More than 1.5 million children in Australia are missing out on free dental care, despite being eligible under a federal government scheme, according to the Australian Dental Association (ADA).
ADA president Dr. Chris Sanzaro said only around 36 percent of eligible families—roughly one in three—are using the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), which provides free dental services to children.
A recent ADA survey involving 25,000 adults found that many parents are confused about the program or unaware it exists. As a result, millions of children are not receiving essential dental care. “Young mouths are at risk,” Dr. Sanzaro warned.
Federal data shows that in the 2024 calendar year, about 2.6 million children qualified for the CDBS. However, fewer than one million dental services were actually used.
“It’s a scheme shrouded in mystery and confusion,” Dr. Sanzaro said. “With over 1.5 million Australian kids missing out, the government must do more to promote it so that families understand what support is available.”
According to the ADA, a key issue is lack of awareness. Many parents don’t know if their children are eligible or how the system works. Others are unsure where or how to access care.
“If the scheme was better understood, more families would use it,” said Dr. Sanzaro. “The number one problem is that people simply don’t know it exists.”
Who Is Eligible?
The CDBS supports children aged 0 to 17 who live in households receiving the Family Tax Benefit A—a payment designed to assist low and middle-income families with the cost of raising children.
Each eligible child can access up to $1,132 in basic dental care over two calendar years. Services covered include check-ups, X-rays, cleaning, fillings, root canals, tooth extractions, and fissure sealing (a method to prevent cavities).
Private Dentists and Public Confusion
A major source of confusion is where care can be accessed. The ADA found that many families wrongly believe the CDBS can only be used at public dental clinics. In reality, private dentists also participate in the program.
Since its launch in January 2014, the CDBS has paid out $3.6 billion and supported 3.8 million children with more than 58 million dental services, according to federal figures.
Efforts to Improve Awareness
The Department of Health says it is working closely with Services Australia to raise awareness and improve participation in the CDBS.
A department spokesperson said efforts are also underway with state and territory governments to expand access through public dental services. “Some children who are eligible for the CDBS receive care through state and territory schemes,” the spokesperson added.
In addition, families with private health insurance may have coverage for children’s dental care, including check-ups and cleaning, although coverage differs between policies.
