Objective: The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) was introduced to provide dental insurance for low-income residents of Canada. The purpose of this study was to investigate CDCP awareness, support, alongside motivators to apply for the plan among a national sample of Canadian residents. Methods: Data from a national cross-sectional public opinion survey conducted before CDCP implementation, on behalf of Health Canada's Oral Health Branch, were analyzed. The survey included 2,250 participants from urban and rural/remote communities across Canada and assessed baseline awareness of the CDCP and barriers to dental care. Data were obtained from the Government of Canada Publications online archive. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were applied to evaluate associations among CDCP awareness, support, and motivators, with sociodemographic covariates. Statistical significance was set at p [≤] 0.05. Results: Overall, 42.7% of respondents had heard of the CDCP, with lower awareness among females, younger adults, those with lower education, those employed, and those never married. Female parents and younger adults were more likely to have searched for CDCP information, most commonly through news and media (53.0%). Overall, 81.5% supported the CDCP, with greater support among those without dental insurance, with university education, and those from Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Meanwhile, opposition was higher in the Prairie Provinces. Leading motivators for applying included the extent of coverage offered, prospect of a better dental health, and whether the enrollment process would be easy. Uninsured participants were significantly more likely to apply for the CDCP if they reported having a good understanding of the plan, lived close to an oral health professional, and had urgent dental needs. Conclusion: Despite low pre-implementation awareness, pre-implementation support for the CDCP was high. Results can serve as a national baseline of CDCP awareness and support to measure changes in the public's views of the CDCP, and its potential role in improving access to essential oral health care in Canada. Based on these observations, follow-up studies are essential to evaluate the program's reach, development and uptake following implementation.