Sun Life CEO optimistic on Canadian dental plan potential

Sun Life Financial Inc.'s chief executive says the potential upside of operating the new Canadian dental care plan outweighs the risks.

Kevin Strain says the insurer has the scale to deliver on the program that the government says is the largest coverage rollout in the history of Canada.

The federal government announced in early December that it had awarded a contract worth roughly $747 million to Sun Life to help administer the program over five years with potential to extend it another five.

The dental contract comes as Sun Life has been working to push further into the health side of group benefits and client coverage.