Health Canada says thousands of people mistakenly approved for dental coverage

Health Canada said Tuesday that thousands of people were mistakenly approved for coverage under the public dental insurance program.

A Health Canada news release said about 70,000 people were approved for coverage under the plan, but were later deemed ineligible or assessed for the wrong payment level.

Of those who were incorrectly assessed, about 28,000 actually received care under the plan.

“An error was recently discovered regarding income calculations for some applicants when their eligibility was being determined. A system fix has already been implemented to correct this error,” the statement said.

No repayment required

Those who received care will not have to repay amounts covered by the public insurance scheme, the statement said.

Health Canada is claiming that more than five million Canadians are covered under the plan, but only about three million have actually gained coverage.

The National Insurance Program subsidizes the cost of dental care for Canadian residents with a household net income of less than $90,000 if they do not have access to a private insurance plan.

This program helps pay for a wide variety of dental work, including cleanings, fillings and dentures. Health Canada says the average cost per patient is $800 per year covered.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan begins in May 2024 for seniors, then children and Canadians receiving the disability tax credit. In May 2025, it expands to all eligible Canadians.

The NDP resulted in a massive, billion-dollar public insurance program that supported the previous Trudeau Liberal minority government for two years in the House of Commons in exchange for major social programs like dental care.