Dental coverage in the CAF is not uniform and can vary significantly. This complexity can catch many CAF members off guard, especially those transitioning between service classes or returning from extended leave. Each set of rules is specific, and plan numbers are crucial; missing even a single stamp on your claim form can lead to rejection.
To access the dental benefits you have earned, it’s essential to understand which rules apply to your situation. This guide explains all about this plan, such as who qualifies for coverage and which services are included in this government benefit.
What are the Canadian Forces Dental Services?
Canadian Forces Dental Services (CFDS) is the in-clinic dental care provided to CFDS delivers its services through military clinics located across Canada and abroad, ensuring that members maintain the dental health necessary for operational readiness.
This is not an insurance reimbursement plan, so you will not submit insurance claims for treatments received at CAF dental clinics. If you are a Primary Reserve member utilizing the Reserve Dental Care Plan (RDCP), acknowledge that RDCP is part of the Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP).
Notice that the organization operates under Queen’s Regulations and Orders 35.01 and is distinct from the new federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) for Canadians in general.
Where are CAF Dental Clinics Located?
Currently, CFDS consists of one Dental Unit, a small headquarters in Ottawa, and dental detachments across Canada and in Europe. Three of these detachments are designated specialist centers, staffed with periodontists, prosthodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and general dentists.
Here are the dental detachments located in each province and territory with a significant presence of the CAF:
- Alberta: Calgary, Cold Lake, Edmonton, Suffield, Wainwright
- British Columbia: Comox, Esquimalt (including Dockyard clinic), Vancouver
- Manitoba: Shilo, Winnipeg
- New Brunswick: Gagetown
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Gander, Goose Bay, St. John’s
- Northwest Territories: Yellowknife
- Nova Scotia: Greenwood, Halifax (including Shearwater Annex)
- Ontario: Borden, Kingston, North Bay, Ottawa (Montfort and NDHQ Carling), Petawawa, Toronto, Trenton
- Quebec: Bagotville, Montreal, St-Jean, Valcartier (including Citadelle de Québec)
- Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw
There are also locations available for members who are posted abroad:
- Casteau, Belgium: Canadian Clinic at SHAPE Healthcare Facility
- Geilenkirchen, Germany: Canadian Forces Health Services Group Detachment
Because each dental clinic has a unique after-hours emergency contact number, which varies by location and is available in the official clinic directory, always make sure to check the official directory for the emergency contact number specific to your location before you need it.
What does the Canadian Forces Dental Services Cover?
Unlike typical dental insurance, the Canadian Forces Dental Services offers a range of dental care, from urgent treatment to maintaining overall oral health, with care guided by specific criteria and evidence-based guidelines.
The coverage includes 9 primary categories of services that address nearly every dental need a member may encounter throughout their career.
Diagnostic Services
Diagnostic services include comprehensive exams, regular check-ups, emergency exams, and all types of X-rays. Effective January 1, 2025, under the PSDCP, coverage will explicitly include tomography (e.g., CBCT), anesthesia for oral surgery, and any eligible services where safety requires it due to a documented mental health condition or developmental disorder.
Additionally, coverage will include TMJ injections, appliances, and assessments. While older CAF DDCP booklets referenced tomography, the PSDCP notice will serve as the authoritative standard for 2025 across all components, including component 55777.
Furthermore, laboratory tests ordered by your dentist to diagnose oral conditions are included as well. There are no limits on how often you can get diagnostic services if they are medically necessary, but routine exams usually follow standard schedules.
Preventive Services
Preventive services covered include dental cleanings, polishing, fluoride treatments, space maintainers, sealants, oral hygiene instructions, and counselling. Members who require additional periodontal care may receive further treatment upon pre-approval.
Endodontic Services
The coverage includes procedures such as pulp capping, pulpotomy, root canal therapy for all tooth types, apicoectomy (surgical treatment at the root end), and retreatment of teeth that have previously received treatment, as necessary. The treating dentist will determine the medical necessity based on their clinical findings and prognosis.
Periodontal Services
Periodontal services focus on treating gum disease and the structures that support the teeth. Basic treatments, such as scaling and root planing, are covered within specified frequency limits. More advanced surgical procedures, such as gingivectomy, periodontal flap surgery, and bone grafting, are covered when there is proper documentation demonstrating medical necessity.
Starting January 1, 2025, anesthesia for oral surgery and other eligible services will be covered, particularly when a documented mental health condition or developmental disorder is present, to ensure patient or dental provider safety.
Prosthodontic Services
Coverage for prosthodontic services is divided into 2 categories:
- Minor prosthodontic services for removable dentures include repairs, adjustments, relining, and rebasing.
- Major prosthodontic coverage applies to complete and partial dentures, fixed bridges (including abutments and pontics), as well as repairs for fixed dentures and bridges.
The previous 12-month limit on replacing temporary prosthodontic appliances has been removed. Now, replacements are covered if they are necessary due to the installation of an initial opposing denture after coverage begins, or if they are required as a result of accidental dental injury to a natural tooth that occurs after the individual is covered under the plan.
Orthodontic Services
Orthodontic services covered include surgical procedures, observation, adjustments, fixed appliances, and removable appliances. If your treatment is expected to cost over $300 (including orthodontics), it is advisable to request a predetermination beforehand. Canada Life recommends submitting a treatment plan or estimate prior to starting any high-cost procedures. This will help you understand what is covered and what expenses you may need to pay out of pocket. Predeterminations are typically valid for 180 days from the request date.
Surgical Services
Surgical coverage includes simple extractions, surgical extractions (such as impacted wisdom teeth), biopsies, treatment of oral pathologies, and the management of dental trauma.
Urgent dental care refers to limited dental treatments aimed at relieving acute pain, addressing urgent oral conditions, and treating trauma to the oral cavity and surrounding facial structures. This includes repairs for broken teeth and fillings, as well as fixing broken dentures and other oral appliances.
Adjunctive General Services
Adjunctive services include unspecified emergency services and anesthesia. This category encompasses vital services that support other dental procedures, such as sedation, general anesthesia when medically necessary, and emergency care provided after hours.
Basic and Major Restorative Services
Restorative services are designed to repair teeth damaged by decay, fractures, or wear. Basic restorative procedures include fillings made from materials such as amalgam, silicate, acrylic, or composite. Replacement fillings will be covered only if the existing filling on the same tooth and surface is at least 24 months old.
Besides, metal and porcelain crowns are generally limited to one every 60 months, unless the dental provider documents medical necessity and Canada Life approves an exception.
Additionally, major restorative services include gold and porcelain restorations (such as inlays and onlays) and full-coverage crowns.
Who can join the Canadian Forces Dental Services?
The eligibility for dental care differs between the Regular Force and the Reserve Force:
Regular Force Eligibility
If you are a Regular Force member, you can receive dental services directly from Canadian Forces Dental Services clinics at no cost. There’s no need for you to file any claims; simply access care at your base dental clinic. However, you are responsible for costs related to:
- services that are not authorized,
- treatments that are considered controversial, not scientifically proven, not medically beneficial, or
- those that are provided solely for cosmetic reasons.
In addition, your dependents, which include your spouse and eligible children, may be covered under the Dependants Dental Care Plan (DDCP), policy number 55777, which is separate and voluntary.
Reserve Force Eligibility
Reserve eligibility is determined by two main factors: your class of service and your ability to meet the baseline requirements.
Firstly, to be eligible for the Reserve Dental Care Plan, you must complete 3 months of continuous service in either the Regular Force or the Reserve Force. This is a one-time requirement that remains valid throughout your career in the CAF.
Secondly, to maintain your eligibility, you must be “in good standing.” This status can be achieved by:
- Serving on Class B service, OR
- Attending at least one Class A parade each calendar month, OR
- Being granted Exempt Drill and Training (ED&T) status by your commanding officer, OR
- Being placed on the Primary Reserve List.
If you miss Class A parades for legitimate reasons, such as civilian work commitments or university exams, your Unit Orderly Room may still consider you to be in good standing.
Who cannot Participate in the Canadian Forces Dental Services?
Beyond that, four specific cases disqualify individuals from participating in the Canadian Forces Dental Services.
For the Reserve Dental Care Plan, members of the Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC), Supplementary Reserve, and Canadian Rangers (Cdn Rgr(S)) who are on Class A or short-term Class B service are not eligible.
Also, individuals who are employed under another dental plan are ineligible. If you are covered as a member or employee (not as a dependent) under another insurance plan, you cannot participate in the RDCP. However, if you are covered as a dependent under your spouse’s dental plan, you are still eligible for the RDCP.
Next, if you are covered as a dependent child under a parent’s plan that is part of the Public Service Dental Care Plan, you cannot participate in the RDCP simultaneously. You must choose one plan or the other, and coverage under a parent’s PSDCP must cease before you can become eligible for the RDCP.
Additionally, if you need to take a mandatory 35-day break, be aware that RDCP eligibility and claim routing may change during this period.
To verify your eligibility, please contact your Unit Orderly Room. They will review your current period of service message (note that Route Letters are not acceptable documentation) and will confirm your class, length of service, and eligibility status. If you have served with multiple units, the Orderly Room will check with your former units to find any previously assigned certificate numbers.
How to Submit a Claim in the CFDS for Reserve Members
Reserve members on Class A or short-term Class B service must submit paper claims through their Unit Orderly Room. This office will validate your eligibility and stamp the claim form before mailing it to Canada Life. Electronic submissions directly from a dentist’s office are not allowed for RDCP claims.
Canada Life serves as the Plan Administrator for the RDCP. If your claim form does not have the PRes Health Benefits Approval stamp, Canada Life will not process it and will return the form to you.
Step 1: Gather Required Information
Collect the following information:
- your full name,
- address (including postal code),
- Plan number, and
- Service Number.
For the Reserve Dental Care Plan (plan number 55999), use the RDCP certificate number, which your Unit Orderly Room can confirm. For the Dependants’ Dental Care Plan (plan number 55777), use the identifiers required for that component.
Do not assume that your Service Number can substitute for the RDCP certificate number. Both your dental provider and the plan administrator require the combination of the plan number and certificate number to process claims.
The member or eligible spouse must fill out the claimant section of the form. The dentist is responsible for completing their section. Incomplete claims will be returned.
Step 2: Submit to the Appropriate Channel
For RDCP (Class A / short-term Class B) claims, submit your completed claim to your Unit Orderly Room first. They will verify your eligibility, apply the necessary approval stamp, and then forward your claim to the plan administrator.
For PSDCP-style submissions (for plans or components that allow member submissions), follow the instructions provided in the PSDCP member booklet. Be sure to keep copies of all receipts and documents.
Step 3: Meet the Deadline
To be eligible for reimbursement from Canada Life, claims must be submitted within 15 months of the date the expenses were incurred.
For Canada Life, claims must also be received within 15 months of the service date. Claims submitted after this 15-month period will not be paid unless it was impossible to submit the claim on time. Additionally, except in cases of legal incapacity, claims submitted more than 24 months after the service was rendered will not be paid.
Specifically for orthodontic treatment, a claim must be received within 15 months of each monthly visit throughout the treatment period.
What Happens to CFDS After Service?
Your CFDS coverage will not continue automatically after retirement, for dental benefits in retirement are part of a voluntary, premium-based plan that requires you to enroll proactively. So, upon retirement, you have a specific timeframe in which you must join the Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan (PDSP) to ensure continuous coverage.
To avoid any gaps in coverage, you must submit your completed application form to the Government of Canada Pension Centre within 60 days of your pension’s effective date. If you meet this deadline, your PDSP coverage will begin on the same day your pension starts.
If you miss the 60-day window, you can still apply later, but your coverage will not be retroactive. Instead, it will commence on the first day of the second month after the Pension Centre receives your application, which means you will be without dental coverage during this interim period.
The Bottom Line
There are 6 key takeaways when discovering the Canadian Forces Dental Services:
- Regular Force members are covered from enrolment to release
- Reserve eligibility depends on the class of service
- Class B over 181 days: member gets direct care, dependants get RDCP
- Claims must go through the Orderly Room with the PRes stamp
- 15-month deadline to submit Reserve claims
- Coverage stops completely during mandatory 35-day breaks
Remember that all dental coverage through the CAF ends on your final day of service. To maintain coverage in retirement, you must proactively apply for the Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan within 60 days of your release.
FAQs about the Canadian Forces Dental Services
Do CAF members pay for their dental coverage?
No. Both your dental care at CF clinics and your dependents’ DDCP coverage are fully funded by the Treasury Board. You pay no premiums during active service unless you go on certain types of leave without pay.
How long do I have to serve before my family gets dental coverage?
Your spouse and children become eligible for DDCP coverage after you complete exactly three months of continuous Regular Force or Primary Reserve service. New dependants added after you pass this threshold are covered immediately without their own waiting period.
Is there a maximum the plan will pay each year?
Yes. For dependents of the CAF who are covered under the PSDCP (policy 55777), the annual maximum benefit is $3,000 per person for the 2025-2026 period. This amount will increase to $3,250 starting January 1, 2027. Additionally, the orthodontic lifetime maximum is set at $3,000 and will increase to $3,250 from 2027.
Reimbursement rates are as follows: preventive and basic services are generally covered at 90%, major restorative services at 65% (effective from January 1, 2025), and orthodontic services at 50%, with diagnostic services related to orthodontics covered at 90%. For any coverage starting on or after July 1, 50% of the annual maximum for that year applies.
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Disclaimer: This article provides general information about federal CAF/PSDCP-related dental programs. Eligibility and procedures may vary based on service class, specific component rules, and official updates. Before incurring any expenses, please verify your current status and routing requirements with your Unit Orderly Room, and consult the PSDCP member booklet or plan administrator for guidance.
