Why do I need to file taxes for the CDCP?

The CDCP checks your income using your tax return — your adjusted family net income, calculated from last year's processed returns. You and your spouse or partner must both have filed and had your returns processed by the CRA before you can apply or renew. No processed tax return means no way to confirm your income, so your application waits — and skipping a year of filing can cost you your dental coverage.

CDCP and Your Taxes: Why Filing Decides Your Dental Coverage (2026)

Your tax return is your income proof

The CDCP doesn't ask for pay stubs or bank statements. For the income test, it checks one number: your adjusted family net income, calculated from the tax returns the CRA processed for you (and your spouse or common-law partner) for the previous year. Your notice of assessment is your proof that a return was processed. (Filing is one of several requirements — you also need to live in Canada for tax purposes, have no access to private dental insurance, and an income under $90,000; see the full eligibility rules.)

This means the CRA and Service Canada work as a chain: you file → the CRA processes your return → Service Canada reads the income → your CDCP eligibility is confirmed. If any link is missing, your application or renewal simply waits.

The most common delay in CDCP applications

When an application sits at "in progress" for weeks, the usual reason is a tax return that isn't processed yet — often the spouse's. Both partners' returns must be processed, even if one had no income. If you've been waiting a long time, check that both returns were filed and assessed before calling Service Canada. (Here's how to check your application status.)

File every year — or lose your coverage

CDCP coverage is re-checked every year using your newest tax return. To renew your coverage each spring, you and your partner need to have filed for the year that just ended. File by the normal April 30 deadline and your renewal can go smoothly; file late and you risk missing the renewal window — and care you get during a coverage gap is never paid back.

Three simple rules

File even with zero income. No income doesn't mean no filing — the CDCP needs a processed return for both partners, whatever the amount.
File by April 30, every year. (If you or your partner are self-employed, your filing deadline is June 15, but any balance is still due April 30.) Your taxes now decide your dental coverage, not just your refund.
Keep your address current with the CRA and in My Service Canada Account, so letters about your coverage reach you.

What income level gets you covered?

Coverage depends on where your adjusted family net income falls — full coverage, or a co-payment band. See the current income thresholds, or check in one minute with our free eligibility tool.