How to apply
Applying for the CDCP is free. There are two main routes: online or by phone. Both lead to the same assessment, and both need the same information. Choose the route you can complete most reliably — a finished application matters more than the channel.
Before you start: what to have ready
- Your full legal name, date of birth, and home and mailing addresses.
- Your Social Insurance Number, if available, and the same for each dependant you are applying for.
- Confirmation that you — and your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable — filed a Canadian tax return for the previous year and received a Notice of Assessment.
- Details of any dental coverage through a government social program, if applicable.
- Confirmation that you do not have access to private dental insurance.
Route 1: Apply online
The fastest online route is through your My Service Canada Account (MSCA). Sign in or create an account, open the Canadian Dental Care Plan section, and follow the application steps. If you cannot use MSCA, the Government of Canada also provides a separate online CDCP application service through Canada.ca/dental. You can choose digital communications so notifications arrive by email and letters appear in MSCA. Apply only through Canada.ca or MSCA: any other site asking you to "apply for the CDCP" is not the official route.
Route 2: Apply by phone
If you cannot apply online, call Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY: 1-833-677-6262). An agent will walk you through the application. Have the information listed above ready before you call, and allow time for the call — phone applications take longer than online ones, and you may need to wait for an agent.
What happens after you apply
- Assessment: Service Canada checks your application against Canada Revenue Agency records, including your filed tax return and family income.
- Decision letter: you receive a letter telling you whether you qualify and, if so, your co-payment tier.
- Sun Life enrolment: if approved, your details go to Sun Life, which sends your welcome package, including your member card and your coverage start date.
- Booking: only after your coverage start date should you book treatment under the plan, with a participating provider who bills Sun Life directly.
An invitation is not coverage
Some people receive a letter inviting them to apply. That letter means the government believes you may be eligible — it does not mean you are covered. Coverage begins only after you apply, are approved, enrol with Sun Life, and reach your coverage start date. Do not book treatment on the strength of an invitation alone.
Applying for someone else
Each adult applies separately. A parent or guardian applies for children under 18. If you help another adult — for example, an elderly parent — you may need proper authorisation, such as a power of attorney, for Service Canada to deal with you on their behalf. Ask Service Canada what authorisation they need before you start, so the application is not delayed.
Scam warning
Applying is free, and no one from the government will call, text, or email you asking for payment, gift cards, or banking passwords to process a CDCP application. If someone does, it is a scam: hang up, do not click links, and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The only official starting point is Canada.ca/dental.
Photo credits: de19.jpg — Laptop and mug (CC0); de20.jpg — Canada Post mailbox (CC0); de21.jpg — Desk setup (CC BY-SA 3.0) All photos via Wikimedia Commons under the licences noted.