The Canada Dental Benefit

The Canadian government has introduced a new dental care program for families with an annual income of less than $90,000. This program will provide a tax-free lump sum payment to cover dental expenses for uninsured children under 12 years old.

The Canada Dental Benefit applies to those who are not insured under a dental plan (obtained through employment, privately purchased or paid fully by the provincial or federal government). This program is an interim solution while a long-term national dental care program is developed.

Applications for the Canada Dental Benefit plan open on December 1, 2022 and must be submitted through the Canada Revenue Agency site. Parents or guardians need to attest to the following:

• Their child does not have access to private dental care coverage.
• They will have out of pocket dental care expenses for which they will use the benefit.
• They understand they will need to provide documentation to verify out of pocket expenses (receipts) if required.

Cash payments are determined by a family’s net income and use a sliding scale:

• $650 would be provided for each eligible child if the family’s net income is under $70,000.
• $390 would be provided for each eligible child if the family’s net income is between $70,000 and $79,999.
• $260 would be provided for each eligible child if the family’s net income is between $80,000 and $89,999.

The Canada Dental Benefit only applies to those under 12 years of age for families that fit the household incomes listed above. This benefit does not cover other members of the household.

For more information about the Canada Dental Benefit, please visit the Government of Canada website.