The Kids’ Dental Benefit You Might Already Have

Plenty of Narellan families are entitled to help with their children’s dental care and never claim it, usually because no one explained it clearly. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is Medicare funding set aside for basic dental work for eligible children. If your child qualifies and we bulk-bill the covered treatment, you pay nothing. Here is how it works, in plain English.

What the CDBS actually is

Think of it as a pot of Medicare money for one child, set at up to $1,158, to spend on basic dental care across two calendar years. It is not paid to you as cash and it does not refill every visit. It is a balance your child draws down as they have treatment, until it runs out or the two years are up.

What is covered, and what is not

We will always tell you straight what sits inside the scheme and what does not.

Covered:

• Exams and x-rays
• Cleans and fissure sealants
• Fillings
• Root canals
• Extractions
• Partial dentures

Not covered:

• Braces and orthodontics
• Cosmetic treatment
• Anything done in hospital

If your child needs something outside the scheme, we will talk it through before we begin, with the cost on the table.

Using the balance your way

The $1,158 is one pool across two years, so you decide how to use it. A few examples:

• Spend $500 in the first year and keep $658 for the second
• Use the full amount in the first year if your child needs more done
• Take a lighter first year at $300 and leave $858 for later

Whatever is unused at the end of the first year carries into the second, as long as your child is still eligible.

Is your child eligible?

Your child is eligible if all three of these are true in the same year:

• They are aged 0 to 17
• They are on Medicare
• Your family receives a qualifying payment, such as Family Tax Benefit Part A

Eligibility is reassessed each year, so it is worth a quick check even if you have claimed before. You can confirm it yourself through Services Australia, or ask us and we will check for you.

No surprises at the front desk

This is the part we care about most. Before any treatment starts, we check your child’s remaining balance and tell you exactly what the scheme will cover. You pay nothing upfront and nothing out of pocket for bulk-billed services, up to that balance. If anything falls outside the scheme, you will hear it from us first, in plain English, with no pressure.

How to get started

Mention the CDBS when you book. We will confirm eligibility, check the balance, and find a time that suits. You can also see the balance yourself any time through Medicare or myGov, so you know where you stand before you walk in.

A couple of things families ask

Can we still use our private health cover?

Yes. For covered services you can use the CDBS instead of your health fund. Let us know at the visit and we will sort the rest.

What if we do not use it all in the first year?

The remainder rolls into the second year, provided your child stays eligible that year.

_{*Eligibility criteria apply and are set by Services Australia. Up to $1,158 per eligible child over two consecutive calendar years for basic dental services bulk-billed under the Australian Government Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Orthodontic, cosmetic, and hospital services are not covered.}