On 23 April 2016, the Australian Government announced its intention to close the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) from 1 July 2016. As the legislation was not passed by Parliament before the Government entered into caretaker arrangements on 9 May 2016, the CDBS remains open.
The CDBS provides individual benefits for a range of services including examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work and cannot be paid for any services provided in a hospital.
The total benefit entitlement is capped at $1,000 per child over a two calendar year period. The CDBS has a means test, which requires receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A or a relevant Australian Government payment.