Is Canada Life Dental Insurance Best In 2024? Review

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Sunny Yadav updated on 25 September 2023

Maintaining good dental health can be a challenging battle without dental insurance. From routine check-ups to unexpected dental procedures, the costs can add up quickly. This is where Canada Life Dental Insurance comes to the rescue.

They offer a variety of dental insurance plans designed for both individuals and families, each with its range of coverage, premiums, and deductibles. But is it the best option for you?

Let's dive into all aspects of Canada Life dental insurance, including its coverage options, pros, cons, and premiums. You can also use our HelloSafe comparator to compare various providers, receive personalized dental insurance quotes, and select a plan that suits you best.

Canada Life Dental Insurance: 5 Key Takeaways

  1. Canada Life health and dental insurance covers a wide range of services, from routine check-ups to orthodontics.
  2. With options like Select, Select Plus, and Select Elite, individuals and families can find a plan that suits their needs.
  3. Some plans may have high deductibles and coverage for specific dental procedures may vary.
  4. The cost of Canada Life plans varies based on the plan type and coverage.
  5. Applying for Canada Life health and dental Insurance is a breeze, taking just 15 minutes.

Our 2024 review of Canada Life dental insurance: Comprehensive coverage for all

Canada Life provides health insurance plans catering to individuals and families, offering coverage for various dental services, including routine cleanings and orthodontics. With options like Select, Select Plus, and Select Elite, it accommodates those with or without existing coverage.

Some plans have high deductibles and coverage for specific dental procedures may vary. The application process is hassle-free, with no medical exams required, making it a convenient choice for dental insurance.

The cost varies based on the plan type and coverage level. It's ideal for those seeking comprehensive dental coverage. However, it may not be the best fit for individuals looking for basic, budget-friendly dental plans, as some Canada Life options come with high deductibles.

If you want to compare how Canada Life health and dental insurance fares in comparison to other companies, you can do it right here using our comparator below. You can compare plans and get free personalized quotes in seconds.

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Here are its pros and cons to give you a better understanding.

Pros of Canada Life dental insurance

  • Get up to $250,000 in prescription drug coverage
  • No termination age
  • Apply in less than 15 minutes
  • No medical exam needed

Cons of Canada Life Dental Insurance

  • Some plans have high deductibles
  • Coverage may not be available for all dental procedures
  • No stand-alone dental plans

Good to know

Remember that you must have your provincial health coverage like Ontario Health Insurance Plan or MSP in BC or AHCIP in Alberta or other public coverage to be eligible for a private plan.

How much does Canada Life dental insurance cost?

Canada Life doesn't offer standalone dental insurance but varying degrees of dental coverage under health insurance plans. For a 27-year old, male, living in British Columbia, here is what the cost of Canada Life’s health and dental plans would look like:

  • Select Plus: Up to $118 per month
  • Select Elite: Up to 160 per month
  • Guaranteed Elite: Up to $200 per month
Coverage TypeSelect PlusSelect EliteGuaranteed Elite
Routine dental: Oral examinations, emergency examinations, fluoride treatments, denture maintenance, and oral surgery
80% coverage up to $750 per person each calendar year80% coverage up to $1,000 per person each calendar year85% coverage up to $2,000 per person each calendar year
Prescription drugs
80% coverage up to $10,000 per person each calendar year90% coverage on first $10,000 per person each calendar year
100% for the next $240,000
$250,000 maximum per person each calendar year
90% coverage up to $2,400 per person each calendar year
Paramedical services, including chiropractor, physiotherapist, psychologist, massage therapist
100% coverage up to $40 per visit; maximum of $400 per practitioner each calendar year 100% coverage up to $50 per visit; maximum of $500 per practitioner each calendar year 100% coverage up to $400 per person, per practitioner, each calendar year
Eye exams
100% coverage for one eye exam up to $75 every 2 years 100% coverage for one eye exam up to $75 every 2 years 90% coverage for one eye exam every 2 years
Canada Life dental insurance cost

The Select Plus, Select Elite and Guaranteed Elite plans also offer:

  • 50% coverage for major dental services (crowns and onlays, dentures, denture-related surgery, appliance maintenance, and more), up to a maximum of $750 per person per calendar year
  • 100% coverage for preventive care, including checkups, cleanings, and X-rays (Many of these services are uncovered by your provincial health care plan like OHIP coverage or AHCIP)
  • For orthodontics, the Select Plus, Select Elite, and Guaranteed Elite cover 50%, up to a maximum of $2500, $3,500, and $3500 per person respectively.

What are the Canada Life dental insurance coverage options?

Canada Life doesn't offer standalone dental insurance plans, but dental coverage under the health plans. However, there's an exception: Canada Life offers dental plans for employees — this plan is usually offered by an employer.

  1. Freedom to Choose Health and Dental Insurance: Canada Life Health and Dental Insurance.
  2. Dental insurance for your employees: Dental-only plans.

Canada Life’s Freedom to Choose plan also gives you access to prescription drug coverage of up to $250,000, ensuring comprehensive pharmaceutical support. You also get the benefit of never outgrowing your coverage with no termination age restrictions. You can also:

  • Apply in under 15 minutes, without a medical examination
  • Customize coverage with travel medical insurance or extensive dental coverage
  • Consult paramedical specialists without a doctor's referral
  • Unlock exclusive Preferred Perks, including a 20% discount on regular-priced items at Rexall*

Freedom to Choose™ health and dental insurance coverage

Freedom to Choose has 3 types: Select, Select Plus, and Select Elite. These plans are ideal for someone who has coverage or lost it within 60 days. Here’s what they cover:

CoverageSelectSelect PlusSelect Elite
Dental – routine services
70% coverage up to $350 per person each calendar year80% coverage up to $750 per person each calendar year Option 1: without dental
Option 2: with dental, 80% coverage up to $1000 per person each calendar year
Eyeglasses, contact lenses, and laser eye surgery
100% coverage up to $150 per person every 2 years 100% coverage up to $200 per person every 2 years 100% coverage up to $250 per person every 2 years
Paramedical services, including physiotherapy, speech therapy and psychology
100% coverage up to $30 per visit; maximum of $300 per practitioner each calendar year 100% coverage up to $40 per visit; maximum of $400 per practitioner each calendar year 100% coverage up to $50 per visit; maximum of $500 per practitioner each calendar year
Prescription drugs
70% coverage up to $500 per person each calendar year80% coverage up to $10,000 per person each calendar year90% coverage on first $10,000 per person each calendar year 100% for the next
$240,000 $250,000 maximum per person each calendar year
Canada Life dental insurance coverage plans for people with coverage

Canada Life Dental Insurance Additional coverage

Routine dental services encompass oral examinations, emergency examinations, fluoride treatments, denture maintenance, and oral surgery. If you require additional coverage, you have the option to enhance your plan.

For Select and Select Plus plans, you can opt for major dental coverage, which aids in covering non-routine dental expenses, including bridges, crowns, and dentures.

The Select Complete plan already includes major dental coverage, so adding it as extra coverage is not required. But just in case you take add-ons with other plans like Guaranteed Plus, here's what you will get:

  • Crowns and Onlays: Covers various crowns and onlays, including metal, plastic, porcelain, and ceramic variations, and related components such as posts, cores, pins, and copings. Coverage for crowns on molars is limited to the cost of metal crowns.
  • Dentures: Covers dentures, and overdentures, when necessary to replace one or more extracted teeth.
  • Denture-Related Surgery: Covers denture-related surgical services, including remodeling, excisions, removal, reduction or augmentation of the alveolar bone, remodeling of the flooring of the mouth, vestibulopathy, reconstruction of the alveolar ridge, extensions of mucous folds, and related surgical grafts.
  • Appliance Maintenance: Includes one denture remake every three years, one denture adjustment per year, denture repairs and additions, tissue conditioning, and resetting of denture teeth.

Canada Life Guaranteed plans coverage

Coverage TypeGuaranteedGuaranteed PlusGuaranteed Elite
Dental – Routine Services
No Coverage80% Coverage, up to $1,000/year85% Coverage, up to $2,000/year
Eye Glasses, Contact Lenses, and Laser Eye Surgery
No Coverage100% Coverage, up to $200 every 2 years90% Coverage, up to $275 every 2 years
Eye Exam
90% Coverage, up to $75 every 2 years100% Coverage, one exam every 2 years90% Coverage, one exam every 2 years
Prescription Drugs (with drug card)
80% Coverage, up to $1,000/year85% Coverage, up to $1,500/year90% Coverage, up to $2,400/year
Paramedical Services (e.g., psychologists, physiotherapists, massage therapists)
90% Coverage, up to $300/person/practitioner/year100% Coverage, up to $350/person/practitioner/year100% Coverage, up to $400/person/practitioner/year
Canada Life dental insurance coverage plans for people without coverage

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What does Canada Life Dental insurance for employees cover?

We have already discussed Canada Life’s Freedom to Choose plan and its coverage. Let’s now take a look at what the dental insurance for your employees covers.

As the employer providing the plan, you have the flexibility to define the extent of dental cost coverage. You can either designate the percentage of dental expenses covered or establish a fixed annual coverage amount for the following categories:

  • Basic coverage: Continual maintenance, examinations, radiographs, X-rays, and diagnostic tests.
  • Major coverage: Procedures such as crowns, onlays, dentures, and bridgework.
  • Orthodontic coverage: Services like orthodontic examinations, X-rays, radiographs, impressions, braces, and retainers, many of which aren't covered by your provincial healthcare like OHIP, AHCIP or MSP in BC, etc.

Good to know

Canada Life offers dental insurance plans, including options tailored for public service employees in Canada. The Canada Life Dental Insurance public service plans typically cover a range of dental services, from preventive care to basic and sometimes major restorative treatments. The Public Service Dental Care Plan is administered by The Canada Life Assurance Company on behalf of the Government of Canada.

How to get Canada Life dental insurance?

Canada Life’s online application is designed for swift completion, but accuracy is paramount. To ensure a seamless experience, you will need the following information:

  • A list of all prescription medications used by both yourself and any individuals you're applying for.
  • Comprehensive medical details for all applicants, including dates of diagnosis or recovery.
  • Consent from each person you are applying for, allows Canada Life to access the above-mentioned medical information.

Also, have your banking information ready for efficient billing and direct deposit to your account.

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How to contact Canada Life Dental Insurance?

Upon submitting your application, you can expect to receive a confirmation email indicating that Canada Life has received your submission. If you do not receive this confirmation within two hours, you can call the Canada Life dental insurance contact at 1-833-750-2788. Use the same Canada Life Dental Insurance phone number to contact them for all types of queries.

For Claims: To reach the Canada Life Insurance mailing address dental claims department, you can do so online using your Canada Life login. You will be directed to a claim form that you will have to fill up and send to the Canada Life Dental Insurance mailing address: Winnipeg Benefits Payments, PO Box 3050 Station Main, Winnipeg MB R3C 0E6.

Meanwhile, once you sign up for a policy, the following steps will be in progress:

  • Canada Life will initiate the processing of your application, a procedure typically completed within 48 to 72 hours.
  • Should any queries arise during this process, a member of their team will get in touch with you for clarification.
  • Once your application for coverage is approved, you will receive all the necessary information to commence utilizing your health and dental benefits.
  • This information will be sent to you according to your specified preference, either via email or through traditional mail.
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Sunny Yadav Copywriter
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Sunny has over six years of experience curating engaging content spanning across industries. Specifically in finance, his expertise is insurance reviews and lending and investment topics.