BWG Dental Centre participates in the Canadian Dental Care Plan, often shortened to CDCP. If you or your children are enrolled, you can use your coverage for eligible care with Dr. Rebeca Riojas-Ozturk, at our office at 88 Barrie Street in Bradford.
This page explains who the plan is for, what it can help pay for, what you may still owe, and how a visit works at our office. The plan is run by the Government of Canada, and its rules can change. Everything below reflects the Government of Canada’s own pages as we read them in September 2026, and the sources are listed at the end. Please confirm your own eligibility and coverage with the program directly. Our team cannot decide whether you qualify.
What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
The Canadian Dental Care Plan is a federal program that helps make dental care more affordable for eligible Canadian residents who do not have access to private dental insurance. It pays a portion of the cost of a range of oral health services. It is not a private insurance plan, and it does not usually pay the whole bill.
Once you are enrolled, Sun Life mails you a welcome package with a member card, and participating dental offices bill Sun Life directly for covered services. The plan pays the office, not the patient.
Who can qualify for the CDCP?
As of September 2026, according to the Government of Canada, you must meet all four of these requirements to apply:
- You have no access to private dental insurance or coverage. This includes coverage through your job or pension, a family member’s job or pension, a professional or student organization, a health spending account that covers dental costs, or a plan you or a family member bought. You are treated as having access even if you have never used the coverage, chose not to enrol in it, or it does not pay for everything.
- You filed your tax return in Canada for the previous year. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, they must have filed too.
- Your adjusted family net income is less than $90,000. The government explains how to calculate this from specific lines of your tax return.
- You are a Canadian resident for tax purposes, and so is your spouse or common-law partner if you have one.
A narrow exception exists for some retirees who opted out of pension dental coverage before December 11, 2023. See the government’s eligibility page for details.
If you already get dental coverage through a provincial, territorial or federal government social program, you may still qualify. The plans coordinate so that the same service is not paid twice.
How can I check whether I have access to workplace dental coverage?
The government suggests looking at your tax slips. If you work, check box 45 on your T4. If you receive a pension, check box 015 on your T4A. A code of 1 means your employer or pension plan reported that you do not have access to dental coverage through them. A code of 2, 3, 4 or 5 means some kind of dental coverage was offered. Check a spouse’s or partner’s slips too.
What does the CDCP help pay for?
According to the Government of Canada, examples of services that could be covered when an oral health provider recommends them include:
- Checkups and prevention: exams, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride and sealants.
- Basic treatment: fillings, root canal treatment, and non-surgical treatment of gum disease.
- Major treatment: crowns, and complete or partial dentures. Several of these need approval from the plan before treatment.
- Oral surgery: such as removing teeth.
- Sedation: including nitrous oxide, for suitable patients.
Some services, including anything beyond the plan’s frequency limits, need preauthorization. That means we send the proposed treatment to the plan first, and the plan decides whether it will cover it. Not every request is approved. If a service is not covered, you can still choose to go ahead and pay for it yourself.
As of September 2026, the Government of Canada lists orthodontic services as not currently available under the plan. That includes clear aligners such as Invisalign.
Related services at our office include white fillings, root canal therapy, non-surgical gum therapy, extractions and dentures.
Will I have to pay anything?
Possibly. Two separate things can leave you with a bill.
Your co-payment
Your co-payment depends on your adjusted family net income. As of September 2026, according to the Government of Canada:
- Under $70,000: the plan covers 100 percent of its established fee for an eligible service, so there is no co-payment.
- $70,000 to $79,999: the plan covers 60 percent of its established fee, and you pay 40 percent.
- $80,000 to $89,999: the plan covers 40 percent of its established fee, and you pay 60 percent.
Your enrolment letter tells you which co-payment level applies to you.
Additional charges
The plan pays its own set fee for each service, and that fee may be lower than what a dental office charges. You may also agree to a service the plan does not cover. In either case there can be an amount to pay in addition to any co-payment, even if your co-payment level is zero.
This is why we give you an estimate before treatment. At BWG Dental Centre, we will tell you what the plan is expected to pay and what you are expected to pay before any work begins, so you can decide what to go ahead with.
Keep in mind that the government says the amount finally covered depends on the plan rules, fees and co-payment level in effect on the day you receive the service, so it can differ from an earlier estimate.
How do I apply?
You apply to the Government of Canada, not to our office. As of September 2026, applications are open for the 2026 to 2027 benefit period. You can apply:
- Online through your My Service Canada Account, or on Canada.ca if you cannot use that account.
- By phone by calling Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342 (TTY 1-833-677-6262).
The application asks for details such as your Social Insurance Number, date of birth, and address for each person applying. A spouse or common-law partner has to submit their own application to be covered.
There is no fee to apply. The government warns about scams by mail, phone, text and email that ask for banking or credit card details. If something seems off, contact the program directly using the details on Canada.ca.
I am enrolled. How do I book at BWG Dental Centre?
Once you receive your letter confirming enrolment, call us at (905) 775-7005 or use our appointment request form. When you book, tell us you are covered by the CDCP.
Do not book for a date before your coverage start date. The government is clear that only care received on or after that date is covered.
Bring to your first appointment:
- your CDCP member ID (it is on your government letter and your Sun Life card)
- a piece of identification
- your coverage start date
- your co-payment level
You do not need to wait for the Sun Life card to arrive, as long as you have the information from your government letter.
Bring your CDCP member ID to each appointment so your coverage can be checked, because coverage can lapse.
If you pay the full cost yourself for a covered service, the plan will not reimburse you, because it only pays dental offices. Please let us bill the plan for the covered portion.
Do I have to renew every year?
Yes. The plan runs on a benefit period that ends on June 30 each year, and members must renew to confirm they still qualify. According to the Government of Canada, the renewal period for 2026 to 2027 closed on June 1, 2026, and renewals for 2027 to 2028 are expected to open in spring 2027.
If you missed renewal, you can apply again, but there will be a gap in coverage, and care received during a gap is not covered.
Can your team help me understand the paperwork?
We can explain your treatment estimate, what the plan is expected to pay and what you are expected to pay, and we can do that in English, Spanish, French or Urdu. For questions about eligibility, your income calculation, your application or your renewal, the program itself is the right place to ask.
Useful contacts from the Government of Canada:
- Service Canada, CDCP applications: 1-833-537-4342
- Sun Life CDCP Contact Centre, for help once enrolled: 1-888-888-8110
Frequently asked questions
Does BWG Dental Centre accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
Yes. BWG Dental Centre in Bradford participates in the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Tell us you are a CDCP member when you book, and bring your member ID and identification to your visit.
Can I use the CDCP if I have dental benefits through work?
According to the Government of Canada, no. You must have no access to private dental insurance or coverage, including through your own or a family member’s job or pension. Check with the program if you are unsure.
Does the CDCP cover braces or Invisalign?
As of September 2026, the Government of Canada lists orthodontic services as not currently available under the plan.
Will the CDCP pay the whole cost of my treatment?
Not always. Depending on your income you may have a co-payment, and there may be additional charges if our fee is higher than the plan’s fee or if you choose a service the plan does not cover. We explain expected costs before treatment.
Can I book before my coverage starts?
No. Only care received on or after your coverage start date is covered, so book your appointment for a date on or after that start date.
Is there a fee to apply for the CDCP?
No. According to the Government of Canada, there is no fee to apply or renew. Be cautious of any call, text or email asking for banking or credit card details.
Call (905) 775-7005 or request an appointment to book with Dr. Riojas-Ozturk. You can also find us on our contact page.
