What to Know About the Free Canadian Dental Care Plan Proposed in 2023 Budget

More Canadians will soon have access to dental care coverage, thanks to the new Canadian Dental Care Plan announced in the 2023 federal budget. The government wants to widen access to dental care with the Canadian Dental Care Plan. It aims to provide dental care for 9 million uninsured Canadians with family incomes of less than $90,000.

Under the budget proposal, the government would spend $13 billion over five years to bring Health Canada-administered dental coverage to residents under that $90,000 income threshold. Households with annual income under $70,000 would further pay no co-pays. Officials plan to start rolling out coverage “by the end of 2023,” pending the adoption of the budget in Parliament.

Last year, the Canada Dental Benefit opened to children under the age of 12 from families:

• with annual family income under $90,000, and
• with no dental insurance.

This year, the program expands to Canadians under 18, as well as seniors and people living with a disability.

Further expansion to all Canadians with family income under $90,000 and no dental insurance is expected by 2025.

Additional Investment on Oral Health

Budget 2023 also proposes to invest: 

• $250 million over three years, starting in 2025-26, and $75 million ongoing to establish an Oral Health Access Fund, which will address oral health gaps among vulnerable populations and reduce identified barriers to accessing dental care, including in rural and remote communities, complementing the Canadian Dental Care Plan.
• $23.1 million over two years, starting in 2023-24, to collect data on oral health and dental care access in Canada and help the government’s ability to support those who need it most through the Canadian Dental Care Plan.