Is Your Child Eligible for the Dental Benefits?
As a parent, making sure your child is as healthy as possible is understandably one of your highest priorities.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) has been introduced by the federal government to make that task a little easier if you receive benefits such as Family Tax Benefit A payments. The CDBS helps you keep your kids’ teeth in great shape by providing you with up to $1000 that you can use over a two calendar year period on a range of dental services including examinations, routine cleaning, fillings, and root canals.
Your child is deemed eligible for the CDBS by Medicare, who administers the program, if:
- they’re within the applicable age range for at least some of that year
- they qualify for Medicare;
- and you receive either Family Tax Benefit Part A, Parenting payment or Double Orphan Pension payments for at least some of that year.
Your child can still access CDBS services throughout a particular calendar year regardless even if your circumstances change. Even so, it’s still worth confirming with Medicare that your child still qualifies for CDBS before phoning your dentist to book an appointment.
Keep in mind that not all dentists perform services under the CDBS; it’s best to check with your dentist if they do prior to booking in for treatment.