July 28, 2025 - The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) supports and is dedicated to advancing access to oral health care for all people living in Canada. The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) has introduced a subsidy to millions of uninsured individuals who previously faced financial barriers to receiving dental care.
As the CDCP expands to serve millions more patients, the CDA is increasingly concerned about persistent gaps with the CDCP that are compromising the ability of dentists to provide timely and effective care to patients. We urge the federal government to continue to work closely with the dental profession to address these issues and meet our mutual objective of delivering quality oral health care to all patients who need it:
- Unintended erosion of employer-sponsored dental plans: Two-thirds of Canada’s population currently have private benefit plans. Without safeguards, the CDCP could unintentionally create a scenario where employers drop dental benefits for employees who would qualify for the CDCP. This could result in millions of additional individuals becoming dependent on the CDCP, placing added pressure on the federal program resources and diminishing care quality for all.
- High rates of denials for complex treatments: According to Health Canada, 52% of pre-authorization requests were denied between November 2024 and June 2025. Nearly 70% of dentists rate the pre-authorization experience as negative. The absence of a clear rationale for denials, coupled with system errors and unknown clinical criteria, makes it difficult for dentists to determine what patient services and treatment will be approved.
- Delays impacting patient care: Pre-authorization requests often take weeks or even months to process, resulting in long wait times for needed care. A recent CDA survey found that 92% of dental offices report that delays have discouraged patients from proceeding with necessary treatment.
- Patient confusion and misinformation: Many patients mistakenly believe all treatment is fully covered, leading to frustration when out-of-pocket costs arise. Dental office staff are often caught in the middle. On average, office teams are spending 32 minutes each day explaining the CDCP to patients—time taken away from clinical care. More than half (55%) of practices report administrative issues with the CDCP.
- Health Human Resources: dental offices across Canada are experiencing worsening workforce challenges, especially in underserved communities.
To continue building on the success of the CDCP, the path forward must include action. We continue to urge the federal government to:
- Streamline the pre-authorization process, with clearer criteria and reasons why patients are denied treatment, faster turnaround times, and fixes to system errors.
- Improve public communication so that patients understand not all services and treatment are covered and that the CDCP does not provide free dental care. This will help reduce confusion and frustration for patients.
- Protect access to existing employer-sponsored dental benefits by ensuring the program complements—not displaces—private dental coverage.
Every patient deserves access to essential dental care. The CDCP is a historic and meaningful investment in oral healthcare and to ensure its success, the program must be sustainable in the long-term. We are committed to working with the federal government to help address gaps and improve the CDCP so that it has a meaningful impact on the oral and overall health of patients.
About the Canadian Dental Association
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is a trusted national voice for dentists and leader working to improve the oral health of all people living in Canada. We promote oral health, support our members, and advance the dental profession. Founded in 1902, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) is an association that has no regulatory role. It is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization whose corporate members are Canada’s provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs). CDA represents over 21,000 practising dentists nationwide and is a trusted brand and source of information for and about the dental profession on national and international issues.
Media Contact:
Jeff D’Andrea
Media Relations Specialist
Spécialiste des relations avec les médias
Canadian Dental Association
613-523-7963
media@cda-adc.ca
