NSW Health encourages families in regional and rural areas of NSW to take advantage of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), a national program that provides eligible children with a capped benefit for basic dental services.

The CDBS provides up to $1,132 in benefits over two calendar years per child, and covers most general dental services.

A child may be eligible for this benefit if they have a Medicare card, are aged 0 to 17 years, and they are part of a family that receives Family Tax Benefit Part A or the child receives an Australian Government payment.

The CDBS can be used at most private dentists, public dental clinics, NSW Health school-based dental services, and some Aboriginal community-based health organisations.

“Looking after your child’s teeth through regular dental check-ups is important for your child’s wellbeing, and is always a priority for NSW Health,” a spokesperson said.

“Even if a child is not eligible for CDBS, or uses up their full CDBS amount, or needs treatment that isn’t covered by the schedule, there are still no costs for care at NSW public dental clinics,” the spokesperson added.

Parents and guardians can visit health.nsw.gov.au/cdbs for more information and to check if their child is eligible.