Canadian Dental Care Plan

You may qualify if you meet all four requirements: you have no access to private dental insurance (through your work, a pension plan, a family member's plan, or coverage you bought yourself); you and your spouse (if applicable) have filed your Canadian tax return; your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000; and you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes. You can still qualify if your only dental coverage is through a government social program.

Your notice of assessment (to confirm family income), a valid government-issued ID, and your Social Insurance Number (SIN). You will need to confirm on your application that you have no access to private dental insurance.

Apply online through the Government of Canada's Canadian Dental Care Plan page, by phone, or in person at a Service Canada location. You must confirm each year that you still have no access to private dental insurance when you renew.

The most common mistake is assuming you cannot apply because you have a government social program dental plan — you may still qualify. Another is not realizing that having any private dental insurance, even if you have never used it or pay a premium for it, makes you ineligible. Forgetting to file your tax return before applying will also delay or prevent coverage.