CDCP Renewal 2026–2027: Complete Guide

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost for the new benefit year

How CDCP renewal works: the annual cycle

The CDCP runs on a benefit year from July 1 to June 30. Each spring, the Government of Canada opens a renewal window — the 2025–2026 window ran from April 15 to June 1, 2026 — during which current members must log into My Service Canada Account (MSCA) and confirm they still meet eligibility requirements. The renewal process re-verifies two things: your adjusted family net income (from your most recently filed tax return) and whether you have gained access to private dental insurance since the previous year.

Where things stand right now (as of August 2026): the 2025–2026 renewal window is closed (it closed June 1, 2026, and that benefit year's coverage ended June 30, 2026). Applications for the current 2026–2027 benefit year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) remain open. The next renewal window, for the 2027–2028 benefit year, is expected to open in spring 2027 — the Government of Canada has not published an exact date yet, so treat any specific date you see elsewhere as unconfirmed.

Who can renew: the four requirements

To renew CDCP coverage, you must meet all four of the following at the time of renewal:

1. No access to private dental insurance. This includes employer group benefits, an individual plan, a professional or student organization plan, or pension plan coverage. You are considered to have access even if you opted out, do not use the plan, or have to pay a premium.
2. You and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) have filed your Canadian tax return for the previous year and received your Notice of Assessment.
3. Adjusted family net income under $90,000. This is your family net income (line 23600 of your return and your partner's, if applicable), minus any Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) or Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) income received, plus any UCCB and RDSP amounts repaid.
4. Canadian resident for tax purposes.

Exception for retirees

If you receive a pension, you may still qualify if you permanently opted out of pension dental insurance before December 11, 2023, and the pension rules do not allow you to opt back in.

Reading your T4 and T4A: the insurance-access box decoder

Before attesting that you have no access to dental insurance, check your tax slips. A common reason for CDCP removal is a mismatch between the member's attestation and the box codes on their employer or pension plan tax slips.

If your T4 or T4A shows a code of 2 through 5 and you no longer have dental coverage (for example, because you retired mid-year), you may be asked to submit documentation proving coverage ended. Contact Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342 to clarify your situation before completing your renewal attestation.

What you need to complete the renewal

Gather the following before starting the MSCA renewal flow:

• Social Insurance Number (SIN) for yourself and any dependants (if they have one)
• CDCP member ID (on your Sun Life member card or in previous MSCA correspondence)
• Most recent Notice of Assessment confirming adjusted family net income
• Current home and mailing address
• Any government dental coverage you receive (provincial programs, Indigenous health benefits)

How to renew: step by step

These are the steps to follow once the next renewal window opens (expected spring 2027 for the 2027–2028 benefit year). The 2025–2026 renewal window is closed as of this writing — see the section below if you missed it.

Online (recommended): Log into My Service Canada Account at canada.ca/my-service-canada-account. Select "Canadian Dental Care Plan" from the dashboard. Follow the prompts to confirm your eligibility, update your information, and submit.

By phone: Call Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342. Have your SIN, member ID, and NOA ready. In-person renewal is available at Service Canada Centres if online or phone renewal is not accessible.

What changes when you renew: co-pay tier shifts

Your co-payment level is not fixed. It is recalculated at each renewal based on your most recently filed tax return. If your adjusted family net income crossed a threshold — for example, if household income rose from under $70,000 to between $70,000 and $79,999 — your co-payment increases for the new benefit year.

Note: Even at 0% co-payment, you may owe money if your dentist charges above the CDCP Dental Benefit Grid fee for a procedure. See CDCP coverage details for more on balance billing.

Key 2026 updates: crown limits and fee grid

Coverage rules introduced for the 2025-2026 benefit year remain in effect for 2026-2027:

• Crown frequency limits: A maximum of 4 crowns per 10 years per member, and no more than 1 crown every 8 years on the same tooth.
• Mandatory preauthorization: Complex restorations exceeding frequency caps or costing above a threshold require pre-approval from Sun Life before the procedure is performed.
• Annual fee grid update: CDCP established fees are updated annually (the current CDCP Dental Benefit Grids are effective April 1, 2026). Your co-pay and any balance billing are calculated based on the fee in effect at the date of service, not the date of the estimate or preauthorization.

Missed the June 1, 2026 deadline?

The 2025–2026 renewal window closed June 1, 2026, and 2025–2026 coverage ended June 30, 2026. If you did not renew in time, here is what actually happened and what to do next, based only on confirmed Government of Canada information:

• Your CDCP coverage ended June 30, 2026. There is no grace period and no automatic extension.
• You cannot "renew" late. The renewal window itself is closed. Your path back into the CDCP is to submit a new application for the 2026–2027 benefit year. Applications for 2026–2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) are open and accepted year-round, unlike the annual renewal window.
• Expect a coverage gap. Any dental care you receive between June 30, 2026 and the date your new application is approved is not covered and will not be reimbursed retroactively — this is confirmed on canada.ca, not an estimate.
• A new application is not instant. Processing takes time, and your new approval letter will show a new benefit start date going forward from approval, not backdated to July 1.
• Do not wait for the 2027–2028 renewal window. That window (expected spring 2027, exact date not yet published) is for people who already have 2026–2027 coverage and need to renew it — it will not fix a coverage gap that started in mid-2026. If you missed the 2025–2026 renewal, apply as a new applicant now rather than waiting.

To minimize treatment disruption while your new application is processed, complete or schedule any planned dental work only after you have confirmation of active coverage — services received during a gap are not reimbursed.

After renewal: check your status

Log into MSCA or use the online status checker to confirm your renewal was processed. Your status will show "Under review," "Approved," or "Not eligible." You can also call 1-833-537-4342 or contact Sun Life at 1-888-888-8110.

Frequently asked questions

This page summarizes publicly available Government of Canada CDCP program information for research and planning purposes. Real Dental Costs is an independent data publisher not affiliated with the Government of Canada or Sun Life Financial. For official guidance, visit canada.ca/dental or call Service Canada at 1-833-537-4342.