Health Canada made a mistake and gave dental coverage to thousands of people.
Health Canada revealed on Tuesday that tens of thousands of people had been wrongly authorized for coverage under the public dental insurance program. Health Canada noted in a news release that some 70,000 people were authorized for coverage under the plan but later found to be ineligible or had been given the wrong copayment amount.
Recently, a mistake was found in how income was computed for some applicants while their eligibility was being checked. The statement continued, “A fix has already been made to the system to fix this mistake.”
Another statement says that some 70,000 people joined up for Canada’s dental care plan by mistake: Health Canada
On Wednesday, Health Canada said that roughly 70,000 patients had either erroneously signed up for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) or had been given the wrong amount to pay for their care.
Health Canada reported that this amount was around 1% of the plan’s active participants.
The government said in a statement, “An error was recently found in how income was calculated for some applicants while their eligibility for CDCP was being determined.” “A fix for the system has already been put in place to fix this mistake.”
Health Canada said, “Because Canadians’ eligibility for the CDCP may change during a benefit period, it is important for CDCP members and oral health providers to check coverage under the plan at each visit and before providing and billing for services or treatments.”
As of October 3, Health Canada indicated that around 28,000 of these members had seen a dentist.
The statement noted, “Starting October 17, the Government of Canada has begun to notify affected people of changes to their current CDCP coverage that will take effect on October 24, 2025.” “People who are affected will not have to pay back the difference in co-payment or any amounts covered by the CDCP for dental care received before October 24, 2025.”
The agency stated it is still “committed to ensuring that publicly funded programs such as the CDCP are administered with integrity, in accordance with the eligibility criteria and with responsible stewardship of public funds.”
- The CDCP now covers more than 5.5 million Canadians, and more than three million have already gotten care, saving them an average of $800 a year.
- No repayment required: The announcement claimed that people who did get care would not have to pay back the sum provided by the public insurance plan.
- Health Canada has been saying that more than five million Canadians are insured by the plan, but only approximately three million have actually used it.
If a Canadian resident’s family net income is less than $90,000 and they don’t have a private insurance plan, the national insurance program helps pay for their dental care.
The program pays for a lot of different types of dental work, such as cleanings, fillings, and dentures. Health Canada reports that each patient has had their costs reimbursed for an average of $800 per year.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan started in May 2024 for elderly, then for kids and Canadians who got the disability tax credit. It grew to include all eligible Canadians in May 2025.
The NDP brought in the huge, multibillion-dollar public insurance policy. They did this by supporting the previous Trudeau Liberal minority government in the House of Commons for two years in exchange for big social initiatives like dental care.
Health Canada’s statement on the Canadian Dental Care Plan
Health Canada said today that the Canadian Dental treatment Plan (CDCP) has made dental treatment far more affordable and easier to get for millions of Canadians across the country. We are dedicated to making sure that publicly financed programs like the CDCP are run honestly, in line with the eligibility requirements, and with appropriate use of public funds.
There was a mistake made recently in how some applicants’ income was figured out while their eligibility for CDCP was being decided. This mistake has previously been fixed by changing the system.
Because of this, about 1% of the active members (about 70,000) have either been discovered to be ineligible for the CDCP or have been given the wrong co-payment level. About 28,000 of these members had dental care as of October 3. Beginning on October 17, the Government of Canada has began to inform those affected of changes that would affect their existing CDCP coverage, which will take effect on October 24, 2025.
People who are affected won’t have to pay back the difference in co-payments or any dental care costs that were covered by the CDCP before October 24, 2025.
CDCP members who don’t already have a My Service Canada Account (MSCA) are urged to make one so they can get essential messages about their CDCP coverage. They can also phone Service Canada’s CDCP line at 1-833-537-4342 or go to a Service Canada Center.
It is crucial for CDCP members and oral health providers to check coverage under the plan at each visit and before providing and charging for services or treatments because Canadians’ eligibility under the CDCP may vary over a benefit period.
- The CDCP covers more than 5.5 million Canadians, and more than 3 million of them have already gotten care, saving an average of $800 a year.
- Dental Care Plan: 27,000 Canadians were not eligible, and 43,000 will have to pay more out of pocket.
- Health Canada said in a statement on Tuesday that about one percent of Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) members were not qualified for the program or were given the wrong co-payment amount.
It further said that the problem happened because some applicants’ earnings were miscalculated when their eligibility was being decided.
Health Canada estimates that some 27,000 active members were not eligible, and 43,000 more will have to pay a higher co-payment. Of the 70,000 people affected, 28,000 had already gotten dental care by October 3.
On October 17, the government began letting Canadians know about the changes to their CDCP coverage.
- People who are affected won’t have to pay back the difference in co-payments or any expenses paid by the CDCP for dental care they got before October 24.
- Health Canada told CDCP members who don’t have a My Service Canada Account (MSCA) to make one so they can get vital information about their coverage.
- The CDCP, which started in December 2023, helps uninsured Canadians who can’t afford dental care get it.
In July, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) spoke out about what it called holes in the national dental program. The group noted that there were problems with the scheme that were “making it harder for dentists to give patients timely and effective care.”
The CDA also warned that employer-sponsored dental plans could unintentionally be weakened since some firms might stop offering benefits to employees who would qualify for the CDCP. More than 5.5 million Canadians are now covered by the plan, and more than three million have already used it to get care. Recipients save an average of $800 a year because of the coverage.
