As of July 8, 2024, oral health care providers can now see patients registered for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), even if not officially registered themselves.
After months of feedback from disgruntled dental professionals, the federal government has implemented this change in the hope that more dental providers will take part in the plan and so patients can continue to visit their own dentist without struggling to find a dentist that is participating.
Dentists can now see patients on a claim-by-claim basis by billing Sun Life directly for the treatment completed for CDCP patients. Once a claim is approved, oral health care providers should be reimbursed within two days. Patients who attempt to make a claim to be reimbursed will be rejected; it must be the care provider.
Dental professionals must still agree to a set of terms and conditions when making a claim. Patients must also be aware that they still need to confirm whether their oral health care provider will participate in the CDCP program, as many may still choose not to even with this update. In many instances their may be a co-pay involved, and dentists can charge their patients the remainder of what will not be reimbursed through Sun Life.
