Do dentists take Medicare? How the CDBS works for kids

It's one of the most searched dental questions in Australia, and the answer has two halves. For adults, Medicare generally does not cover routine dental care — check-ups, cleans, fillings, extractions and dentures are paid privately or through health fund extras.

For children, it's different. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a Medicare program that provides a capped benefit towards basic dental for eligible children aged 2 to 17 — and at participating practices like ours, that means bulk billed visits with no out-of-pocket cost within the cap.

A child generally qualifies if they're aged 2–17, eligible for Medicare, and the family receives an eligible payment — such as Family Tax Benefit Part A — for at least part of the calendar year. Services Australia assesses eligibility automatically and notifies families, but many eligible families never receive or notice the letter.

You don't need to work it out yourself. Give us your Medicare card details and we check eligibility and the remaining balance before the appointment.

Basic dental services, including:

Orthodontics (braces and clear aligners), cosmetic dental treatment, and any dental services provided in a hospital setting are excluded. The benefit is capped over a two-calendar-year period, and Healthdirect has a broader guide to how dental care is funded in Australia.

Adults without private extras have a few paths: paying privately (often with a payment plan to spread the cost), or public dental through services like Dental Health Services Victoria for concession card holders — though public waiting lists for non-urgent care can be long.

At Endeavour Smiles Group we bulk bill eligible children under the CDBS, and we offer Humm and AfterPay payment plans for adult treatment. Call (03) 8771 5805 and we'll check your child's eligibility before you book.