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Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Bulk Billed

Financial support for basic dental services for children aged 0–17 — Village Dental Kogarah is a Medicare bulk billing dentist for eligible children.

In short

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule gives eligible children aged 0–17 capped Medicare benefits for basic dental care — examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. Village Dental Kogarah is a Medicare bulk billing dentist for eligible children, so where treatment is covered by your child’s remaining CDBS balance there is nothing to claim back. Call us on (02) 9281 0007 and we will check your child’s eligibility and remaining balance before treatment starts.

Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Financial support for basic dental services for children aged 0–17. Everything on this page is the Department of Human Services’ own guidance — the parts that decide whether your child’s visit costs you anything.

If your family receives Family Tax Benefit Part A — or one of a number of other government payments — your child is likely to be eligible for capped dental benefits each calendar year, and we bulk bill them here.

Not sure whether your child qualifies? You can check in a minute with your Medicare online account, or call us on (02) 9281 0007 and we will check the balance with you when you book the appointment.

Who qualifies

Eligibility basics Free Kids Dental

  • 01children aged between 0–17 years on any one day of the calendar year
  • 02receive, or their family, guardian or carer receives, certain government benefits such as Family Tax Benefit Part A for at least part of the calendar year
  • 03are eligible for Medicare
A child in the dental chair for a check-up and fissure sealants

Eligibility for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Eligibility is assessed once a year and then lasts the whole calendar year — so a single qualifying day is enough to cover the next twelve months.

From January 2014, eligible families, teenagers and approved care organisations will receive a letter to confirm eligibility.

A child’s eligibility is assessed at the beginning of each year and lasts the whole calendar year. A child is eligible if they are aged 0–17 years for at least 1 day of the calendar year, are eligible for Medicare and are either part of a family receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A or one of the following Australian Government payments:

Eligibility is determined each calendar year.

Benefits available under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule

The benefit is capped, it rolls over once, and it covers everyday dentistry — not braces, not cosmetic work, and not treatment carried out in a hospital.

In 2014, benefits for basic dental services are capped at $1,095 per child over 2 consecutive calendar years.

If you do not use all of your $1,095 benefit in the first year of eligibility, you can use it in the second year if you are still eligible. Any remaining balance will not be carried forward at the end of the second year.

Benefits will cover a range of services including examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions.

Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work and cannot be paid for any services provided in a hospital.

Child Dental Benefits Schedule services will not count towards the Medicare Safety Net or the Extended Medicare Safety Net thresholds.

Process for using the Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Four steps from checking the balance to walking out of the appointment — and if your provider bulk bills, the last one takes care of itself.

Book your child’s appointment

Claiming benefits under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule

If your dental provider bulk bills, you do not need to submit a claim. If they do not, here are the four ways to claim the benefit back.

If your dental provider bulk bills, you do not need to submit a claim.

If your dental provider does not bulk bill, you will need to pay the account and claim your benefit from us.

Submit your claim

You can submit a claim:

  • electronically at the dental surgery, if your dental provider offers electronic claiming
  • by downloading the Medicare claim form and posting it to the Department of Human Services, GPO Box 9822 in your capital city, or placing it in the drop-box at one of our service centres
  • in person at your local Medicare Service Centre
  • by calling 132 011

You cannot claim a benefit under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule and from a private health insurer for the same dental service.

Check or update your details

Eligibility is based on details held by Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs — so if your circumstances change, update them there rather than with us.

Keeping your details current

Check or update your details for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Eligibility is based on details held by Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

If your circumstances change and you need to update your family details, you can do the following:

  • if you are a Centrelink customer – access your Centrelink online account at my.gov.au
  • if you are a Department of Veterans’ Affairs customer – call the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on 133 254

If you need to update your bank account details with Medicare, you can do this online by accessing Medicare services through your myGov account.

Further reading

Dental health initiatives

Find out more about the government’s dental initiatives, learn about the public dental services in your state or territory, and dental services for low income adults through the Department of Health’s website.

Bringing a child in for the first time? Our children’s dentistry page explains what a first visit looks like, and our check-up and clean offer covers the adults in the family at the same appointment.

At the appointment

Your child is seen by our own dentists

Bulk-billed children are treated by the same dentists who see every other patient at Village Dental — at Kogarah on Station Street, or at Haymarket in the Sydney CBD.

Before any treatment starts, the dentist will discuss your child’s treatment and any associated costs with you, and you will be asked to sign a consent form.

Adults in the family can be seen at the same appointment — our check-up and clean offer covers them with no gap on most health funds, and regular patients often join the Village Dental Membership Program instead. Directions to both practices are on our contact page.

Book a bulk-billed visit

Dr. Nermeen Khazan, one of the dentists caring for children at Village Dental Clinic Dr. Nermeen Khazan — one of the dentists who cares for children at Village Dental.

What parents ask us about the scheme

Who qualifies, how much the benefit is, what it will and will not pay for, and whether you can use it alongside a private health fund.

A child in the dental chair at a check-up appointment

Who is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

A child is eligible if they are aged 0–17 years for at least one day of the calendar year, are eligible for Medicare, and are part of a family receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A or one of a number of other Australian Government payments — including Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, Disability Support Pension, Parenting Payment, Special Benefit, Carer Payment and Double Orphan Pension.

How much is the benefit, and does it roll over?

In 2014, benefits for basic dental services are capped at $1,095 per child over 2 consecutive calendar years. If you do not use all of your $1,095 benefit in the first year of eligibility, you can use it in the second year if you are still eligible. Any remaining balance will not be carried forward at the end of the second year.

What treatment does it cover — and what does it not?

Benefits cover a range of services including examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions.

Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work and cannot be paid for any services provided in a hospital. Child Dental Benefits Schedule services also do not count towards the Medicare Safety Net or the Extended Medicare Safety Net thresholds.

How do I check my child’s balance?

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. We can also check it with you when you call (02) 9281 0007 to book.

Do I have to claim the benefit back?

Not with us. Village Dental bulk bills eligible children, and if your dental provider bulk bills you do not need to submit a claim. If a provider does not bulk bill, you pay the account and claim the benefit from Medicare — electronically at the surgery, by post using the Medicare claim form, in person at a Medicare Service Centre, or by calling 132 011.

Can I claim the CDBS and my private health fund for the same visit?

No. You cannot claim a benefit under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule and from a private health insurer for the same dental service. If you are weighing the two up, call (02) 9281 0007 before the appointment and we will work out which one leaves you better off.

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