Interim Federal Health Program
Refugee Dental Care in Scarborough (IFHP)
If your dental coverage comes through the IFHP, you're welcome here — we bill the program directly so covered care doesn't come out of your pocket.
Arriving in a new country is stressful enough without a toothache and a confusing bill. Midland Dental Center, at Midland and Eglinton in Scarborough, accepts the federal Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), which provides temporary dental coverage for refugees, protected persons, and certain other newcomers. Bring your IFHP coverage document, and our multilingual front desk handles the paperwork and billing so you can focus on getting the care you need.
New patients welcome — weekday and weekend availability.

What the IFHP is, in plain terms
The Interim Federal Health Program is a federal program that gives limited, temporary health coverage — including some dental care — to people who are not yet covered by a provincial or territorial health plan. It typically applies to resettled refugees, protected persons, refugee claimants, and a few other groups, and it is administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, with claims processed through Medavie Blue Cross.
The government, not a dental office, decides who is eligible and issues the coverage document that confirms it. Our role begins once you have that document: we can check what the program shows for the type of visit you need, explain in plain language what tends to be covered, and bill the program directly so covered treatment does not land on you as an upfront cost.
What IFHP dental coverage generally reaches
IFHP dental coverage focuses on essential, health-oriented care rather than cosmetic or elective work. Depending on your specific eligibility, it can reach services such as examinations, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and relief of pain and infection — the everyday and urgent care that keeps a mouth healthy and out of trouble.
As with any program, some treatments may need prior approval before they proceed, and certain complex or elective procedures may sit outside what the program covers. Because the exact details attach to your coverage document rather than to our files, we verify what we can before your visit and are always straightforward about anything that would fall outside the program.
Have questions about refugee dental (ifhp)? Talk to us — our team is happy to walk you through it.
Request AppointmentWhat IFHP dental coverage typically reaches
Coverage focuses on essential and urgent care rather than cosmetic work, and the exact items depend on your eligibility. In general terms, it can reach:
- Examinations and X-rays
- Cleanings
- Fillings
- Tooth extractions
- Relief of dental pain and infection
- Urgent care for a broken or damaged tooth
Your IFHP visit, from booking to billing
Bring your coverage document
Mention your IFHP coverage when you book and bring the document that confirms it. That single step lets our front desk start verifying your eligibility before you arrive.
Pre-visit verification
We check what the program shows for the visit you're booking and flag anything worth knowing in advance, so your appointment starts with clarity rather than uncertainty.
Care in your language
Our multilingual team can discuss your treatment in the language you're most comfortable with, so nothing about your care is lost in translation.
We bill the program directly
For covered treatment, our office bills the IFHP through its administrator wherever possible, so eligible care generally means no bill for you to sort out afterward.
Will there be anything to pay
For covered, eligible treatment billed directly to the program, the aim is that you pay nothing at the visit. Where a treatment falls outside IFHP coverage, we tell you before it happens — never after.
- Whether the recommended treatment falls within the program's covered categories
- Whether a particular service requires prior approval before it can proceed
- Any elective or cosmetic care you choose that sits outside the program
- Whether your IFHP coverage is active for the date of the visit
Before any treatment begins you receive a clear explanation of what your IFHP coverage is expected to handle and anything that would be outside it — the same no-surprises standard we apply to every patient.
Learn more about using your dental insurance or the Canadian Dental Care Plan.
Eligibility for the Interim Federal Health Program is set by the federal government, not by our office. The official Government of Canada page explains who's covered and how the program works — then bring your coverage document and we'll handle the rest.
Learn about IFHP coverageFrequently asked questions
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Learn moreReady to talk about refugee dental (ifhp)?
If your dental coverage comes through the IFHP, you're welcome here — we bill the program directly so covered care doesn't come out of your pocket.
