The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) was introduced by the government in January 2014. The aim is to improve children’s dental health by providing financial support to cover essential dental services for eligible children aged between 2 -17 years of age. This service includes the cost of essential preventative and restorative treatments up to a value of $1,095 per child over a two consecutive year period. Any funds remaining at the end of each two-year period will not be carried over.
The services covered by CDBS help prevent any dental diseases, or wherever possible, will restore teeth that have been damaged due to infection or trauma. Our 1300SMILES Dentists will work with you and your child to devise a suitable preventative dental treatment plan within the scope of the services covered.
Preventative treatments covered by CDBS include:
This service is means tested and requires families to be receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A or a relevant Government Payment and have a current Medicare card. The easiest way to find out if your child qualifies for the CDBS is to access your Medicare account, either online at my.gov.au or you can call the Medicare General Enquiries line on 132 011.
The next step is to contact your local1300SMILES Dentist and let us know your child qualifies. We can then schedule an appointment for your child to discuss suitable treatment options for them, based on their dental health. We will also discuss any associated costs of these services, and you will need to sign a consent form before we provide any treatment. All treatment provided under CDBS is bulk-billed, so you will not be out of pocket.
If you have questions about CDBS, contact us through Live Chat or please call us to talk to any of our friendly staff so we can answer all your queries.