Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP): What It Covers, and What It Doesn't
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a federal program that helps cover the cost of oral health care for eligible residents of Canada who do not have access to dental insurance. It is administered by Sun Life on behalf of the Government of Canada.
If you are covered under the CDCP and looking for a dentist in Richmond, this page explains what the plan pays toward, what it leaves out, and what to expect at your visit.
The short version
• The CDCP covers exams, x-rays, cleaning, fillings, root canals, gum treatment, extractions and complete dentures.
• It does not cover dental implants, implant-supported crowns or dentures, veneers, or mouth guards.
• Crowns and partial dentures are covered but need preauthorization before treatment starts.
• You pay your co-payment and any charges above the CDCP fee, never the full cost upfront.
Checked against the Government of Canada CDCP guidance on 3 September 2026. Coverage rules and co-payment brackets change. The canada.ca links below are always the authoritative version.
The categories the CDCP pays toward, and the ones it does not.
What the CDCP covers
The CDCP helps pay a portion of the cost of a wide range of services when your oral health provider recommends them. Some are covered straight away; others need preauthorization before treatment begins. Covered categories include:
Diagnostic and preventive care: dental exams (including emergency exams), x-rays, scaling, fluoride applications and sealants
Restorative care: fillings for cavities, including temporary fillings, and treatment to control pain from a diseased tooth
Endodontic care: root canal treatment, pulpectomies, and treatment to reduce infection
Periodontal care: cleaning under the gumline, treating abscesses, and non-surgical gum disease management
Major restorative care: crowns, cores and posts (these require preauthorization)
Removable prosthodontics: complete dentures, denture repairs, relines and rebases; partial dentures require preauthorization
Oral surgery: removal of teeth and roots
Preauthorization means your provider proposes the treatment and the CDCP confirms in advance whether it will be covered. Not every request is approved. You can still choose to go ahead with treatment that isn't approved and settle it directly with the clinic. Preauthorization can take a little while to come back, which is why we would rather see you early than once something starts hurting.
The full official list is maintained by the Government of Canada: what the CDCP covers.
Does the Canadian Dental Care Plan cover implants?
No. Dental implants and implant-related procedures are excluded from the CDCP. That exclusion also covers crowns supported by implants, and complete or partial dentures supported by implants. The Government of Canada lists these as exclusions that are not eligible for reconsideration.
Implants and ridge augmentation are exclusions under the CDCP.
Source: Government of Canada, CDCP Dental Benefits Guide.
Conventional dentures are a different matter, complete dentures are covered, and partial dentures are covered with preauthorization. If you are missing teeth and weighing your options, both routes are worth discussing with a dentist before you decide, because one of them attracts CDCP coverage and the other does not.
Not sure whether your treatment is on the covered list?
What else the CDCP does not cover
Alongside implants, the plan excludes a number of other services, including veneers and mouth guards. Cosmetic treatment generally falls outside the plan. If you are considering treatment in this category, ask for a written treatment plan first so you know where you stand.
Both halves in one place, if you want to scan it or send it to someone:
Covered by the CDCP | Not covered by the CDCP |
|---|---|
Exams, x-rays, scaling and fluoride | Dental implants |
Fillings for cavities | Crowns supported by implants |
Root canal treatment | Dentures supported by implants |
Non-surgical gum disease treatment | Veneers |
Crowns, cores and posts (preauthorization) | Mouth guards |
Complete dentures; partials (preauthorization) | Ridge augmentation |
Removal of teeth and roots | Cosmetic treatment generally |
How much of the cost the CDCP covers
The CDCP reimburses a portion of the cost at CDCP established fees, it may not cover the full amount. Depending on your adjusted family net income you may have a co-payment, which is the share of the CDCP fee you pay directly to the clinic. You may also face additional charges where a provider's fee is higher than the CDCP established fee, or where you and your provider agree to services the plan doesn't cover.
Income brackets and co-payment percentages are set by the federal government and change over time. Rather than reproduce them here, check the current figures on the official CDCP coverage page, which is always the authoritative source.
Under the CDCP you shouldn't be asked to pay the full cost upfront, only any co-payment and additional charges that apply to your treatment. Ask for those figures in writing before treatment starts, any clinic should give them to you, and we will.
We can check your CDCP coverage before you commit to anything.
The CDCP in British Columbia
Health Canada publishes CDCP figures monthly, and the British Columbia numbers answer the question most people actually have before they book: is anyone near me taking this?
As of 31 July 2026, 578,984 British Columbians are enrolled for the 2026–27 benefit period, and 4,385 oral health providers in the province participate: 3,953 of them dentists and dental specialists. Nationally, 7.4 million people have enrolled since the plan launched and 4.7 million have used the coverage at least once (Government of Canada CDCP statistics).
Enrolment and participation in British Columbia, from the Health Canada figures published monthly.
One of those numbers is easy to misread, so it is worth saying plainly. The 63,705 who have used their coverage looks small against 578,984 enrolled, but the 2026–27 benefit period only opened in April, so those are a few months of claims, not a year. Across the full 2025–26 period, 527,846 of 822,484 enrolled British Columbians used their coverage, about two in three. Take-up is healthier than people assume.
What to bring to your first visit
Bring your CDCP member information to your first visit so coverage can be confirmed before treatment is planned. A complete exam and x-rays are a covered diagnostic service, which makes an exam a sensible first appointment: it establishes what you actually need before anyone commits to a treatment plan. A few practical things about us, since CDCP patients ask most of them sooner or later:
Four dentists: Dr. Gloria Jung, Dr. Zee Wang, Dr. Elsie Wang and Dr. Steve Ra, so someone can usually see you.
Open seven days a week with same-day appointments and walk-ins: useful when a preauthorization comes back and you want to get on with it.
Emergency appointments within opening hours, often same-day, if something breaks or starts to hurt.
English, Korean and Mandarin spoken, which matters when you are working through coverage paperwork.
145-5555 Gilbert Road, Richmond, BC: at Gilbert and Lansdowne, three blocks from Lansdowne Canada Line station.
The order matters: the exam is what tells you which of the rest you actually need.
Has it been a long time since your last visit?
Don't worry: we accept new CDCP patients, and we are genuinely here to help. There is no judgement here. A lot of people have gone years without dental care simply because it was out of reach, and the plan is the first realistic chance they have had. Your appointment is about what you need now, not what you missed.
And if dental work makes you anxious, we offer sedation for everything from a routine appointment through to more involved treatment, so a visit is something you can get through, not something to put off for another year. 'Gentle' is one of the words that comes up most in our reviews, and we would rather earn that on a first visit than rush you through one.
Nervous about coming in? Tell us that when you call.
Frequently asked questions
These come up most often. If yours is not here, just ask us. We are happy to answer coverage questions over the phone before you book anything.
Do I need to pay upfront and claim the money back?
No. Providers are reimbursed directly for covered services, so you pay only your co-payment and any additional charges to the clinic. If you would like us to walk through what that looks like for your treatment before you commit to anything, give us a call. There is no obligation.
Does the CDCP cover a cleaning?
Scaling is listed as a covered preventive service, so a cleaning is covered. Frequency limits apply, and treatment beyond those limits needs preauthorization first. If you are not sure where you sit against those limits, phone us and we will check it with you before you book anything.
Does the CDCP cover root canals?
Yes. Root canal treatment is a covered endodontic service, and re-treatment of a root canal completed previously requires preauthorization. If you are in pain right now, do not wait on paperwork before calling. We are open seven days and keep room for same-day appointments.
I was told I need a crown. Is that covered?
Crowns are covered as a major restorative service, but they require preauthorization, so approval has to come through before treatment starts. A crown supported by an implant is a different case and is excluded. If you already have a treatment plan from somewhere else, bring it in and we will go through it with you. A second opinion costs you nothing but the appointment.
Does the Canadian Dental Care Plan cover implants?
No. Dental implants and implant-related procedures are excluded from the CDCP, including crowns and dentures supported by implants. That does not always mean implants are your only option, conventional dentures are covered, and the right answer depends on your mouth. Come and talk it through with one of our dentists before you decide; there is no obligation to go ahead.
Book a CDCP-covered exam
Bring your CDCP member information to your first visit. A complete exam and x-rays are a covered diagnostic service, so an exam is a sensible first appointment. It establishes what you actually need before anyone commits to a treatment plan.
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