Federal government launches new ad campaign for the Canadian Dental Care Plan, close to 650,000 Canadians have received care

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 9, 2024 /CNW/ – The federal government is focused on delivering for Canadians with lower costs, more savings, and a fair chance for everyone to succeed. Affordable dental care is central to our work. 

Today, the government launched an ad campaign in support of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). As one of the largest social programs in Canadian history, the CDCP will make dental care more affordable for up to nine million Canadians, who are currently without insurance. The CDCP is currently open to eligible seniors, adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate, and children under 18, and covers services like cleaning, fillings, dentures, and more – so Canadians pay less for healthy teeth.

To increase awareness and ensure more Canadians can benefit from the plan, ads promoting the plan will run until mid October on over several platforms including television, streaming services, relevant websites, social media and out-of-home ad spaces. On television, the ad will run on over 50 stations across English and French Canada.

Click here to watch the ad in English

Click here to watch the ad in French

As of today, more than 2.4 million Canadians have been approved to receive coverage under the CDCP and close to 650,000 of them have already received care. Because of the CDCP and the coverage it provides to Canadians, that comes to more than $442 million in dental expenses covered.

Over the summer, we made the plan easier to access for dental professionals and that is why dental care provider participation is also increasing. Currently, more than 20,500 providers are participating in the CDCP, representing 82% of active providers in Canada, offering a wide range of services such as cleanings, fillings and dentures. 

Dental care is health care. By helping cover some or all of the cost of a wide range of services, the CDCP is helping more Canadians get access to the care they need. Alongside affordable dental care, the federal government is taking action to create more jobs, build more homes, invest in families, and grow the economy.  

For more information, visit Canada.ca/dental.

Quotes 

“Since May, the CDCP has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Canadians by making oral health care more accessible and affordable. Each day, more patients are benefiting from the work of dedicated oral health providers.”

The Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health 

Quick Facts 

The Government of Canada is encouraging all eligible Canadians to apply now and is raising awareness of the plan by launching a national advertising campaign reaching parents of children under 18 and inviting them to apply to the CDCP. Applications for all remaining eligible Canadians will begin in 2025.Eligible Canadians who successfully apply to the CDCP will receive a welcome package which will include their coverage start date (benefit effective date). This start date is found in their welcome letter rather than on their CDCP card.CDCP clients 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.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.Statistics on the number of eligible applicants, eligible applicants who have received care and oral health providers participating in the CDCP can be found here.Eligible Canadians who do not currently have a provider can consult Sun Life’s CDCP Provider Search tool. They can also reach out to dentists, dental hygienists, denturists or dental specialists in their community to ask if they are treating CDCP clients. Further, some dental schools are participating in the CDCP and are ready to provide dental care to eligible Canadians covered under the CDCP.Before receiving any services, those covered under the plan should always ask their provider if they agree to bill Sun Life directly and if there are any additional costs that will not be covered by the plan that they will be responsible for paying. The CDCP will not reimburse eligible Canadians for services covered under the plan, only participating providers.

Associated Links

Canadian Dental Care Plan – ApplyCDCP Provider Search ToolCDCP Statistics

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)