What does the CDCP cover?
Last reviewed November 7, 2026
The CDCP covers a wide range of oral health care: exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, root canals, gum treatment, crowns and other major restorations, complete and partial dentures, extractions and some sedation. Some services need Sun Life's approval first (preauthorization), and orthodontic services are not currently available.
Covered service categories
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic and preventive | Exams (complete, routine, specific and emergency), X-rays, cleaning (scaling), fluoride, sealants |
| Basic restorative | Permanent and temporary fillings, pain control for diseased teeth |
| Endodontic | Root canal treatment, pulpectomy, treatment of infection and pain |
| Periodontal | Cleaning below the gum line, treating abscesses, non-surgical gum disease care |
| Major restorative | Posts, post removal, crown repairs and more |
| Removable prosthodontics | Complete dentures (standard and temporary), partial dentures, repairs, relines and rebases |
| Oral surgery | Tooth and root removal, removal of cysts and tumours, drainage, treatment of a broken jaw |
| Anesthesia and sedation | Nitrous oxide and oral sedation |
Dentures are a big part of the plan. If you need them, a denturist who accepts the CDCP may be the most direct route.
Services that need preauthorization
For these, the clinic sends a request to Sun Life before treatment, and not every request is approved:
- Crowns, cores and posts for crowns
- Complete immediate dentures and overdentures, and partial dentures
- Root canal re-treatment
- Bonding for loose teeth and post-surgical evaluations
- Conscious sedation, deep sedation and general anesthesia
- Services beyond the plan's frequency limits
Ask your clinic whether your treatment plan needs preauthorization, and wait for the answer before going ahead.
What's not covered
Orthodontic services (such as braces) are not currently available under the CDCP. The full list of covered codes, limits and exclusions is in the CDCP Dental Benefits Guide and Sun Life's CDCP dental benefit grids. If you agree to a service the plan doesn't cover, you pay for it yourself.
Next: what you may pay, and the extra fees to ask about.
Source: What's covered under the CDCP, canada.ca (page dated 2026-08-27).