CDCP Expansion Growing Pains On July 13, 2025, CBC published an article about how, as the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) expands to cover most uninsured Canadians, some oral health treatments are being bogged down by paperwork and processing delays. The CDCP has brought coverage to millions of uninsured Canadians who previously faced significant financial barriers to receiving dental care. This expansion represents a meaningful milestone in Canada’s oral health system. “This program is a landmark investment in oral health, but without urgent adjustments, it risks becoming a bottleneck rather than a gateway to care,” says Dr. Bruce Ward, CDA president. According to Health Canada, 52% of requests for preauthorized dental work between November 2024 and June 2025 have been rejected. More than 5 million people have been approved for coverage by the CDCP so far, but only about half (2.2 million) have received care. In 2023, CDA proposed a comprehensive blueprint to support a patient-first, outcome-driven CDCP. Although there’s been considerable progress, some operational features of the plan remain difficult to navigate for both providers and patients. Chief among these are delays in preauthorization for complex procedures. A survey by CDA and the provincial and territorial dental associations (PTDAs) in early 2025 found that dentists estimated that only 30% of preauthorization requests are currently approved, and 92% of dentists say these delays have directly discouraged patients from pursuing essential care. “There’s been a lot of confusion for dentists who send in what we would normally submit to a private plan, and it comes back rejected,” says Dr. Ward. “It’s a much higher rejection rate than private plans.” Although there’s been considerable progress, some operational features of the plan remain difficult to navigate for both providers and patients. Chief among these are delays in preauthorization for complex procedures. 9 Issue 4 | 2025 |
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