A new report from the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) says that two years into the rollout of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), significant barriers remain for patients trying to access and afford care, despite the program being described as one of the largest social initiatives in Canadian history.
The report, titled “From Coverage to Care: An Evidence-informed Assessment of the Canadian Dental Care Plan,” was published Tuesday. Ottawa dentist Dr. Isha Moza said she has seen many new patients visiting a dentist for the first time in their lives, but said a pre-existing workforce shortage in the field has worsened with the added patient volume and administrative workload tied to the program.
The federal government began accepting dental claims for seniors in May 2024 under a phased rollout, with eligibility expanded to all ages a year later. Federal data shows 7.5 million Canadians have enrolled in the CDCP since launch, but enrolment and care figures vary by year. In the 2025-26 enrolment period, 6.5 million people were enrolled and 3.9 million received care. For 2026-27, enrolment fell to 4.7 million, with just over 900,000 having had a claim approved so far. The government had originally estimated that up to nine million Canadians would eventually be able to access care through the program. Across the plan’s entire existence, 4.8 million people have had a claim approved.
Financial and Administrative Barriers
The CDA report found that 37 per cent of patients who received care still reported facing financial barriers, which it attributed to CDCP fees being set below the actual cost of care, leaving patients to cover the difference. Dr. Moza said that gap sometimes forces patients to delay or forgo treatment altogether.
The report also found that 50 per cent of complete preauthorization requests are denied, and only 17 per cent of dentists said most of the care they recommend for patients ends up being covered. Fifty-nine per cent of patients reportedly expected treatment to be fully free, requiring dental offices to explain coverage details case by case.
To qualify for the CDCP, applicants must be Canadian residents without access to dental insurance, have an adjusted family net income under $90,000, and have filed the previous year’s tax return.
Patient Ethan Grant described an ongoing dispute over his eligibility after previously having care covered under the plan. The confusion left him paying for an emergency root canal with a credit card, resulting in a $1,200 bill he is paying off with interest while awaiting a second root canal. Grant said he remains supportive of the program despite the experience, saying he welcomes any government support for health and dental care.
The report also pointed to provider-side strain, citing lingering administrative burdens and 7,200 vacancies for dental hygienists and assistants.
What’s Working, and What the CDA Wants Changed
The CDCP covers services including cleanings, X-rays, fillings, dentures and root canals, though Health Canada has stressed it is not a formal insurance plan. Among patients who have accessed care, 88 per cent reported a positive experience and 57 per cent said their oral health improved. The report also found the share of Canadians without any dental coverage fell from 35 per cent to 25 per cent since the plan’s creation.
More than 90 per cent of dentists in Canada are now participating, after early reluctance tied to administrative burden and reimbursement structure. The CDA report found 70 per cent of dentists now support the program. CDA president Dr. Kirk Preston said in the report’s foreword that coverage on paper only helps patients if a dental team is actually available to deliver the care.
The CDA issued more than 30 recommendations grouped into three priority areas, starting with patient care — calling for coverage to better match patient needs and for services to be clearly explained before treatment begins. A second priority area focuses on program design, with the CDA calling for CDCP fees to better reflect the real cost of care and for public coverage to remain complementary to other existing coverage.
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