CDCP for Children: What Parents Should Know

How CDCP for kids works

Parents often ask whether a child can get CDCP coverage on their own. In practice, CDCP for kids comes through a parent's application. You list your children as dependants, and the family has to meet the plan's rules together. The details below come from Canada.ca and the CDCP Dental Benefits Guide, checked in October 2026.

The plan has a number of rules written with young patients in mind. Knowing them ahead of time helps you plan visits and avoid surprises.

Who qualifies

The same four requirements apply to the whole family. No one can have access to private dental coverage, including a plan through a parent's or partner's job. Parents must have filed last year's tax returns. Adjusted family net income must be under $90,000. And the family must be resident in Canada for tax purposes.

Watch for coverage you may not know about. Canada.ca suggests checking your spouse's or partner's T4 or T4A slips, since a child may have access to dental benefits through that parent's work. When you apply, you give each child's name, date of birth and address. A child's SIN is only asked for if they have one.

Canadian Dental Care Plan children's services

As of October 2026, the Canadian Dental Care Plan children's coverage that matters most to families includes:

• A first oral assessment, once in a lifetime, for children up to age 3
• Exams, X-rays and polishing within yearly limits
• Scaling: half a unit a year up to age 11, and one unit a year from 12 to 16
• Fluoride once every 6 months up to age 16
• Sealants on eligible adult teeth up to age 17, up to two per tooth in a lifetime
• Fillings, extractions, root canal treatment and pulpectomies

Age rules parents should know

Some services change with age. Crowns, and the posts and cores that support them, are considered only from age 18. If a younger child has a badly broken back tooth, your dentist will talk about other ways to repair it.

Sedation has its own rules for children up to age 11. The guide allows nitrous oxide or oral sedation when treatment can't be done in a normal clinical setting without it. Deeper sedation requires complex needs and a reason recorded by the dentist. For deep sedation or general anaesthesia, the guide suggests a referral when possible.

What isn't covered for children

Orthodontic treatment, such as braces, is not currently available under the CDCP. The guide also lists sports mouthguards and cosmetic treatment, including whitening, as outside its scope. If your child may need orthodontic care later, plan for that cost separately and ask whether a private plan or another program could help.

Healthy Smiles Ontario and the CDCP

Ontario has its own program for children and youth 17 and under from low-income households, called Healthy Smiles Ontario. It covers preventive, routine and emergency care. Ontario.ca says a child may still be eligible even if they already have dental insurance.

The Ontario Dental Association notes that families covered by Healthy Smiles Ontario can still apply for the CDCP, and that the programs coordinate so coverage isn't duplicated. If your child has both, tell the dental office so claims go to the right place.

Before your child's appointment

Bring these to the first visit:

• Your CDCP letter with your child's member ID and coverage start date
• A list of any medicines your child takes
• Details of any other dental coverage, such as Healthy Smiles Ontario
• Your questions about brushing, fluoride, snacks or thumb-sucking

Children's visits in Aurora

If you're in Aurora or nearby, your child is welcome from their very first visit, and we bill the CDCP for them directly. We confirm your child's coverage before treatment and show any co-payment or extra charge in writing. Our team can also explain things in Farsi, Tamil or Tagalog if that helps your family.

Questions