Health Minister Kamal Khera announced on Saturday that Canadians aged 18 to 64 can soon apply for the Liberals’ national dental insurance program — a major expansion that comes on the eve of an expected federal election call.
“It’s not just about cleaning teeth,” Khera said, referring to the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). “It’s about preventative health care, which is saving lives while also saving money.”
According to a Health Canada news release, applications will open in May by age group, with coverage starting as early as June 1. Canadians aged 55 to 64 can apply starting on May 1, followed by those aged 18 to 34 on May 15. Finally, Canadians aged 35 to 54 can apply starting on May 29.
In order to qualify for the CDCP, applicants must not have access to dental insurance, have filed their individual 2024 tax return in Canada, have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000 and be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
The program helps pay for dental procedures, including cleanings, fillings and dentures.
In its news release, Health Canada said that up to 4.5 million uninsured Canadians between 18 and 64 “are expected to join” the plan — which already covers children, seniors and residents with valid disability tax credits.
For months, it was unclear when the large cohort of Canadians would be allowed to apply for the CDCP. The federal government previously said Canadians aged 18 to 64 would be able to apply in January.
But last October, Mark Holland, who was health minister at the time, walked back that statement.
“We didn’t say January. We said 2025,” he said at the time.
The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association said in a news release on Saturday that it “applauds” the federal government for expanding access to the dental care program.
“A population that enjoys good oral health eases the burden on the health care system thanks to a reduced need for emergency department and physician visits for urgent dental care,” the association said.
Federal election call expected Sunday
Khera’s announcement comes one day before Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to ask the Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament and call a federal election.
Sources have confirmed to CBC News that election day will be April 28 — meaning federal parties will be sprinting through the shortest election period possible under Canadian law.
Carney is making the election call against a backdrop of public opinion polls that have placed the Liberal Party just out front in the coming contest.
When asked why the federal government waited until the day before an expected election call to announce the dental plan expansion, Khera said that “we always knew this was going to be a phased-out approach in terms of a massive program like this that the federal government is rolling out.”
“This is a commitment that we made to Canadians, and we’re super excited that we’re able to deliver on this commitment,” she said.
Singh touts NDP’s work, criticizes Carney
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters on Saturday that his party fought hard to get dental care to Canadians and “we can say very proudly, the final phase of the New Democrat dental care plan is being rolled out.”
Three years ago, the Liberals agreed to launch a dental care program for middle- and low-income Canadians in exchange for New Democrats propping up the federal government with a supply-and-confidence agreement. The NDP backed out of that agreement in September 2024.
Although Singh celebrated the expansion, he also criticized Carney and argued that “dental care is at risk” since the prime minister has pledged to balance the federal government’s operational spending over the next three years.
In an interview with CBC News earlier this year, Carney said operational spending includes government-run programs, federal transfers to provinces and territories and debt service charges.
“New Democrats believe that dental care is a fundamental part of our health-care system,” Singh said. “No one should have had to worry that they couldn’t afford to take care of their teeth. No one should have to live in pain because they couldn’t afford a dentist.”
