The second application period for the Federal Government Dental Benefits Program begins tomorrow, Saturday, so parents or guardians of eligible children can receive up to $650 per child for dental services for the next year.

The amount of the “Canadian Dental Benefit” available for each child under the age of 12 depends on the family’s annual income, from $260 if the family’s adjusted net income is between $80,000 and $89,999, to $390 if it is between $70,000 and $79,999, to $650 if it is less than $70,000.

Starting July 1, parents can apply for the benefit through their Canada Revenue Agency online account, if they meet the following criteria:

Their child was under 12 years old as of July 1, 2023

The family’s adjusted net income was less than $90,000

They do not have access to private dental insurance, and their dental care expenses are not fully covered by another dental program offered by any level of government.

The Canadian Ministry of Health advises parents applying for the benefit to also have the contact information of their child’s pediatric dental care specialist, as well as the employer's contact information and the date (or expected date) of their child’s dental appointment.

Last November, the Liberal affordability bill supported by the New Democratic Party, which brings dental care benefits and rent increases for low-income Canadians—known as Bill C-31—became law.

The first application period for dental benefits began on December 1, 2022.

Last fall, the Federal Financial Agency briefed reporters on how the system works for Canadians looking to apply for these benefits and described the system as “simple and easy to use.”

According to the Canadian Health Agency, more than 315,000 children received this benefit during the first eligibility period, from October 2022 to June 2023.

But the Canadian Press reported in April that hundreds of thousands of Canadians may have missed the program at that time because the program had “significant” acceptance.

On the other hand, the introduction of the dental care plan was a key component of the Liberal and New Democratic Party confidence agreement that was drafted nearly a year and a half ago, while the Conservatives and Quebec Bloc voted against it.

On the other hand, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos wrote in a statement on Thursday: “Through Canadian Dental Benefits, we help children receive dental care at an early age.

By doing so, we better support oral health and prevent pain and infections, as well as potential problems in eating, speaking, playing, or learning, in addition to other health problems in the future.

The Liberals have promised to expand the program this year to include people under 18, seniors, and people with disabilities, and by 2025 to all Canadian families with incomes below $90,000 annually, with no co-payments for anyone earning less than $70,000 per year.