Government announces increased support of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule
Your children’s oral health can be an area of constant concern for many parents, especially for those who struggle to afford regular dental care. Although the overall oral health of children has improved significantly since the mid-late 1970s, many Australian children don’t have regular access to necessary dental care. Since the late 1990s, child caries and the average number of teeth affected by dental disease has increased, with children in disadvantaged areas experiencing approximately 1.5 times the number of caries than children in the most advantaged areas.
How visiting patterns can affect your children’s oral health
As would be expected, children who visit the dentist less will experience more oral health problems throughout their life. Regular visits to the dentist mean early diagnosis of disease and decay, as well as regular preventive treatment. Data published by the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey suggested that approximately one in five children only visit the dentist to treat a problem rather than receiving regular preventive care, putting them at higher risk of oral disease.
There are a number of child priority groups at higher risk of oral health problems due to irregular visiting patterns. These include:
- Children from low income households
- Dependants of parent concession card holders
- Child concession card holders
- Indigenous children
- Homeless children
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule
On February 8th, 2017, the Minister for Health and Minister for Sport, the Hon Greg Hunt MP announced the child dental benefits schedule will be reinstated to $1,000 over a two-year period. The Government had previously dropped the benefit to $700, but after speaking with the Australian Dental Association, Minister Hunt decided to return the cap to $1000.
This schedule is actively providing children in low-income families with the necessary dental care needed to ensure preventable oral health issues are decreased. This is a big step in the right direction for affordable dental treatment as it provides access to examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals, and extractions to those who may not have previously been able to afford it.
Registration for the scheme is not necessary as eligible families and teenagers will receive a letter from the Australian Government informing them of the program.
To learn more about the CDBS, head over to the Department of Health website to download an updated version of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule guide.
Future Dental supports the CDBS in the Cairns area
Future Dental, Cairns is proud to support the Child Dental Benefit Schedule. The CDBS is a very important government initiative, providing children with the necessary dental care needed to ensure a life of good oral health. Future Dental understands how important the oral health of your child is; therefore we provide a range of dental care options for children. Click here to learn more!
