Government shares details on federal dental care plan

Over 400,000 seniors have been approved for the new Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), the federal government said in a Wednesday release.

The CDCP was introduced to address the lack of dental coverage for nearly nine million Canadians. Its rollout began last month and is being completed in phases, starting with seniors aged 77 and above.

By February, the government said it will begin inviting seniors aged 72 to 76 by sending a letter containing detailed instructions on eligibility validation and application procedures by phone.

The next phases of the program are as follows:

• Starting March 1, seniors aged 70 to 71 will be invited to the program.
• In May, the program will transition to an online application process that will be open to seniors aged 65 and older.
• In June, individuals with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and children under 18 years of age will be eligible to apply.
• By 2025, all remaining eligible Canadian residents aged 18 to 64 will have the opportunity to apply online.

Applications will be reviewed by Service Canada, according to the release. Upon approval, enrolees will have their details forwarded to Sun Life, which will be responsible for handling the enrolment process.

The government said Sun Life will send a welcome package to new members, which includes coverage details, a member card, and information regarding the start date of their coverage.

Individuals who qualify for the CDCP can begin visiting dentists or other oral health providers as early as May 2024, the government added. The coverage start date will depend on when the application is received and when enrolment is completed.

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