The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is an Australian Government initiative administered through Services Australia that provides financial support for basic children’s dental services.
Key Features of the CDBS:
- Benefit Amount: Eligible children receive up to $1,132 (indexed over time) in benefits capped across 2 consecutive calendar years.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Aged 0 to 17 years for at least one day of the calendar year.
- Eligible for Medicare.
- The child or parent/carer receives an eligible government payment (such as Family Tax Benefit Part A, Parenting Payment, or Youth Allowance) at least once during the year.
- Covered Services: Basic dental care including check-ups, X-rays, cleans, fissure sealants, fillings, root canals, and extractions. (Note: CDBS does not cover orthodontic or cosmetic work).
- Bulk Billing Option: Eligible services can often be bulk billed with no out-of-pocket costs up to your child’s benefit cap.