Canada to Provide Universal Free Dental Insurance

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Canada to Provide Universal Free Dental Insurance

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Canada to Provide Universal Free Dental Insurance

On December 11, the Canadian federal government unveiled more details, with the initial beneficiaries being senior citizens.

By the year 2025, all eligible Canadians meeting income criteria will have dental expenses reimbursed!

The Canadian Universal Dental Care Plan, abbreviated as CDCP, is a result of an agreement reached between the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party to secure support.

It directly offers dental care benefits to Canadian residents with a family income below ninety thousand Canadian dollars and without insurance.

This initiative is part of the federal government’s measures in the spring budget of 2023, allocating thirteen billion Canadian dollars over a five-year period from 2023 to 2024, with one-third of the budget already allocated. An estimated nine million Canadians are expected to benefit from this program.

According to Global News, “The CDCP aims to help alleviate financial barriers to accessing oral health services and provide insurance for eligible Canadian residents who currently cannot obtain dental coverage.”

screenshot from Global news

Who Qualifies for the Dental Plan?

To be eligible for CDCP, Canadians must meet the following criteria:

• No dental insurance
• Adjusted family net income below ninety thousand Canadian dollars
• Must be a Canadian tax resident
• Must submit the previous year’s tax return

As reported by Global News, Canadians who already receive dental benefits through provincial, territorial, and federal social programs and meet these criteria can still apply for the dental plan.

When Does the Dental Plan Start?

The timeline for the dental plan is as follows:

• Starting December 2023, the dental plan will first open applications for individuals aged eighty-seven and above, gradually expanding by age groups. According to the federal government’s announcement, individuals in this age group may be eligible and will receive an invitation letter to apply.
• From January 2024, individuals aged seventy-seven to eighty-six can apply. In February 2024, those aged seventy-two to seventy-six can apply. Starting from March, individuals aged seventy to seventy-one can apply.
• In May 2024, individuals aged sixty-five to sixty-nine can begin applying.
• From June 2024, Canadians holding a valid disability tax credit certificate and children under eighteen can apply online.
• Starting in 2025, all remaining eligible Canadian residents can apply online.

After receiving a confirmation email, eligible Canadian residents will receive a package containing a membership card and the start date of coverage for dental health services.

To illustrate, seniors who apply in December will start enjoying dental insurance in May of the following year. Note that any dental treatments before this date are not covered.

Covered Dental Services

The federal dental care plan includes the following services (some services are only available in the fall of 2024, and friends who can only enroll in 2025 may not enjoy them):

• Preventive services, including cleanings, polishing, and sealants
• Diagnostic services, including examinations and X-ray checks
• Restorative services, including fillings
• Endodontic services, including root canal treatment
• Oral prosthetic services, including full and partial removable dentures
• Periodontal services, including deep cleaning
• Oral surgical services, including tooth extraction

This dental insurance replaces the plan that distributed checks directly to children under twelve for the past two years. Additionally, services like orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry are not covered.

Reimbursement Rates

To minimize out-of-pocket costs for individuals covered by this plan, dental clinics will directly submit claims to the plan’s insurance company (Sun Life Financial) for payment, eliminating the need for patients to pay in full and then seek reimbursement.

The dental plan will reimburse a certain percentage of dental procedure costs, and individuals will be required to pay a specified percentage of treatment fees. This percentage is calculated based on family annual income.

Families with a net income of over seventy thousand and up to eighty thousand (exclusive) will be reimbursed 60%, while those with incomes exceeding eighty thousand will only be reimbursed 40%. The reimbursement percentage for families with incomes below seventy thousand has not been disclosed.

Who can have free tooth care in United States?

In the United States, free dental care is available from a variety of sources including a local dental clinic, nonprofits, events, dental schools, and clinical trials. 

If you live under the Federal Poverty Level, you may even qualify for free dental care with Medicaid ¹. 

Federally funded community health centers also can offer low-cost dental care ².

 You can also check with your state or local health department to learn about programs in your area that offer free or reduced-cost dental care ³.

Canada to Provide Universal Free Dental Insurance

(source:internet, reference only)

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Important Note: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice.