Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Bulk Billing available at Dental @ Niddrie Plaza

The Australian Government is assisting over 3 million children to improve their oral health via a new Government funded dental scheme – The Child Dental Benefits Schedule, which assists eligible children between the ages of 2 and 17 years of age.

Who is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule and how long does it last?

The Governments new Child Dental Benefits Schedule (C.D.B.S) scheme commenced on the 1st of January 2014 for all eligible families and is available to children between the ages of 2 and 17 years of age. If you are an eligible family, you should have received written notification from the Australian government in January 2014.

We will check eligibility before commencement of any treatment.

Children must be eligible for Medicare and the family must be in receipt of Tax Benefit Part A or receive one of the following Government payments.

  • ABSTUDY

  • Youth Allowance

  • Parenting Payment

  • Disability Support Pension

  • Special Benefit

  • Carer Payment

  • Double Orphan Pension

  • Veteran’s Children Education Scheme, if the child is 16 or over

  • Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme, if the child is 16 or over

The benefits can only be used by the eligible patient. This means that benefits cannot be shared amongst family members.

Patients will be eligible for the scheme throughout the entire calendar year. Even if your child is turning 2 or 18 throughout the year they will still be eligible that year, for the full year.

If for some reason your family stops receiving any government benefits, your child is still entitled to the Child Benefit Scheme, as long as you received government funding sometime throughout that year.

Benefits and coverage under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

Patients have $1000 to use on dental treatment over a two year period. The 2 year period commences at the start of the calendar year, not from the first appointment date.

  • Patients can use their full benefits within the first year if required; however, additional benefits will not be made available in the second year.

  • If you do not use the $1000 benefit within the first year it will roll over to your second year for future use.

  • If you do not use the $1000 in the 2 year time period, any remaining benefits cannot be carried over to the following year.

Dental services covered by the Child Dental Benefits Schedule include:

  • Dental check-ups

  • Teeth cleaning

  • X-rays

  • Fillings

  • Fissure seals

  • Extractions

  • Root canal treatment

  • Partial dentures

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Will all Dentists accept Child Dental Benefits Schedule patients?

At Dental @ Niddrie Plaza, we accept patients under the Child Benefits Schedule, however, not all dentists will or can see patients under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

Dentists or Dental Specialists in either the public or private dental sectors must hold general or specialist registration as a dentist with the Dental Board of Australia and have a Medicare provider number to be eligible to offer services to Child Dental Benefits Schedule patients.

The friendly reception team at Dental @ Niddrie Plaza can also check patient eligibility by contacting Department of Human Services for you and can check if your child has any remaining benefits balance at each appointment.

Can I use my private health insurance with Child Dental Benefits Schedule services?

Unfortunately, patients with private health insurance are unable to claim benefits from both their health fund and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule for the same treatment. However, you can still use private health insurance for other services not covered by Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

At Dental @ Niddrie Plaza, we can also check patient eligibility by contacting Department of Human Services for you and can check if your child has any remaining benefits balance at each appointment.