Canadian Dental Care Plan
How to use your CDCP at the dentist
The government pages explain the policy. They do not explain the appointment. This is the whole sequence, in the order it actually happens.
- 1
Check you are eligible
You need to be a Canadian resident for tax purposes, have filed last year's tax return, have an adjusted family net income under $90,000, and have no access to private dental insurance. That last one catches people out: if you turned down coverage through work or a spouse's plan, you are still counted as having access to it.
- 2
Apply through Service Canada
Applications are handled at canada.ca — online if you have a My Service Canada Account, or by phone. You will need your Social Insurance Number, date of birth, and last year's tax details. There is no cost to apply and no coverage decision to negotiate: eligibility is a formula.
- 3
Wait for your Sun Life welcome package
Sun Life administers the plan. Once you are approved they send a member number and a coverage start date. You cannot book a covered appointment before that start date — the practice will not be able to submit the claim, and you will be paying the whole bill yourself.
- 4
Find a dentist who bills CDCP
This is the step that actually blocks people. No dentist is obliged to take CDCP, and many quietly do not. Ask two questions when you call: do you accept CDCP, and do you bill Sun Life directly? Direct billing is what keeps you from paying up front and waiting to be reimbursed.
- 5
Book the appointment and say it upfront
Tell them you are a CDCP patient when you book, not when you arrive. It changes how they code the visit and gives them time to check your coverage. If it is your first visit anywhere in a while, ask for an exam and a cleaning rather than just an exam.
- 6
Bring your member number and ask for the estimate
Take your Sun Life member number and a piece of photo ID. Before treatment starts, ask for a written estimate showing what CDCP pays and what you owe. Any dentist worth seeing will hand you one without flinching.
- 7
Get preauthorisation for anything major
Routine work — exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings — is covered without extra paperwork. Crowns, dentures and other major treatment usually need approval in advance. Your dentist submits that; it takes time, so ask early rather than at the appointment where you need it.
The two questions that matter
Almost everything that goes wrong with a CDCP appointment traces back to one of two things not being asked on the phone. Ask both, every time, before you book:
- “Do you accept CDCP?” — participation is voluntary and plenty of practices do not.
- “Do you bill Sun Life directly?” — otherwise you pay the full amount and claim it back yourself.
A practice that answers yes to both has done this before, and the visit will be unremarkable. That is the goal.
Brampton dentists that answer yes to both
Every practice on our Brampton list accepts CDCP and bills Sun Life directly. Ratings and addresses included, and booking through us is free.
Dentists accepting CDCP in BramptonWhat this costs you
Nothing, and that includes booking through PaidSmile. We are a marketing company, not a dental practice. Partner offices pay us to find new patients, and we pay you $75 after your first visit and $100 after your second for turning up. Your dentist does not fund it, does not set it, and is not told what you receive — it is paid for attending, never for having treatment done, so it cannot change what they recommend or what they charge. The reward terms spell it out.
Common questions
Do I need my CDCP card at the appointment?
There is no physical card. What you need is your Sun Life member number and your coverage start date, both in the welcome package Sun Life sends after you are approved.
What if my dentist does not take CDCP?
You cannot make them. Participation is voluntary for dentists, and some practices bill it while others do not. The practical fix is to find one that does — that is what the Brampton list on this site is for.
Can I be charged more than CDCP pays?
Yes. CDCP reimburses at its own established fee schedule, which is not always the provincial suggested fee. A practice can charge above it, and the difference is yours regardless of your income tier. Ask for the number in writing before treatment.
How long does approval take?
Service Canada processes applications and Sun Life issues coverage; timelines vary and are published on canada.ca. Do not book a covered appointment until you have a confirmed start date.
Does using CDCP affect the PaidSmile reward?
No. PaidSmile pays you $75 after your first visit and $100 after your second for attending the appointment. It is paid by us, never by your dentist, and never for having treatment done — so it sits alongside CDCP without touching it.