Last year The Government introduced a new scheme titled Child Dental Benefits Schedule. This replaced the previous Medicare Teen Dental Plan. If your child/children are eligible to access this new scheme, you should have received a letter from Medicare advising this. The criteria to be eligible for this new scheme is for families who receive certain government benefits, such as Family Tax Benefit Part A.

It is for children aged between 2 – 17 years and covers basic dental services up to $1000 over 2 consecutive calendar years. If you do not use all of your $1000 benefit within the first year of eligibility, you can use it in the second year if you are still eligible. Any remaining balance is NOT carried forward at the end of the second year.

The benefits will cover a range of services including examinations, scale and cleans, x-rays, fissure sealing, fillings root canals and extractions. Benefits are not provided for any orthodontic or cosmetic treatment and cannot be paid for any services provided under a general anaesthetic in a hospital or day surgery facility. Most of the services we provide here under this new scheme will be bulk billed. The few items that are not will be discussed at your initial appointment with us.

Not all dental surgeries are participating in this new scheme. Here at Essential Dental, Golden Grove we certainly are! We encourage you to contact our surgery and schedule an appointment. At this time, you MUST indicate that your child/children are eligible for this scheme and give us your Medicare card details. An adult MUST be present for the initial appointment as the treatment is explained and a consent form needs to be signed by a parent or guardian over 18 years of age.

Contact us today on (08) 8251 7677 for further information about the Child Dental Benefits Schedule or to book an appointment at Essential Dental… so your child can ‘discover the difference’.