Medicare for kids’ teeth · Services Australia + Department of Health
Child Dental Benefits Schedule: $1,095 per child, every 2 years
The CDBS is the only meaningful "Medicare for dental" available in Australia today. Eligible kids (aged 0 – 17, in a family receiving FTB-A or equivalent) get up to $1,095 of basic dental work bulk-billed at participating dentists across a 2-year benefit period. Routine work only – orthodontics, cosmetic items + general-anaesthetic theatre fees are excluded. This page is sourced from Services Australia + the Department of Health and is reviewed each indexation cycle.
Per child cap
$1,095
across 2 calendar years
Age range
0 – 17
eligible birthdays in the period
Out-of-pocket
$0
at bulk-billing participating clinics
★Key takeaways
- ✓Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS): up to $1,095 per eligible child across a 2 calendar-year benefit period in 2026.
- ✓Eligibility is means-tested. The child or a parent/carer must receive a qualifying payment (Family Tax Benefit Part A is the most common) at least once in the relevant year.
- ✓Covered: check-ups, X-rays, cleans, fluoride, sealants, fillings, extractions, pulpotomy on baby teeth, custom mouthguards.
- ✓Not covered: orthodontics (braces, Invisalign), cosmetic items, general-anaesthetic theatre fees, implants + bridges.
- ✓Bulk-billed at participating dentists – the family pays nothing up-front. ~80pct of AHPRA-registered general dentists participate.
- ✓Always cross-check the current cap + eligibility rules on Services Australia at servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-dental-benefits-schedule.
Eligibility
Who qualifies in 2026
Services Australia automatically assesses CDBS eligibility – families do not need to apply separately. To qualify in a given calendar year, all three of the following must be true.
1. Age
The child is aged 0 – 17 at any time during the calendar year. A child becomes ineligible from the start of the calendar year after their 18th birthday.
2. Medicare
The child is eligible for Medicare (an Australian citizen, permanent resident or covered by a reciprocal arrangement). Has their own Medicare card or is on a family card.
3. Qualifying payment
The child or a parent / carer / guardian receives one of the qualifying Services Australia payments at least once in the calendar year.
Qualifying payments include:
- Family Tax Benefit Part A (most common pathway)
- Parenting Payment
- Carer Payment
- Carer Allowance
- Disability Support Pension
- Youth Allowance
- ABSTUDY (limited)
- Veterans’ Children Education Scheme
- Special Benefit, Double Orphan Pension
- Military Rehabilitation + Compensation Act education + training scheme
Authoritative reference: servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-child-dental-benefits-schedule. Cross-check rules + payment list each calendar year as they are reviewed annually.
What is covered
CDBS schedule – item coverage
| Item | Description | Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive oral examinations | Item 011, 012 – check-up + soft-tissue exam | Yes |
| Bitewing + periapical X-rays | Items 022, 037 – diagnostic radiographs | Yes |
| Scale + clean | Items 114, 115 – plaque + calculus removal | Yes |
| Fluoride treatment | Item 121 – topical fluoride | Yes |
| Fissure sealants | Item 161 – preventive sealant on permanent molars | Yes |
| Composite fillings | Items 511 – 535 – tooth-coloured restorations | Yes |
| Stainless-steel crowns (baby teeth) | Item 575 – pre-formed crown on a baby molar | Yes |
| Root canal therapy (baby teeth) – pulpotomy | Item 414 – removal of inflamed pulp | Limited |
| Pulpotomy on a primary tooth is covered; full RCT on a permanent tooth is not within the CDBS schedule. | ||
| Extractions | Items 311 – 316 – simple + surgical extractions | Yes |
| Mouthguards (custom) | Item 151 – sports mouthguard | Yes |
| Orthodontics (braces, Invisalign) | Specialist ortho is excluded from CDBS | No |
| Not covered. Public-sector ortho for children with severe malocclusion is offered through state-funded community programs (long waitlists). | ||
| Cosmetic dentistry (whitening, veneers) | Cosmetic items are excluded | No |
| General anaesthetic / theatre fees | GA in a day-hospital for complex paediatric cases | No |
| Theatre + anaesthetist costs not covered. Private health hospital cover required for in-patient anaesthesia. | ||
| Implants + bridges | Major prosthodontic work | No |
| Not within CDBS scope. Rarely clinically appropriate for under-18s anyway. | ||
Coverage rules are set by the Dental Benefits Act 2008 + the Dental Benefits Rules 2014. Schedule fees are reviewed by the Department of Health. Authoritative list: health.gov.au/our-work/child-dental-benefits-schedule.
How to claim
Five steps from booking to bulk-billed
- Confirm eligibility. Log into Medicare via myGov, call Services Australia on 132 011, or ask the dental clinic to check on their HICAPS terminal using the child’s Medicare card. Takes 30 seconds.
- Find a participating dentist. Approximately 80pct of AHPRA-registered general dentists accept CDBS. Ask "Do you bulk-bill CDBS?" before booking. Public + community dental clinics also participate.
- Request a written treatment plan. Before commencement, the dentist provides an itemised plan with item numbers, fees + estimated CDBS coverage. Parent / guardian signs consent.
- Bulk-billing. At the appointment the dentist swipes the child’s Medicare card via HICAPS, the items are billed directly to Medicare at the CDBS schedule fee, the family signs the claim form. Out-of-pocket = $0 for covered items.
- Track the balance. The remaining CDBS balance can be checked via myGov Medicare or by asking any participating dentist to run an eligibility + balance check on HICAPS at any time during the 2-year benefit period.
If CDBS does not apply
Other public + low-cost paths for children’s dental care
- State + territory public dental. Each state runs free or low-cost school + community dental services for children. Run by the state health department (NSW Health, Vic DHHS, Qld Health, etc). Waitlists vary – urgent + emergency referrals are prioritised.
- Dental school clinics. University dental schools (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, La Trobe, Griffith, James Cook) treat children at materially reduced fees under senior-staff supervision. Longer appointments, supervised by AHPRA-registered specialists.
- Private extras dental cover. For orthodontics + cosmetic + any expenses above the $1,095 cap, private extras + the orthodontic lifetime limit becomes the next-best funding source. See our extras-cover guide.
- Orthodontic public programs. State-funded ortho programs treat severe malocclusion (e.g. cleft palate, IOTN grade 4 – 5) for eligible children. Tight clinical-priority criteria + long waitlists (12 – 36 months). Referral via your dentist or paediatrician.
Common questions
Child Dental Benefits Schedule – common questions
How much is the CDBS in 2026?
Up to $1,095 per eligible child across a 2 calendar-year benefit period. The cap is indexed annually with CPI by the Department of Health. Always cross-check the current cap on the Services Australia CDBS page at <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-dental-benefits-schedule" class="text-[var(--vbrand)] underline">servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-dental-benefits-schedule</a> before booking.
Who is eligible for CDBS?
The eligibility test is means-tested: in the relevant calendar year, the child must be (a) aged 0 – 17, (b) eligible for Medicare, and (c) the child or a parent/carer/guardian must receive one of the qualifying payments at least once during that year. Qualifying payments include Family Tax Benefit Part A, Parenting Payment, Carer Payment, Carer Allowance, Disability Support Pension, ABSTUDY, Veterans’ Children Education Scheme + others. Services Australia automatically assesses eligibility – families do not apply directly.
How do I know if my child is eligible?
Services Australia notifies eligible families directly + records eligibility on the child’s Medicare record. To check now: (a) log into Medicare online via myGov, (b) call Services Australia on 132 011, or (c) ask any dental practice to check eligibility on their HICAPS terminal using the child’s Medicare card – they can run a CDBS verification on the spot, takes 30 seconds.
How does the dentist claim it?
The dentist bulk-bills directly to Medicare through HICAPS – the family pays nothing up-front at participating practices. The dentist provides an itemised treatment plan estimate before commencing + obtains parental consent. Items are claimed against the CDBS-specific item-number schedule; the running balance counts down from $1,095 toward zero across the 2-year benefit period.
Can I use CDBS at any dentist?
Most general dentists accept CDBS – approximately 80pct of the AHPRA dental register according to recent Department of Health data. Some specialist + cosmetic-only practices do not. Ask before booking. Public dental clinics (state-run community dental services) also accept CDBS for eligible kids.
What if treatment exceeds $1,095?
You pay the excess privately or claim it against your private extras dental cover. Many families combine CDBS with extras to cover a full orthodontic course or major paediatric dental work – CDBS for the routine work, extras for the items CDBS excludes (notably orthodontics). The dentist provides a written treatment plan + estimate so you can plan the funding mix before commencement.
Does CDBS cover braces or Invisalign?
No. Orthodontics is excluded from the CDBS schedule. Eligible children needing orthodontic treatment for severe malocclusion may qualify for state-funded community orthodontic programs – long waitlists (12 – 36 months) + tight clinical-priority criteria apply. Most families fund orthodontics via private extras cover or out-of-pocket. See our <a href="/dental-procedure-costs/" class="text-[var(--vbrand)] underline">orthodontic cost ranges</a>.
Does the $1,095 reset?
Yes – the benefit period is 2 consecutive calendar years. Unused balance does not carry over; once the 2-year period ends, a fresh $1,095 cap starts (if the child remains eligible). The 2-year period begins the calendar year of the child’s first eligibility assessment.
What if my child is eligible but I want a specialist paediatric dentist?
AHPRA-registered Paedodontists (children’s dental specialists) can also bulk-bill CDBS items at the CDBS schedule fee. Where a paedodontist quotes above the schedule fee, the family pays the gap. For complex paediatric cases requiring sedation or GA, the GA + theatre fees are not CDBS-covered + are out-of-pocket or claimable on hospital cover.
Related guides