Child Dental Benefits Schedule
Setting up children with healthy oral hygiene habits and ensuring they go to regular check-ups throughout their childhood is key to maintaining good oral health in the future.
Child Dental Benefits Schedule
Setting up children with healthy oral hygiene habits and ensuring they go to regular check-ups throughout their childhood is key to maintaining good oral health in the future.
What is Child Dental Benefits Schedule?
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a government-funded system that provides eligible children with financial assistance (capped at $1,158) for basic dental services over the space of two consecutive calendar years.
We’re here to help your kids, with kindness, patience, and friendly faces that can help explain what’s going on in a way they can understand.
To be eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, your child must:
- Be aged between 2-17 years
- Be eligible for Medicare
- Receive, or be part of a family receiving, certain Australian Government payments.
You can claim up to $1,158 for each child over 2 consecutive calendar years. You can use the full amount in the first year however this will leave no funds for the second year. If you don't use the full $1,158 in the first year, you can use it in the second year but only if your child remains eligible.
The two-year period starts at the beginning of the calendar year in which your child both:
- Becomes eligible
- Gets their first dental service
If you don't use the full amount within the two calendar years, you can't use the remaining funds. You'll have to wait for a new two-year cover period to start. You also won't be able to use any remaining funds once your child is no longer eligible.
What is covered with CDBS?
What is covered with CDBS?
Services that receive a benefit under the CDBS include (some services have claiming restrictions):
Regular check-up (including scale, clean and polish)
X-rays (radiography)
Dental fillings
Tooth extractions
Root canal treatment
Please note that benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work, and cannot be used to pay for any services provided in a hospital.
Eligibility is assessed by the Department of Human Services each calendar year and vouchers are sent to eligible families. You can confirm your child’s eligibility and balance amount by accessing your Medicare online account at my.gov.au or by calling the Medicare general enquiries line on 132 011. You can quickly check your child’s eligibility for CDBS.
Disclaimer: Please note we cannot offer child dental benefits appointments from 4:00pm on Saturday and Sunday (all day) If an appointment is booked online during these times we will contact you to reschedule.
Please note we only offer bulk-billing of CDBS through our Oral Health Therapy team.
We look forward to helping your children grow up smiling by providing the oral healthcare they need.
We understand that it may be scary to visit the dentist or it may have been some time. We don’t judge. We are here to provide an expert helping hand to get you back in good health, as you only get one set of teeth, so let's keep you smiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Children who do not qualify for the CDBS can still access complimentary public dental care if they fall into one of the following categories:
- Children aged 0–3 whose parents hold a valid Centrelink, Healthcare, or Pension Card
- Children aged 4 through to students in year 10
- Students in years 11 or 12 with a valid Centrelink, Healthcare, or Pension Card
Your child is eligible for CDBS if the following conditions are met: they qualify for Medicare, they are between 0 and 17 years old for at least one day in the calendar year, and either you or they receive an eligible payment at least once during that calendar year.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a government-supported program that offers financial aid for qualified children (up to a limit of $1,158) over two consecutive calendar years.