The Canadian Dental Care Plan in Cornwall, Ontario: Who Qualifies, What's Covered and What You'll Pay

Quick answer: The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that helps pay for dental care if you have no private dental insurance, file taxes in Canada and have an adjusted family net income under $90,000. If your income is under $70,000, the plan covers 100% of its fee schedule. At $70,000 to $89,999 you pay a 40% or 60% co-payment. Cornwall Dental Arts at 806 Pitt Street accepts the CDCP and welcomes new patients: call (613) 932-2058.

Information current as of October 22, 2026, based on the Government of Canada’s published CDCP pages. The CDCP is a federal program and its rules can change, so confirm your own situation at canada.ca/dental.

If you’ve been putting off the dentist in Cornwall because of cost, the CDCP may change that. For many residents of Cornwall, Long Sault, Ingleside, Morrisburg and the rest of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, it’s the first time a dental plan has been within reach. But the rules can feel confusing. Who qualifies? What’s actually covered? What will you still pay? And what happens each July?

This guide answers those questions in plain language. It covers the whole path, from checking eligibility to renewing every year, and explains how it works at our Cornwall office.

What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

The Canadian Dental Care Plan is a Government of Canada program that helps eligible residents pay for dental care. It is administered through Service Canada, and claims are handled by Sun Life. It is not the same as the Ontario programs for children or seniors, and it is not private insurance. You enrol with the federal government, and you then see an oral health provider who accepts the CDCP, like our office.

One important point: the CDCP reimburses providers at its own established fee schedule. That is why “covered” doesn’t always mean “free”, as explained below.

Who qualifies for the CDCP?

According to the Government of Canada, you need to meet all of the following to apply:

1. You have no access to private dental insurance. This includes coverage through your employer, pension, a family member, a professional or student organization, or a plan you buy yourself. (There is a narrow exception for some retirees who opted out of pension dental coverage before December 11, 2023 and cannot opt back in.)
2. You file your taxes in Canada. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, they must file too.
3. Your adjusted family net income is under $90,000. This figure comes from your tax return, not your gross pay.
4. You are a Canadian resident for tax purposes. Again, your spouse or partner must be too, if applicable.

People who have dental coverage through a government social program may still qualify, and the plans may coordinate. To check your own situation, visit canada.ca/dental or call the CDCP call centre at 1-888-537-4342.

Who is the CDCP especially useful for?

• Seniors without a retirement plan. Many Cornwall retirees lost employer dental coverage when they stopped working. Dentures, fillings and root canals are all on the covered list, so the plan can matter a great deal here.
• Families who don’t get benefits at work. Self-employed people, contract workers and part-time employees often have no plan.
• Children and teens. If a child has no other coverage, they may qualify under the same family income rules. See our children’s dentistry page for how we care for kids.
• People who haven’t been to the dentist in years. A new patient exam with x-rays is a covered service, within the plan’s frequency limits.

What will you pay? Co-payments by income

The CDCP is not a free dental program. What you pay depends on your adjusted family net income:

Adjusted family net income	CDCP pays	Your co-payment
Under $70,000	100% of CDCP fees	0%
$70,000 to $79,999	60% of CDCP fees	40%
$80,000 to $89,999	40% of CDCP fees	60%

Why you can still have a bill, even at 0%

There are three common reasons:

• The CDCP pays its own fee schedule. If a service costs more than the plan reimburses, the difference is yours to pay.
• The service isn’t covered. If you choose a treatment the plan doesn’t cover, you pay for it directly.
• A frequency limit applies. If you need a service more often than the plan allows, it may need preauthorization or may not be covered.

We explain every cost and estimate before treatment begins, so you can decide with the full picture. If you’d like to compare this with how private dental insurance works, see our financing and insurance page.

What does the CDCP cover?

Coverage is broad and focuses on the care most people need to keep their teeth. Based on the Government of Canada’s coverage page, the covered categories are:

Category	Examples	Learn more
Diagnostic and preventive	Exams, x-rays, cleanings (scaling), fluoride, sealants	Dental exam · Cleanings
Basic restorative	Permanent and temporary fillings, pain relief for diseased teeth	Dental fillings
Basic endodontic	Root canals, pulpectomies, treatment to relieve pain and infection	Root canal treatment
Basic periodontal	Cleaning below the gumline, treating abscesses, non-surgical gum disease care	Gum disease treatment
Major restorative	Posts, cores and crown repairs (crowns and posts for crowns need preauthorization)	Crowns and bridges
Removable dentures	Complete standard and temporary dentures, repairs, relines and rebases	Dentures · Denture care guide
Oral surgery	Tooth and root removal, tumour and cyst removal, surgical drainage	General dentistry
Sedation and anesthesia	Nitrous oxide and oral sedation	Sedation dentistry

Not available under the CDCP right now: orthodontics (braces and aligners). Cosmetic treatments such as whitening and veneers do not appear on the covered list either.

What is preauthorization?

Some services must be approved before you have them done. According to the Government of Canada, these include crowns and posts for crowns, partial dentures and immediate dentures, root canal re-treatment, bonding for mobile teeth, and conscious or deep sedation, as well as any service beyond the plan’s normal frequency limits.

The CDCP considers your oral health history and medical conditions, and not every request is approved. So please don’t book major work until the approval comes back. If a service might need preauthorization, we’ll tell you at the start so you can plan around it.

Emergencies and the CDCP

A toothache doesn’t wait for paperwork. Many emergency treatments, such as fillings, root canals, extractions and pain relief for a diseased tooth, are covered services, as long as your coverage is active on the date of the visit. If you have severe pain, facial swelling or a knocked-out tooth, call us right away at (613) 932-2058. Our guide to dental emergencies explains what to do while you wait.

How to get started: apply, enrol, book, renew

Step 1: Apply

Apply at Canada.ca/dental, through My Service Canada Account or by phone. The application is free. Be careful of anyone asking for banking or credit card details to “process” your application. That is a scam.

Step 2: Wait for your coverage start date

After you’re approved, you’ll receive a welcome package from Sun Life with your coverage start date. Appointments can only be booked on or after that date.

Step 3: Book with us

Call (613) 932-2058 or request an appointment online and tell us you’re a CDCP patient. Bring your coverage letter. We’ll verify your coverage, review what’s covered and explain any co-payment. New to our office? New patients are always welcome, with no referral needed.

Step 4: Renew every year

This is the step people miss. According to the Government of Canada:

• The CDCP benefit year runs July 1 to June 30.
• To keep your coverage, you must renew every year in My Service Canada Account. You’ll confirm your details and that you still meet the eligibility rules.
• You and your spouse or partner must have filed last year’s tax return and received your Notice of Assessment before you can renew. A spouse or partner must submit their own renewal to be covered.
• The 2026–2027 renewal period closed on June 1, 2026. Renewals for 2027–2028 are expected to open in spring 2027.
• If you miss it, you can submit a new application, but there will be a gap in coverage, and care received during that gap cannot be reimbursed retroactively.
• If you are later found ineligible, you may be removed from the plan and may have to repay the government for services it paid for during that time.

Our tip: file your taxes early every year. It’s the one thing that holds up everything else. Each benefit year we also check whether your co-payment level has changed before providing service, so please bring your latest confirmation letter.

For our CDCP booking and renewal checklist in one place, see our CDCP page.

CDCP patients: what to expect at our Cornwall office

Using the CDCP doesn’t mean a different experience. You get the same unhurried visit, the same comfort amenities (massage chairs, warm blankets, hot towels and paraffin hand wax) and the same care as every other patient. We’re at 806 Pitt Street, Cornwall, ON K6J 3S2, with free parking at 802 Pitt St, next to the building. Our hours are Monday and Tuesday 8:00 to 18:00, Wednesday 8:00 to 17:00, Thursday 8:00 to 16:00 and Friday 8:00 to 13:00.

If you’re nervous about going back after a long gap, you’re not alone. Our guide to coping with dental anxiety and our sedation options can help.

FAQ

Who qualifies for the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

You qualify if you have no access to private dental insurance, you file taxes in Canada (as does your spouse or partner, if you have one), your adjusted family net income is under $90,000, and you’re a Canadian resident for tax purposes. Confirm at canada.ca/dental or by calling 1-888-537-4342.

How much does the CDCP cover?

It depends on your income. Under $70,000, the CDCP covers 100% of its fee schedule. From $70,000 to $79,999, it covers 60% and you pay 40%. From $80,000 to $89,999, it covers 40% and you pay 60%. You may still pay extra if a fee exceeds the CDCP rate or a service isn’t covered.

Is the CDCP free?

No. Even at 0% co-payment you may have additional charges, because the plan reimburses its own fee schedule and doesn’t cover every service. We explain your costs before treatment.

Does the CDCP cover dentures?

Yes. Complete standard and temporary dentures, plus repairs, relines and rebases, are covered. Partial dentures and immediate dentures need preauthorization. See our dentures page.

Does the CDCP cover braces, whitening or veneers?

Orthodontics is not currently available under the CDCP, and cosmetic treatments such as whitening and veneers are not on the covered list. We’re happy to discuss private-pay options.

Does the CDCP cover crowns and root canals?

Root canals are covered as basic endodontic care. Crowns and posts for crowns are covered with preauthorization, and not every request is approved, so wait for the approval before treatment.

When do I renew the CDCP?

Every year, in My Service Canada Account, after you’ve filed your taxes and received your Notice of Assessment. The benefit year runs July 1 to June 30. The 2026–2027 renewal window closed on June 1, 2026, and 2027–2028 renewals are expected to open in spring 2027.

What happens if I miss my renewal?

You can apply again, but there will be a gap in coverage until you’re approved, and care received during the gap can’t be reimbursed retroactively.

Can seniors use the CDCP?

Yes, if they meet the eligibility rules, mainly no private dental insurance and an adjusted family net income under $90,000. Many seniors who lost workplace coverage at retirement use it for dentures, fillings and cleanings.

Does Cornwall Dental Arts accept the CDCP?

Yes. We accept the CDCP and welcome new patients. Tell us you’ll be using your benefits when you book so we can verify your coverage first.

Book your CDCP appointment

Ready to use your benefits? Call (613) 932-2058 or request an appointment. Our team will verify your coverage and explain your costs before any treatment begins.

Sources

• Government of Canada: Canadian Dental Care Plan
• Government of Canada: Eligibility, co-payments and covered services
• Government of Canada: Renew your Canadian Dental Care Plan coverage