Seniors’ dental coverage · Ontario & Canada
Two dental programs for Ontario seniors — which one is yours?
The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP) and the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) are two different programs — one provincial, one federal — and it’s easy to mix them up. This guide lays out what each one covers, what it means if you’re considering dentures, and how to tell which applies to you.
Not sure which applies to you? Our team will help you sort it out before treatment begins.
OSDCP or CDCP?
The quick answer
- OSDCPOntario government · seniors 65+, low income · care at public health units & community clinics
- CDCPGovernment of Canada · income-based · we’re a participating provider
- For denturesBoth programs can help — the details differ, see the breakdown below
- Not sure?Our team helps you sort it out before treatment begins
Two programs, often confused
OSDCP vs. CDCP, side by side
One is run by the Government of Ontario, the other by the Government of Canada. Both can help with dental costs for eligible seniors, but the eligibility rules, what’s covered, and where you receive care are all different. Here’s the plain-language breakdown.
Ontario Seniors Dental Care ProgramProvincial
- Who it’s for: Ontario seniors aged 65 and older with a low income and no other dental benefits.
- What it covers: Routine dental care, and it can help with the cost of dentures — a client co-payment may apply for denture treatment.
- Where you’re seen: Public health units and participating community dental clinics — not private clinics like ours.
- Run by: The Government of Ontario.
Canadian Dental Care PlanFederal
- Who it’s for: Eligible Canadians of any age with a qualifying income and no access to private dental insurance.
- What it covers: Complete dentures, partial dentures, and denture relines and repairs for eligible patients, alongside other dental care.
- Where you’re seen: Participating providers, including denturists — like our clinic. We direct-bill CDCP where you’re eligible.
- How much it pays: Depends on income — under $70,000 reimburses 100% of eligible fees, $70,000–$79,999 reimburses 60%, and $80,000–$89,999 reimburses 40%.
Program details are current as of mid-2026 and can change. Always confirm current rules on the official OSDCP and CDCP pages before you apply.
What this means for your dentures
How each program applies if you need dentures
If you’re weighing new dentures, the program you qualify for changes both what’s covered and where you’d be seen. OSDCP can help toward the cost of dentures for eligible seniors, though a client co-payment may apply — and that care is delivered through public health units and participating community dental clinics. CDCP can cover a meaningful share of complete dentures, partial dentures, relines and repairs for eligible patients at a participating provider, including denturists. For a fuller look at what shapes your total price, see our denture cost guide.
Where we fit in. We’re a participating CDCP provider and direct-bill CDCP for eligible treatment. We are not where OSDCP care is delivered — OSDCP is provided through public health units and participating community dental clinics, not private clinics like ours. Not sure which applies to you? Our team will help you sort it out before treatment begins.
A common question
Can you qualify for both programs?
Some seniors may qualify for both OSDCP and CDCP. Which one applies to a specific treatment depends on each program’s own rules, and that can vary by situation — so we don’t try to guess it from a webpage. Our team helps sort out what applies to you before any treatment begins, so there are no surprises once you’re in the chair.
OSDCP & CDCP · Good to know
Common questions about OSDCP and CDCP
Have a different question about your coverage? Visit our full FAQ page, or call us and we’ll walk you through it.
What’s the difference between OSDCP and CDCP?
OSDCP (the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program) is a provincial program for seniors 65 and older with a low income and no other dental benefits. CDCP (the Canadian Dental Care Plan) is a federal program open to eligible Canadians based on income, with no access to private dental insurance. They’re run by different governments, have different eligibility rules, and — importantly for choosing a clinic — different places where you receive care. Our team can help you work out which one applies to you.
Does the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP) cover dentures?
OSDCP can help with the cost of dentures for eligible seniors, though a client co-payment may apply for denture treatment. OSDCP care is delivered through public health units and participating community dental clinics, not through private clinics like ours. For current income limits and how to apply, see the official Ontario government page.
Does the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) cover dentures?
Yes. CDCP can help cover complete dentures, partial dentures, and denture relines and repairs for eligible patients. How much it pays depends on income: under $70,000 reimburses 100% of eligible fees, $70,000–$79,999 reimburses 60%, and $80,000–$89,999 reimburses 40%. We’re a participating CDCP provider and direct-bill CDCP where you’re eligible.
Does Smile Denture accept OSDCP?
We’re a participating CDCP provider and direct-bill CDCP for eligible treatment, but we are not where OSDCP care is delivered. OSDCP care is provided through public health units and participating community dental clinics, not private clinics like ours. Not sure which applies to you? Our team will help you sort it out before treatment begins.
Can I qualify for both OSDCP and CDCP?
Some seniors may qualify for both programs. Which one applies to a specific treatment depends on each program’s own rules, and that can vary by situation. Our team helps sort out what applies to you before any treatment begins, so there are no surprises.
Let’s find out what applies to you
Book a consultation with a licensed denturist, and our team will help you sort out whether OSDCP, CDCP, or both apply to your treatment — before anything begins.