Dental Care for Children

Dec 1, 2022

Nobody should have to choose between taking care of their kids’ teeth and putting food on the table. Amid economic uncertainty around the world, Canadians are feeling the rising cost of living. To help families pay the bills, the Government of Canada is putting more money back in the pockets of people who need it most, when they need it most.

We launched applications for the interim Canada Dental Benefit for children under 12 who do not have access to private dental insurance. Eligible families can apply starting today.

The Canada Dental Benefit will provide eligible parents and guardians with direct, tax-free payments of up to $650 per child, per year – to a maximum of $1,300 per child over the next two years – to help cover out-of-pocket dental care expenses for their children under 12. The Benefit is available to parents and guardians with an annual adjusted family net income under $90,000 who do not have access to private dental insurance. This Benefit is expected to help up to 500,000 Canadian children get the dental care they need and is the first step toward providing dental coverage for Canadian families who need it most.

Delivering dental care for children under 12 is a key part of the government’s plan to continue making life more affordable this year and building an economy that works for all Canadians. We also doubled the Goods and Services Tax Credit for six months, putting up to an additional $467 in the pockets of couples with two children for example, and we are delivering a top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit – a $500 tax-free payment – to an estimated 1.8 million Canadian renters who are struggling with the cost of housing.

We will continue to be there for people, make life more affordable, and deliver results for the middle class and people working hard to join it.