Dental care can be painful, both for your teeth and your wallet. But, the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a small glimmer of hope in helping make the cost of healthy teeth a little bit easier.

The Canada Dental Benefit was introduced to help lower dental costs for families that earn less than $90,000 per year. However, the application deadline is soon approaching, so families will need to file their application before June 30 if they want to reap the benefits.

This benefit doesn't apply to families if another government program covers their child's dental costs.

Parents and guardians will be eligible for the benefit if "they pay for dental care for a child under 12 years old who does not have access to a private dental insurance plan."

Under the CDCP, families will be able to receive a variable tax-free payment for each eligible child from the Canada Revenue Agency. Payments of $260, $390, or $650 are available, and families can apply for a maximum of two payments per child.

The applications open until June 30 will be for dental care received between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, and one additional payment if the parent or guardian meets the benefit criteria.

A range of oral healthcare services will be covered under the Canada Dental Benefit, including services like scaling (cleaning) and polishing, exams, x-rays, fillings, removable dentures, and root canal treatments.

So far, the plan has been rolled out for seniors over 70. However, people between the ages of 65 and 69 will be able to start applying for the benefit online in May 2024.

Check to see if you meet the eligibility criteria here.

With files from Isabelle Docto.