Being approved for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is only the first step. Between your approval letter and a smooth first appointment, there are a few practical checks worth making — about your own coverage, about the clinic you choose, and about how payment under the plan actually works. Most CDCP surprises at the front desk come from skipping one of these steps, and nearly all of them are easy to avoid with a five-minute check before you book.

This guide is written for patients in Richmond Hill who plan to use the CDCP at a local dentist. It does not replace the official eligibility rules — those live on Canada.ca’s Canadian Dental Care Plan page, and our own CDCP page explains how the plan works at Mackenzie Smiles. What follows is the booking checklist itself: what to confirm, what to bring, and what to ask, in the order you will need it.

First, check your own coverage and start date

Your CDCP coverage does not begin the day you apply, and it does not begin the day you are approved. It begins on the coverage start date in your welcome package. After Service Canada confirms your eligibility, your information is shared with Sun Life, which administers the plan. Sun Life mails you a welcome package that includes your member card and your coverage start date. Appointments can only be scheduled on or after that date — dental care received before it is not covered, even if you were already approved.

Before you call any dentist, confirm three things:

  • Your coverage start date. It is in your Sun Life welcome package, and your coverage details are also shown in your My Service Canada Account. If you have been approved but have not yet received the package, you do not have to wait for the physical card to arrive in the mail — if you already have your member information and your coverage has started, that is what matters.
  • Your co-payment level. The CDCP pays a percentage of its established fees based on your adjusted family net income: 100% if it is under $70,000, 60% between $70,000 and $79,999, and 40% between $80,000 and $89,999. (Eligibility itself requires an adjusted family net income under $90,000, no access to dental insurance, a filed tax return, and Canadian residency for tax purposes.) Your own level is stated in your approval information — knowing it before you book helps you predict your share.
  • That your coverage is current. CDCP coverage runs in benefit periods and must be renewed. If you had coverage last period and did not renew, there may be a gap — and care received during a gap is not paid for afterwards. Check your current status before assuming you are covered for an upcoming appointment.

If any of these details are unclear, sort them out before booking. The clinic cannot change your start date or your co-payment level; those are set by the plan.

When you call, confirm the clinic side of things

Not every dental office participates in the CDCP, and participation details can differ from clinic to clinic. When you call to book, say up front that you are a CDCP member and ask:

  • Does the clinic currently accept CDCP patients?
  • What information do you need from me to book under the plan? (Have your member ID and coverage start date ready — the office will typically ask for both.)
  • Will the clinic submit the claim directly for covered services? Under the CDCP, participating providers bill Sun Life directly for the plan’s share. This matters, because members are not reimbursed if they pay the full cost themselves and submit the bill later.
  • How does the clinic handle the part of the fee the plan may not pay? (More on this under the fee guide, below — ask about it before treatment, not after.)

At Mackenzie Smiles, our team can help you confirm these details when you call us at 905-237-2353. You can also read more about how the CDCP works at Mackenzie Smiles before you get in touch.

What to bring to your first CDCP appointment

Bringing the right information to your first visit lets the clinic verify your coverage quickly and give you accurate estimates. Bring:

Dentist reviewing a CDCP treatment plan and coverage checklist with a patient
  • Your CDCP member card (or your member ID, if the physical card has not arrived yet)
  • A piece of identification
  • Your coverage start date
  • Your co-payment level, if you know it
  • A list of any current medications and relevant medical history — the same information any new patient is asked for

Your first visit will usually include an examination and any needed X-rays, so the dentist can see what treatment, if any, you actually need. You can read about what that first examination involves on our dental exams and X-rays page. No responsible clinic can tell you what the CDCP will pay for in your case before examining you — coverage is always assessed against your own plan details and your actual treatment needs.

Bigger treatment? Ask about preauthorization first

Some CDCP services need approval from the plan before treatment begins. This is called preauthorization: the clinic submits your proposed treatment plan, with supporting records such as X-rays, and the plan confirms whether the service is covered before anyone picks up an instrument. Services that commonly require preauthorization include crowns and the first placement of partial dentures, along with certain other larger treatments.

Two things are worth understanding about preauthorization. First, it takes time — booking a crown for next week may not be realistic if approval is still pending, and starting treatment before approval arrives can leave you responsible for the full cost. Second, an approved preauthorization is based on the information submitted; it is a confirmation step, not an unlimited guarantee, and the final claim still has to match the treatment provided. When your dentist recommends a larger treatment under the CDCP, ask whether it needs preauthorization and how long the clinic expects the answer to take. A clinic that checks first is protecting you, not delaying you.

The CDCP fee guide — and why a balance can remain

This is the point that causes the most confusion, so it is worth stating plainly: the CDCP pays according to its own fee guide, which is not the same as your dentist’s fees. The plan calculates its share using CDCP established fees. If your clinic’s fee for a service is higher than the CDCP fee, the difference can remain payable by you — on top of any co-payment your income level sets.

That means even a member whose co-payment is 0% can still owe a balance on some services. It does not mean anything is wrong; it is how the plan is designed. What you should expect from any clinic, including ours, is a clear explanation before treatment: what the CDCP is expected to pay, what your co-payment is, and what difference, if any, would remain. If a clinic cannot explain those three numbers for your treatment plan, ask again — or ask before you agree to proceed. Our CDCP page covers this fee-guide point as well, and our front desk will walk through it with you when you book.

What the CDCP generally does not cover

Knowing the plan’s limits in advance prevents disappointment later. In general:

  • Cosmetic dentistry is not covered — treatments done only to change how teeth look, such as whitening or veneers for appearance, are outside the plan.
  • Orthodontic treatment (braces and aligners) is not currently covered under the CDCP.
  • Dental implants are not part of standard CDCP coverage. If you are considering implants, plan on discussing non-CDCP options and costs with your dentist.
  • Care received before your coverage start date, or during a gap in coverage, is not covered.
  • Some covered services have frequency limits, and some require preauthorization, as described above.

The plan’s rules and covered-services list are updated by the Government of Canada, so for anything specific to your situation, check your current coverage details and confirm with the clinic before treatment rather than relying on a general list — including this one.

Questions to ask any dentist before CDCP treatment

Wherever you choose to go for CDCP care in Richmond Hill, these questions will tell you a lot about how the experience will go:

  • Are you currently accepting CDCP patients, and is my coverage active for the date I want to book?
  • Does this treatment need preauthorization, and will you submit it before we start?
  • What will the CDCP pay toward this treatment, what is my co-payment, and will there be a difference between the plan’s fee and yours?
  • If I need treatment the CDCP does not cover, what are my options — and can the covered and uncovered parts be planned separately?
  • Who do I call if my coverage details change between booking and my appointment?

Dentists in Ontario are regulated by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, and you can verify any Ontario dentist’s registration in its public register. For general patient information about oral health, the Ontario Dental Association and the Canadian Dental Association both publish plain-language resources.

Booking your CDCP visit in Richmond Hill

If you are a CDCP member in Richmond Hill and your coverage has started — or starts soon — the practical order is: confirm your start date and co-payment level, gather your member card or member ID, then call the clinic and say you are booking under the CDCP. Mackenzie Smiles is at 250 Harding Blvd W, Suite 103, in Richmond Hill, open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed Sundays). Our general dentists, Dr. Sahel Moghtadernejad and Dr. Bahareh Aghamohammadi, provide care for patients of all ages.

Call us at 905-237-2353 and our team will confirm what we need from you and find a time that works, or request an appointment and mention the CDCP in your message. If you are not sure whether your coverage is active yet, call anyway — we would rather help you check first and book for the right date than have you arrive to a preventable problem.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if I am eligible for the CDCP?

You must meet all four criteria set by the Government of Canada: you have no access to dental insurance (through work, a pension, a family member, or a plan you bought yourself), you filed your tax return in Canada, your adjusted family net income is under $90,000, and you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes. Eligibility is confirmed by Service Canada when you apply — a dental clinic cannot approve you for the plan. The official criteria are on Canada.ca.

How do I check my CDCP coverage start date?

Your start date is in the welcome package Sun Life mails you after your eligibility is confirmed, and your coverage details also appear in your My Service Canada Account. Appointments can only be scheduled on or after that date, so check it before you book. You do not need to wait for the physical member card if you already have your member information and your coverage has started.

What should I bring to my first CDCP dental appointment?

Bring your CDCP member card or member ID, a piece of identification, your coverage start date, and your co-payment level if you know it. A list of your medications and relevant medical history is also helpful, just as it is for any new patient.

If the CDCP covers my treatment, could I still have to pay something?

Yes, possibly. Depending on your income, you may have a co-payment of 0%, 40% or 60% of the CDCP’s established fees. On top of that, the plan pays using its own fee guide — if the clinic’s fee for a service is higher, the difference can remain payable by you. So coverage should never be assumed to be 100% of the clinic’s bill. Ask for the expected CDCP payment, your co-payment and any remaining difference before treatment begins.

What does preauthorization mean, and which treatments need it?

Preauthorization means the clinic submits your proposed treatment to the plan for approval before treatment starts. Services that commonly require it include crowns and the first placement of partial dentures. It protects you: starting a treatment that needs preauthorization before approval arrives can leave you responsible for the full cost. Approval is based on the information submitted, so it is a confirmation step rather than an open-ended guarantee.

Can I get dental care first and have the CDCP pay for it afterwards?

No. Care received before your coverage start date, or during a gap in your coverage, is not covered retroactively. This is why checking your start date — and renewing your coverage each benefit period — matters before you book.

Does the CDCP cover implants, braces or cosmetic dentistry?

Dental implants are not part of standard CDCP coverage, orthodontic treatment such as braces and aligners is not currently covered, and cosmetic treatments such as whitening or veneers done for appearance are not covered. If you need or want one of these, your dentist can explain the non-CDCP options before you decide anything.

Do I pay the clinic the full amount and get reimbursed by the CDCP?

No. For covered services, participating clinics submit the claim directly to Sun Life for the plan’s share — members are not reimbursed for paying the full cost themselves. What you pay at the clinic is your share: any co-payment and any difference between the CDCP fee and the clinic’s fee, which the clinic should explain to you in advance.