Application for Period 2 of Canada Dental Benefit is Open

Seeing a dental professional is important not only for oral health, but for overall health and wellbeing too. In Canada, a third of people do not have dental insurance, and many are unable to visit a dental health professional to get oral health services.

That’s why we are excited to announce that applications for period 2 of the interim Canada Dental Benefit are open as of July 1, 2023! During the first benefit period, the Canada Dental Benefit helped more than 315,000 children and we’re here to make it as easy as possible for families to get the financial support they need for dental care once again.

Here is information on who is eligible, how to apply, and how applicants can get ready now so that they can get their payments quickly once they apply.

Who is eligible and how much money can they receive?

To access the second benefit period, applicants must meet the all following criteria:

• They have a child or children under 12 as of July 1, 2023, and are currently receiving the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for that child;
• They have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000;
• Their child does not have access to private dental care coverage;
• They have filed their 2022 tax return; and
• They have or will have out of pocket expenses for their child’s dental care services incurred in Canada between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, for which the costs have not been fully covered under another dental program provided by any level of government.

The interim Canada Dental Benefit provides families with a maximum of two payments per child and a maximum of $1,300 over the two periods.

The interim Canada Dental Benefit can provide an additional payment for some children who have dental costs more than $650 in one of the benefit periods. They would only meet the criteria for the additional payment if they are not applying for both benefit periods for that child. If they are eligible, the payment would be the same amount they received for the benefit period they applied for.

In the second benefit period, applicants can apply for one or two payments for each eligible child depending on their situation.

If they received a payment for a child in the first benefit period: that child will only be eligible for one more payment. They may apply for one of the following for their eligible child:

• A payment for dental care received between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
• The additional payment for the first period if their dental costs were over $650 between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

If they did not receive a payment during the first benefit period: they could get up to two payments in the second period. If eligible, they could apply for both:

• A basic payment for their child’s dental care between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
• The additional payment for the second period if their child’s dental costs were, or will be, over $650 and they meet the criteria.

How to make the application process faster and easier:

Sign up for My Account: My Account is the quickest, easiest and most secure way to apply for the interim Canada Dental Benefit. It also allows users to view and manage all of their tax information in one place. They can register now using one of our convenient sign-in options.

Sign up for direct deposit: If your clients or members are signed up for direct deposit, they can receive their payment within 5 business days! They can sign up for direct deposit today in My Account or through many financial institutions.

Make sure personal information is up to date: To make it easier to apply when the time comes, individuals should make sure their personal information such as their address, banking, marital status, and child information are up to date. Users can quickly view and manage their personal information in My Account.

Filing 2022 tax return: In order to be eligible for period 2 of the Canada Dental Benefit, applicants will need to make sure they have filed their 2022 tax return. Filing taxes is easy with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (if eligible) or using NETFILE-certified software. They can also file online through a tax preparation service provider that is certified to use our EFILE service.

If you are unable to apply for this new benefit online, you can call us at 1-800-715-8836 to complete your application with an agent. Before calling, check the approximate wait times on Canada.ca and to validate your identity, make sure you have your SIN, address, date of birth, and a copy of your most recently assessed tax return.

Account security is our top priority!

The CRA continues to enhance the security of its digital services to further protect Canadians from fraudulent activity. When signing in or registering for My Account, your clients or members may notice security features such as multi-factor authentication and that they are required to provide an email address. These security enhancements will help them feel confident and safe using our digital services to view and manage their tax and benefit information.

Need More Information?

For more information on the interim Canada Dental Benefit, check the following resources:

• Who can apply – Canada Dental Benefit – Canada.ca
• How much you can get – Canada Dental Benefit – Canada.ca
• How to apply – Canada Dental Benefit – Canada.ca
• Return a payment – Canada Dental Benefit – Canada.ca
• Statistics – Canada Dental Benefit – Canada.ca