Bupa Dental says it welcomes the ability to provide free dental services to more eligible children aged 0 to 18 years following the federal government’s expansion of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
Until now, only eligible children aged between 2 to 18 years old could access coverage.
Around three million children currently benefit from the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). The schedule provides up to $1,013 (over a two-calendar year period) for eligible children to access basic dental services such as examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fillings and extractions. CDBS can be accessed through private dental providers such as Bupa.
Bupa Dental clinical director, Dr Kavita Lobo, described the expansion as an important step in making dental care accessible and affordable for more children.
“I commend the Government for being proactive on the vital issue of oral health. By including children ages 0-2 in the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, we can help babies and toddlers get the best start in life.
“Scheduling check-ups from an early age not only addresses emerging tooth, gum and mouth issues but can also eliminate the negative stigma around ‘scary dentists’ which still exists for many children,” said Dr Lobo.