Reminder - Apply by June 30 for period two of the interim Canada Dental Benefit!

CRA SOURCE ARTICLE

The deadline to apply for the second and last benefit period of the interim Canada Dental Benefit (CDB) is fast approaching – apply by June 30! Don’t miss out on your opportunity to get up to $650 per child for dental care. To be eligible, your child must have received dental care between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

The information below will help guide you through some of the important questions that you might have when it comes to eligibility, how to apply, and how you can get your payments quickly.

Who is eligible and how much money can I receive?

The Canada Dental Benefit provides eligible families up-front, direct payments of up to $650 per year per eligible child for two years (totalling up to $1,300) for dental care services. The second benefit period is for children under 12 years old as of July 1, 2023, who receive dental care between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. In order to access the second benefit period, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• You have a child or children under 12 as of July 1, 2023;

• You have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000;

• Your child does not have access to private dental insurance;

• You incur out of pocket expenses for your child to receive dental care services between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the costs of which are not fully covered or reimbursed by another program provided by any level of government;

• You are currently receiving the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for that child; and

• You have filed your 2022 tax return.

How to Apply

You can apply for the Canada Dental Benefit either online or by phone.

If you apply online through your My Account and are signed up for direct deposit, you can get your payment within five to ten business days. You can apply through My Account until midnight on June 30, 2024.

If you decide to apply by phone, you can call us at 1-800-715-8836 to complete your application with an agent. You can even check the approximate wait times on Canada.ca. When you call, make sure you have your social insurance number, address and date of birth, and a copy of your most recently assessed tax return so agents can validate your identity. Please note that our phone lines are closed on Sunday, June 30, 2024 so the last day to apply by phone is June 29, 2024. 

How will I need to prove that I am eligible?

When applying for the second period of the CDB, parents or guardians of eligible children will need to provide:

• the name, address and telephone number of your child or children’s dental care professional;

• the name, address and telephone number of your employer and your spouse’s or common-law partner’s employer;

• the date (or expected date) of your child or children’s dental appointment.

You’ll also need to attest that:

• the child does not have access to private or employer-sponsored dental care coverage;

• the child has received, or will receive, dental care services between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

• you incurred out of pocket costs not fully covered by provincial or territorial dental programs

Parents and guardians must keep their dental receipts for six years in case the Canada Revenue Agency contacts them in the future to validate eligibility. If you do not reply or do not provide the requested information by the due date, you may have to repay and may not be able to apply for the second benefit period.  Applicants that are found to be ineligible for the benefit during the verification processes will be required to repay the benefit they received.

Introducing the new Canadian Dental Care Plan

The Canada Dental Benefit (CDB) will remain in place until June 30, 2024. Once the CDB ends, children will be eligible to transition to the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) assuming they meet the eligibility criteria.

Applications for children under 18 will open in June 2024. Find out when you can apply.

Additional Resources

For more information on eligibility requirements, how to apply, and payment amounts for the interim Canada Dental Benefit, visit canada.ca/canada-dental-benefit.