What is The Canada Dental Benefit Program?

The interim Canada Dental Benefit provides payments up to $650 per eligible child under 12 years of age, per year for two years (totaling up to $1300), for families with an adjusted net income under $90,000 per year.

• $650 – If the family’s adjusted net income is under $70,000
• $390 – if the family’s adjusted net income is between $70,000 and $79,999
• $260 – If the family’s adjusted net income is between $80,000 and $89,999

To be eligible, families need to meet ALL of the following conditions for each child they apply for:

• Have a child under 12 years of age, who does not have access to private dental care insurance (employer-based or purchased through the applicant or other family member).
• Have an adjusted family net income under $90,000 per year.
• Have filed last year’s income tax return and benefit return.
• Receive the Canada Child Benefit for each eligible child.
• Have or will have dental care expenses for each eligible child that have not been fully reimbursed under another federal, provincial, or territorial government program.
• Provide information on the recent or planned oral health care that the benefit would be used to pay for, along with information about the oral health care provider.

You can apply to get the benefit ahead of your child’s dental appointment.

• Once you receive the benefit, you must use it to pay for dental services. If the services in that year cost less than the total benefit amount, the CRA expects you to spend it on the child’s oral health needs in lieu of returning any unused money.
  • https://www.oda.ca/visiting-the-dentist/government-dental-programs/canadian-dental-care-plan/

Parents can apply starting December 1, 2022, for dental care received by their eligible child back to October 1, 2022, so long as their child will still be under 12 on December 1. For the second payment, parents can apply starting July 1, 2023.

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) My Account is the quickest, easiest, and most secure way to apply for the Canada Dental Benefit. If you do not yet have a CRA My Account, you can register at Canada.ca/my-CRA-account.

If you are unable to apply for the Canada Dental Benefit online, call 1-800-715-8836 to get your application started.

Keep your dental care receipts

Keep your receipts for 6 years in case the CRA needs to validate your eligibility.

If your application needs validation, you may be asked to contact the CRA to validate your application. You must respond within 30 days, or you may be asked to repay.

For more information regarding details of the Canada Dental Benefit Program, please check online at Canada.ca/my-cra-account, or call the CRA client contact center at 1-800-715-8836.