As of December 1, 2022, eligible families can apply for the interim Canada Dental Benefit for children under 12. The Dental Benefit Act received royal assent on November 17, 2022.
What is the Canada Dental Benefit?
The interim Canada Dental Benefit is available for children under 12 in families who have an adjusted net income of less than $90,000 and no access to private dental insurance. It allows eligible families to receive upfront, direct payments per child up to $650 per year, for two years, for oral health services.
Who is eligible to receive the interim Canada Dental Benefit?
Families need to meet all of the following conditions for each child they apply for:
- Have a child under 12 years of age with no access to private dental care coverage (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 and benefit return (for the taxation year 2021, to be eligible in 2022—for more information on how to file a return, visit Canada.ca/doing-your-taxes);
- Be the parent (or legal guardian) who receives the Canada Child Benefit for that child;
- Have incurred—or will incur—out-of-pocket costs for eligible child’s dental care and have not been fully reimbursed under another federal, provincial or territorial government program; and
- Provide information on the recent or planned oral health care visit that the benefit would pay for, along with information about the oral health care provider.
What constitutes the definition of a child under 12? As of what date?
Your child was born on or after July 2, 2011 (under 12 years old as of July 1, 2023).
What types of dental care are covered by the Canada Dental Benefit?
Use it for any oral health care provided by a regulated oral health professional licensed to practise in the place where care is provided.
How much money do eligible families receive?
The interim Canada Dental Benefit provides up to $650 per child under 12, per year for two years, for families with an adjusted net income under $90,000 per year.
- $650 is provided for each eligible child, per year, if the family’s adjusted net income is under $70,000.
- $390 is provided if the family’s adjusted net income is between $70,000 and $79,999.
- $260 is provided if the family’s adjusted net income is between $80,000 and $89,999.
Eligibility criteria
For dental care services your child receives in:
Period 1: October 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023
Status: Applications closed on June 30, 2023
Period 2: July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024
Application are accepted until June 30, 2024
Get more information on the Canada Dental Benefit
Find out more at Canada.ca/dental or 1-800-715-8836
Or visit the Canadian Dental Association’s Frequently Asked Questions
Helpful links
- Alberta Child Health Benefit
- Alberta Adult Health Benefit
- Dental Assistance for Seniors
- Income Support
- Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped
- Public Health – Dental Treatment Services
If you’d like to learn more about preventing dental problems, visit our Oral Health Basics page.