Like the first sip of coffee after brushing your teeth, Ottawa’s dental plan has left a sour taste in some Canadians' mouths.
Driving the news: A new report from the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) found that despite millions of Canadians enrolling in the national dental plan, many are struggling to afford their oral care or get claims approved.
In the current 2026-27 enrollment year, 4.7 million Canadians have signed up for the dental plan (down from 6.5 million last year), but just over 900,000 of those people have actually had a claim approved so far.
Among the patients who have received care, over a third are still facing financial barriers to pay for their dental treatment. Just 17% of dentists said that the majority of recommended care was actually covered for their patients.
Why it matters: The dental plan was championed by Ottawa as “free dental care” and, in terms of cost, is one of the largest social programs in Canadian history. While more people now have access to dental care, the design of the program still means that many are left with a hefty bill that they assumed the government was picking up.
Under the plan, dental coverage is income-tiered. If your household income is under $70,000 a year, 100% of the fees are covered. At an income of $70,000 - $90,000, the feds are only covering between 40% and 60% of the cost.
The plan also requires pre-approval for more complex procedures outside of routine cleanings. The report found that those claims are denied 50% of the time.
Our take: The “free dental care” plan seems like more of a messaging mistake than a failed policy. Despite the entire cost often not being covered, the share of Canadians without dental care coverage has dropped from 35% to 25%.—LA
