The end of 2022 brought some significant progress in the area of dental health with the arrival of the Canada Dental Benefit.

This measure aims to provide coverage for the many children under the age of 12 who have been unable to benefit from adequate dental care because they are from low-income families. The program offers benefits ranging from $260 to $650, depending on the family’s household income.

Considering that severe inflation has led to an increase in the cost of living, let’s just say that this is more than welcome news.

Eligibility criteria for the Canada Dental Benefit

This benefit will cover the dental care your child receives during two different periods:

  • Period 1: October 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023
  • Period 2: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

In order to submit an application to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), you must meet all of the following requirements:

  • The child must have been born on December 2, 2010 or later.
  • Private insurance or another dental-care program must not cover the cost of your child’s dental care.
  • You must be the only parent who received the Canada child benefit (CCB) on December 1, 2022, or if you have joint custody, you must have received half of the CCB on that same date.
  • You and your spouse or common-law spouse must have filed your 2021 tax returns.
  • Your annual net household income must have been less than $90,000 for 2021.
  • For verification purposes, you must be able to provide receipts or other documentation proving that you paid for your child’s dental care.

If you satisfy all of these conditions, you may qualify for the following:

  • Families whose adjusted net income is below $70,000 could receive $650 for each eligible child.
  • Families whose adjusted net income is between $70,000 and $79,999 could receive $390 for each eligible child.
  • Families whose adjusted net income is between $80,000 and $89,999 could receive $260 for each eligible child.

Please note that, if the costs of your child’s dental care exceed $650 in a given period, you may meet the eligibility requirements for an additional payment.

How to apply

If you have access to your CRA account, you can submit your application online. If you aren’t registered, you can submit your application by telephone; however, the application processing time and the waiting period for treatment will be longer.

Once your file has been processed—and you’ve set up direct deposits—you’ll receive the payments directly in your account.

The Canada Dental Benefit: universal access to dental care

While some people would prefer for dental care to be free for everyone in Quebec and Canada as a whole, this Government of Canada measure is definitely a step in the right direction.

If you have any questions regarding the Canada Dental Benefit, please feel free to contact the CRA directly. You’ll also be happy to know that the team at Clinique Dentaire Charles Trottier in Vaudreuil-Dorion is available to give you all the information you need in order to get the most out of this opportunity to take proper care of your children’s teeth.