News & Blog

To answer this question we turned to SCI BC’s InfoLine Service Lead, Heather Lamb, MSW, RSW.

Dental care is very expensive, especially for those who do not have extended dental care coverage. While I believe strongly that dental should be part of our health care system for everyone, we have seen improvements in coverage with the introduction of the Canada Dental Care Plan.

Canadians who are over 65 or under 18, as well as adults who had the Disability Tax Credit in 2023 or later are currently eligible, as long as they don’t have coverage through a private plan. Those with coverage through a provincial plan, such as through their PWD benefits, are still eligible for the federal plan; in this case, benefits will be coordinated to minimize gaps in coverage.

Note that if you do have coverage through a private plan (such as through an employer), you cannot gain access to the federal coverage by opting out of your current plan, even if you are paying out of pocket for your premiums.

Those with a family income below $90,000 are eligible for coverage, an amount that may be different for you if you have received other federal benefits like RDSP income.

Coverage for all other eligible adults was phased in starting May 2025. Those who are potentially eligible, based on the 2024 tax return, will receive a letter with instructions on the program and how to apply. You can also apply online at canada.ca/dental. Those who can’t apply online can call 1-833-537-4342. For those already in the program, coverage needs to be renewed each year and letters will be sent with instructions.

Once you are accepted, you will receive information from Sun Life, who is administering this benefit on behalf of the Government of Canada. Once you receive your benefits card from Sun Life, you can make an appointment with any dentist who has enrolled into the program. I recommend asking your dental office before making an appointment to make sure they accept this coverage. Be aware that not all services are covered and people with higher incomes may have a co-payment.

You can search for a dental office on the BC Dental Association website bcdental.org/find-a-dentist where you can also filter results by the type of insurance coverage they accept and by wheelchair access. The search tool may not be very useful about wheelchair access, but it’s a good place to start. Once you have a shortlist, it’s smart to call the offices directly to ensure that the coverage information is correct and to ensure that their level of accessibility meets your needs. In a previous article in the Summer 2019 issue of The Spin we covered an accessible dental chair that power chair users can just roll onto without transferring. If you already have a dentist, you could ask if it’s something they’ve considered. It’s possible many practices aren’t aware of it yet.