Switching from ODSP to the CDCP: Why It Helps, How It Works, and How to Do It
You do not give up ODSP to get the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Your income support continues exactly as before. Moving onto the CDCP simply means it becomes the primary payer for your dental care, which opens up more dentists and broader coverage, while your ODSP keeps working alongside it.
You do not lose your ODSP
Applying for the CDCP does not affect your ODSP income support. This is only about how your dental care is paid for, not your monthly support.
Why moving onto the CDCP helps
More dentists can say yes
Many offices do not accept ODSP at all, but far more accept the CDCP because it is better funded. The Ontario Dental Association notes a clinic receives about $32 per $100 of treatment under the provincial programs, compared with close to $86 under the CDCP.
Broader coverage, one plan
The CDCP covers a wide range of services for every age under a single plan, rather than splitting adults and children across different programs.
Your ODSP can still help
At clinics that coordinate benefits, ODSP can top up part of what the CDCP does not cover, up to the provincial schedule.
A few honest caveats
The CDCP is not always free. There is a co-payment if your adjusted family net income is over $70,000, and because the CDCP fee guide sits below the standard Ontario fee guide, a small difference can remain on some services. The CDCP also does not cover implants or cosmetic work. Where you also have ODSP and your clinic coordinates benefits, ODSP can absorb part of that gap.
How it works when you have both
Here is what happens once you are on both plans. The CDCP pays first, as the primary payer. At clinics that coordinate benefits, the office then bills ODSP as a second payer for part of what the CDCP did not cover, up to the provincial schedule. On those covered services, you cannot be charged the difference.
Frequency limits are not cumulative, so the two plans together do not give you more visits than either one allows. Not every office coordinates the two, so it is worth asking, and our Hamilton team does. For the full side-by-side, see our comparison of ODSP, Ontario Works and the CDCP.
What the CDCP covers and what it costs
The CDCP is for Canadian residents with no private dental insurance and an adjusted family net income under $90,000, who have filed their most recent tax return. It is open to all ages. What you pay depends on your income:
- Under $70,000: the CDCP covers eligible services in full, with no co-payment.
- $70,000 to $79,999: the CDCP covers 60%, and you pay the rest.
- $80,000 to $89,999: the CDCP covers 40%, and you pay the rest.
It covers everyday care such as exams, cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions and dentures, with some services needing pre-approval. Implants and cosmetic treatments are not covered. You can read more on our CDCP page, or see what ODSP dental covers for comparison.
How to move onto the CDCP
- File your most recent tax return. The CDCP confirms your income through the CRA, so your taxes need to be filed. Free tax clinics can help if you need it.
- Apply through Service Canada. Apply online, or by phone at 1-833-537-4342. Coverage runs on a benefit year and renews each year.
- Bring your details to us. Bring your CDCP and ODSP information, and we will verify your coverage and coordinate the two so you are not left with the paperwork.
Already have dentures on your mind, or want to see everyday coverage first? Read whether ODSP covers dentures. We are also accepting new ODSP patients in Hamilton.
On ODSP and want to move onto the CDCP?
We will help you understand your coverage, get set up on the CDCP, and coordinate it with your ODSP. You keep your ODSP the whole way through.
Moving from ODSP to the CDCP, frequently asked questions
Sources
- Government of Canada, Coordination of benefits between the CDCP and Ontario's provincial dental programs
- Government of Canada, Canadian Dental Care Plan – What is covered
- Ontario Dental Association, Canadian Dental Care Plan FAQ
