$1132 Australia Child Dental Benefit 2025 – Eligibility, Services & Claim Process

Dental care in Australia is often among the biggest medical expenses families face, especially with growing children who require regular check-ups and treatments. To ease this cost, the government continues to run the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) for 2025, offering eligible children and teens up to $1132 over two calendar years. This program helps cover essential dental services, ensuring that families can prioritize oral health without worrying about overwhelming costs.

Below is a detailed guide to everything you need to know about the $1132 Child Dental Benefit 2025, including eligibility requirements, services covered, exclusions, and step-by-step instructions for claiming.

What is the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)?

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is a government-funded scheme managed by Services Australia (Centrelink) through Medicare. It provides financial support for basic dental services for children and teenagers under 18 years of age.

• Benefit Amount: $1132 per child
• Validity: Spread over two consecutive years
• Indexation: The amount is indexed and may be adjusted every January
• Claim Options: Payments are made to participating dental clinics directly, but balances can be checked through the myGov portal.

Importantly, this program focuses on preventive and essential dental treatments. It excludes expensive or non-essential care such as cosmetic dentistry or orthodontics.

Who Is Eligible for the $1132 Child Dental Benefit 2025?

Not every child qualifies automatically. The government has set several conditions that parents or guardians need to meet for their children to access CDBS.

To qualify:

• The child must be under 18 years old at any point during the calendar year.
• The child must be eligible for Medicare.
• A parent, guardian, or approved care provider must be receiving a qualifying Centrelink payment, such as Family Tax Benefit A, Parenting Payment, Disability benefits, or similar allowances.
• The child must use the benefit within the calendar year, otherwise unused funds expire after the two-year cycle.

Tip: You can check your child’s eligibility at any time by logging into myGov and linking Medicare services.

What Dental Treatments Are Covered?

The $1132 benefit covers a wide range of general and preventive dental treatments. These include:

• Comprehensive dental check-ups and examinations
• Teeth cleaning and scaling
• Fluoride treatments to strengthen enamel
• Dental X-rays
• Fissure sealing (protective coatings for children’s teeth)
• Fillings for cavities
• Root canal treatments
• Tooth extractions
• Partial dentures where medically necessary

Essentially, the services included are designed to ensure children can maintain strong, healthy teeth and avoid serious issues from developing later in life.

Excluded Services Under CDBS

While the program is extensive, it does not cover all types of dental care. Excluded treatments are:

• Orthodontics, including braces and aligners
• Cosmetic dentistry, such as teeth whitening
• Hospital-based dental work, which falls under a different system of care

If your child requires these advanced or cosmetic procedures, you will need to cover the cost separately, either through private dental care or insurance if you have it.

How to Claim the Child Dental Benefit

The claiming process for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule is straightforward, but it is important to follow the correct steps.

1. Book an Appointment: Contact a participating dental clinic and inform them that you intend to use the CDBS for your child’s treatment.
2. Confirm Coverage: Ask the dentist to explain which services are covered and whether the planned treatments fall within the $1132 limit.
3. Provide Consent: Before treatment begins, you must sign a consent form allowing the clinic to claim the funds directly from Medicare.
4. Treatment and Payment: The clinic will claim from Medicare, and in most cases, you will have no out-of-pocket costs unless the bill exceeds your balance.
5. Check Your Balance: Log in to myGov > Medicare > CDBS to see how much of the benefit has been used and how much remains.

Tip: If the dental bill is larger than your available balance, you will need to pay the difference out of pocket.

How Families Can Use the Benefit Effectively

With $1132 available over two years, families can spread dental care across multiple visits. For example:

• Scheduling annual dental check-ups every six months.
• Covering necessary treatments such as fillings as issues arise.
• Using preventive services like fluoride treatments and fissure sealing for younger children to avoid bigger problems later.

By planning treatments within the benefit window, parents can reduce unexpected out-of-pocket costs.

Key Details Summary

Feature	Details
Program	Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)
Benefit Amount	$1132 per child
Validity	2 calendar years
Managed By	Services Australia (Centrelink)
Eligibility	Children under 18, Medicare eligible, families receiving government support payments
Claim Process	Through participating dental clinics or via myGov
Services Covered	Check-ups, cleaning, fluoride, fillings, root canals, extractions
Services Not Covered	Orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry, hospital-based dental care

Why the Child Dental Benefit Matters

For many families, the cost of dental care has been a barrier to regular check-ups. The CDBS ensures children are not missing out on essential early treatment simply due to financial pressures. Preventive care is especially crucial since untreated dental problems in childhood can lead to ongoing pain, expensive procedures later, and long-term health issues.

By offering financial aid directly through Medicare, the program encourages families to book these essential services without delay.

Final Thoughts

The $1132 Child Dental Benefit 2025 is a vital government initiative that supports families across Australia by covering the cost of essential dental care for eligible children and teens. Though not every type of dental service is included, the program makes a significant difference in reducing financial stress while promoting healthy smiles that last a lifetime.

Parents should make sure to check eligibility through myGov, plan appointments at participating clinics, and use the balance fully before the two-year period expires. By making the most of this support, families can give their children access to quality dental care without worrying about heavy out-of-pocket bills.