In December 2023, the Canadian government introduced a new dental payment program for millions of uninsured Canadians, and more than 600,000 have already applied for it.

The plan aims to help people maintain the health of their teeth and gums and to prevent and treat oral health care problems and diseases.

The Canadian Ministry of Health shared the services available under the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) on Thursday.

Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos commented: "The CDCP program will be larger than any other permanent government payment program to date because it aims to improve access to dental care for up to 9 million uninsured Canadians."

Citizen Services Minister Terry Beech said: "It’s about fairness and equality in health care, and by covering basic services, we ensure that cost is no longer a barrier to oral health."

Most of the services provided by the program will be available in May, but services requiring prior authorization and evaluations from oral health care providers will become available in November 2024. Examples of these services include obtaining crowns or initial placement of partial dentures and procedures that require general anesthesia.

Participating health service providers in the benefits program will send invoices directly to Sun Life to ensure timely payment of costs.

The Canadian Ministry of Health stated: "People covered by the CDCP program may have to pay an amount due such as co-payments or additional fees, which will be paid directly to their oral health care provider. CDCP fees will be reassessed annually to account for new prices, inflation, and cost changes over time."

Here is what is included in the plan, according to the latest update from the Canadian Ministry of Health:

Diagnostic and Preventive Services

Aimed at assessing your oral health status, maintaining the health of your teeth, gums, and mouth, and preventing tooth decay and gum diseases, covered services include:
A range of dental exams, including complete, routine, specific, and emergency exams

• X-rays

. Cleaning, scaling, and polishing)

. Fluoride applications

. Sealant materials

Basic Services

Restorative Services

These aim to treat decayed or broken teeth, covered services include:

. Permanent fillings

. Temporary fillings

. Pain control for sick teeth

. Other caries treatments

Root Canal Treatment Services

These aim to treat teeth with severe decay, infection, or breakage, covered services include:

. Root canal treatments

. Pulpectomy, the first step in root canal treatment

. Procedures to reduce infection and provide temporary pain relief

. Retreatment of completed root canals

Prior authorization required