Getting children into a routine of good oral care from a young age is crucial for setting them up with a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Yet this important task can seem daunting for parents. Fortunately, Australia’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) makes accessing professional pediatric dental care simple and affordable for the years when children need it most. This article explains what CDBS is, who is eligible, and why leveraging this program for your child’s dental care needs can ensure their smiles stay in top condition.
Introducing Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is an Australian government program that helps low-income families afford dental treatment for their children. Under CDBS, eligible kids aged 2-17 can access up to $1000 in no-gap or low-gap dental services over two years.
CDBS covers a comprehensive range of pediatric treatments like examinations, cleaning, fillings, extractions, x-rays, and more to aid children in achieving healthy teeth and gums. By removing the financial barriers that could otherwise prevent kids from getting required dental care, CDBS aims to benefit Australian children’s current and future oral health.
Who is Eligible for CDBS?
Eligibility for CDBS is determined based on whether families receive certain government assistance payments. Children qualify for the full $1000 in dental benefits over two years if their parent, carer, or guardian receives:
- Family Tax Benefit Part A
- Parenting payments
- Double Orphan pensions
- Carer allowances
- ABSTUDY living allowances
Additionally, families holding a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card valid for over three months gain eligibility for a $1000 allotment of CDBS benefits for their children every two years.
Why Leverage CDBS for Your Child’s Dental Care?
Here are the key reasons why fully utilizing the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) program can help ensure your children maintain and safeguard excellent lifelong oral health:
-
Affordability
The primary benefit of CDBS is making professional pediatric dental care affordable for lower-income families. It minimizes out-of-pocket costs through no-gap or low-gap capped service fees, overcoming financial barriers that could otherwise prevent eligible children from getting all the preventative and restorative dental treatments necessary for healthy teeth and gums while growing up.
-
Comprehensive Care Access
The full range of standard developmentally appropriate examinations, cleaning, fillings, extractions, and other essential dental care children need as their teeth emerge and mature are cove
red under CDBS benefits. This comprehensive eligibility spanning core preventative services to restorative treatments leaves no gaps, depriving underprivileged children of complete oral care.
-
Care Accessibility
Access to subsidized services through CDBS registered dentists eliminates obstacles to obtaining professional pediatric dental expertise and quality care that poorer families may otherwise struggle to secure. Appointments and continuity of care become affordable and achievable.
-
Service Quality
Dentists offering CDBS must fulfill certain standards and conditions set by the administering department to promote positive patient experiences and oral health outcomes for vulnerable children benefiting from this scheme.
-
Ongoing Protective Benefits
Establishing proper oral hygiene habits and addressing dental issues early in childhood through CDBS creates a foundation supporting better lifelong oral health. Healthy smiles and confidence established when young can pay dividends for years.
Finding a Child Dentist Providing CDBS
Many family-focused dental clinics offer CDBS services. When seeking a kid’s dentist providing CDBS, choose one with a reassuring, friendly manner with whom your child feels comfortable. Confirm they have wide-ranging pediatric experience and training in managing dental anxiety. State-of-the-art facilities with entertainment options can also help kids feel at ease.
At Carrum Downs Dental Group, our talented team provides a child-friendly setting for CDBS, crafting positive experiences placing oral health foundations. From toddlers to teens, we make dental care enjoyable, understanding every child has unique needs. Our compassionate dentists assess oral development, tailor preventative advice, and deliver any restorative treatment required under CDBS to protect emerging smiles.
Give your child the oral health advantage of a CDBS provider like Carrum Downs Dental Group. Contact our friendly team today to arrange an appointment!
