesko, welcomes patients from Leduc and the greater Edmonton area.
What does the Canadian Dental Care Plan cover?
The Government of Canada lists exams, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride applications, sealants, fillings and root canal treatments as examples of services that could be covered when an oral health provider recommends them. Many services are covered without preauthorization, and others need it. The plan also sets limits on how often many services are covered.
Care | What the Dental Benefits Guide says |
|---|---|
Exams and X-rays | Recall exam: 1 in any 12 months. Complete oral exam: 1 in any 60 months. Intraoral X-rays: up to 8 images in any 12 months. |
Root canals | Standard treatment on front teeth, bicuspids and first and second molars needs no preauthorization. Re-treatment does. |
Braces and aligners | Orthodontic services are currently not available. |
Not covered | Implants and implant-related procedures, bridges, bone grafts, veneers, whitening and other cosmetic treatment, mouth guards and night guards. |
Rules as of October 2026. Source: Government of Canada, Dental Benefits Guide, effective April 1, 2026. The guide says limits are based on rolling periods.
See also whether the CDCP covers dental implants and sealants and fluoride for kids.
Who can use the CDCP, and can you use it with a workplace plan?
No. As of October 2026, the Government of Canada says you cannot have access to private dental insurance or coverage, including through your work or pension plan, a family member's work or pension plan, or a professional or student organisation. Its page for oral health professionals adds that there will be no coordination with private, employer or other such plans.
You must meet all four requirements:
No access to private dental insurance or coverage.
A tax return filed in Canada, also by your spouse or partner if you have one.
An adjusted family net income under the income limit set by the federal government.
Canadian residency for tax purposes, also for your spouse or partner if you have one.
What counts as access to private coverage?
According to Service Canada, access means you were offered a plan, fund or other coverage through work or a pension. The eligibility page says it still counts if you have never used it or it covers only part of your care. Top-up plans and health spending accounts that cover dental costs count too.
Service Canada says the CDCP runs on attestation: you state at each application and renewal that you have no access to private coverage. Anyone found ineligible loses coverage and may have to repay what the plan paid while they were ineligible.
What do you still pay with the CDCP?
Covered does not mean paid in full. As of October 2026, the Government of Canada says you may pay a co-payment based on your adjusted family net income. You may also owe the difference when your provider's fee is higher than the CDCP fee or when you agree to services the plan does not cover.
Canada.ca defines a co-payment as the share of the CDCP fee the plan does not cover, paid to your provider. It rises with income, and the lowest income band has none.
A fee difference arises when CDCP fees, in canada.ca's words, "may not be the same as what providers charge." You may owe the gap on top of any co-payment, even if you have none.
Canada.ca advises asking your provider about any other costs before you accept treatment. Your enrolment letter lists your co-payment level, and the renewal page says it may change when you renew. For billing, see how direct billing works.
What should you bring to your first CDCP visit?
As of October 2026, Service Canada says to bring your CDCP member ID, a piece of identification, your benefit coverage start date and your co-payment level. You do not have to wait for the Sun Life welcome package to get care, but you can only book on or after your benefit coverage start date.
Before you book, Service Canada also says to:
Confirm that the provider accepts CDCP clients and will bill Sun Life directly
Confirm your coverage is active before each appointment
The Government of Canada says CDCP clients cannot get a reimbursement from Sun Life and should not be asked to pay the full cost upfront. It also says participation is voluntary, so each clinic decides whether to take part. Please phone to confirm that we are taking new CDCP patients.
TLC Family Dental Centre is an approved CDCP provider, so we can bill the Government of Canada dental plan directly for eligible patients. For help finding a clinic, see our guide to Leduc clinics accepting new CDCP patients.
What is preauthorization, and who arranges it?
As of October 2026, the Dental Benefits Guide says preauthorization is a request for coverage made before treatment, and your oral health provider, not you, submits it to Sun Life with supporting documents. Services that need it must be approved before treatment starts to be eligible for coverage.
Many services need no preauthorization. According to the What is covered page, crowns, partial dentures and re-treatment of earlier root canals do need it, and not all requests are approved.
What the office does, according to the guide:
Recommends the care and confirms your coverage
Sends Sun Life the request and supporting documents
Waits for the decision before treatment
Submits one reconsideration within 60 days if you ask
What you do, in plain terms:
Ask whether your care needs preauthorization
Ask what the plan will and will not cover, and what you would pay
Wait for the decision, then decide whether to go ahead
If a request is denied, ask about reconsideration
Canada.ca warns that the amount covered may differ from an earlier estimate or preauthorization.
When does CDCP coverage renew, and what is the situation in Alberta?
Service Canada says members must renew every year and that coverage runs over a benefit period ending each June 30. As of October 2026, the 2026 renewal period has closed, and renewals for the 2027 to 2028 benefit period open in spring 2027.
If you missed the 2026 renewal, Service Canada says you can apply again, but care received during the gap is not covered or reimbursed later.
How do Alberta programs work with the CDCP?
As of October 2026, the Government of Canada's Alberta provider factsheet says the CDCP is billed first and the Alberta program second. That applies to patients with both the CDCP and an Alberta low-income health benefit, including the Alberta Adult Health Benefit and Alberta Child Health Benefit, or the Dental Assistance for Seniors Program.
Alberta Blue Cross says the CDCP has been the primary plan for these claims since April 1, 2026, and its FAQ says enrolling in the CDCP does not affect eligibility for the Alberta low-income health benefit programs. Ask the office whether it bills your Alberta program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the CDCP cover braces or clear aligners?
As of October 2026, the Dental Benefits Guide says orthodontic services are currently not available and gives no date for that to change. Braces and clear aligners are both orthodontic treatment, so check canada.ca for updates before you plan around coverage.
Can I pay my dentist and claim it back from the CDCP?
No. As of October 2026, Service Canada says only providers are reimbursed, and if you pay the full cost yourself, Sun Life will not reimburse you. The Government of Canada's page for oral health professionals adds that CDCP clients have no option to get a reimbursement from Sun Life.
What if my employer offers a plan I have not joined?
You are still not eligible. As of October 2026, the Government of Canada says being offered coverage counts as access, even if you have never used it or chose not to enrol. You state this when you apply and renew, and, according to Service Canada, your eligibility may be reviewed at any time.
Does the CDCP cover teeth whitening or veneers?
No. As of October 2026, the Dental Benefits Guide lists veneers in composite or ceramic and cosmetic treatment, including teeth whitening, as exclusions. It describes exclusions as outside the scope of the CDCP and not eligible for coverage at any time.
Talk it through with Dr. Kyle Lesko in Leduc
To ask how the CDCP applies to your care, book online or call the team at TLC Family Dental Centre on 780.980.5115, and check that we are taking new CDCP patients. You will find us at 5209 Discovery Way #4 in Leduc, and we welcome patients from Leduc and the greater Edmonton area. We verify your coverage before treatment and give you a written estimate after your exam. Our insurance and direct billing and new patients pages explain billing and what to expect.
Sources
Checked in October 2026. Coverage rules and recommendations change, so confirm current details with the organisations below.
Canadian Dental Care Plan: Do you qualify, Government of Canada
Member eligibility review, Government of Canada
What is covered, Government of Canada
Dental Benefits Guide, Government of Canada
After you apply, Government of Canada
Information for oral health professionals, Government of Canada
Renew your Canadian Dental Care Plan coverage, Government of Canada
Canadian Dental Care Plan, Government of Canada
Information on the CDCP for Oral Health Providers in Alberta, Government of Canada
Dental Benefact 159, April 2026, Alberta Blue Cross
Frequently asked questions, Alberta Blue Cross
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