Eligible Australians are also being reminded to balance their benefit when it comes to the Centrelink dental benefit, which provides up to $1132 in free dental care to children and a few adults before the current benefit period ends. As time runs out, families who get particular Centrelink payments are advised to move fast to take advantage of receiving this valuable support on the much needed dental health care services.
Learning about Centrelink Dental Benefit.
Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), which is formally called Centrelink dental benefit, gives up to 1132 dollars to every eligible child in a period of two years. It helps families to meet dental costs like check-ups, cleaning, X-rays, fillings and extractions. The idea is to make sure that every Australian child gets access to dental services in time, irrespective of their financial conditions. As of 2025, the number of eligible children is approximately 2.4 million, yet fewer than one-third of families have already utilized the assistance to date, highlighting a general lack of awareness.
Quick Facts
| Eligibility Criteria | Covered Services |
|---|---|
| Under 18 + Medicare | Check-ups, Fillings |
| Family Tax Benefit A | X-rays, Extractions |
| Parenting Payment | Cleaning |
| Period Length | Max Amount | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years | $1,132 | End of 2025 |
Eligibility and How to Claim
The CDBS is easy to qualify in. Families will be required to get payments such as the Family Tax Benefit Part A, Parenting Payment, or other deserving Centrelink payments, and the children will be required to be under 18 years of age with a valid Medicare card. Families can access their myGov account and go to the Medicare tab and have a look at the Child Dental Benefits Schedule section to determine the remaining balance or eligibility. The balance of your child can also be checked by most dentists within the shortest time possible. The benefit is automated in case one has qualified and seek dental services with approved provider- there is no initial pay required at the time of the booking of the services.
What Services Are Covered?
The dental cash is applicable to cover basic dental treatments such as checkups, cleaning, fillings, X-rays and extractions. The benefit will cover such services directly to the dentist on the behalf of eligible patients and hence families do not have to worry about any hidden charges or a long reimbursement process. It is important to note that the financing is applicable at any instance of time within the two years, with unused funds becoming useless at the expiry of the coverage term. The 2025 deadline is urgently encouraged to be used by the time it occurs, and Australians are strongly encouraged to use their benefit at the earliest opportunity possible (2025).
What Would You Bet would Happen You do NOT use it?
Unspent dental funds will not carry over; there will be no carry over once the time of coverage passes and any unspent funds will be lost. Services Australia advises parents to visit their myGov accounts and book any appointments they need immediately. Oral health being an important aspect of the overall health, early visits to the dentist and procedures can help avoid more expensive health problems in the future.
FAQ
Q1. Eligibility to the Centrelink dental benefit?
Children less than 18 whose families are given the benefits of Family Tax Benefit A, Parenting payment, or other qualifying Centrelink benefits.
Q2. What can the families do to claim the dental cash?
Eligible families make appointments with qualified dentists and it is automatically deducted- check your balance through myGov
Q3. What will it do in case the advantage is not utilized prior to the expiration date?
Dental funds which are not utilized are lost and cannot be passed to the following period.
