If you get Family Tax Benefit Part A or a similar government payment, your child may already be entitled to hundreds of dollars in government-funded dental care that's never been used. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is one of the few areas where Medicare pays directly for dental treatment in Australia, yet a large number of eligible families never claim it simply because they don't know it exists or aren't sure how it works.
This guide explains who qualifies, what's actually covered, how the benefit works over two calendar years, and how to check your child's eligibility before booking a check-up in Perth including during the WA spring school holidays.
A quick note on accuracy: government benefit figures change every year. The cap amount and rules below are current at time of writing always check Services Australia directly for the latest figures before relying on them.
What Is the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?
The CDBS is a Medicare benefit that helps eligible families cover the cost of basic dental services for children and teenagers. It isn't a cash payment to parents it's a capped amount that can be claimed against approved dental treatment when your child sees a participating dentist.
The CDBS provides individual benefits for a range of services including exams, x-rays, fillings and root canals, for children aged 0-17 years whose parents receive Family Tax Benefit Part A or a relevant Australian Government payment.
CDBS Eligibility: Is My Child Eligible for CDBS?
To meet CDBS eligibility, your child generally needs to satisfy three conditions in the same calendar year:
Your child must be aged 0 to 17 years for at least one day of the calendar year, eligible for Medicare on the day of service, and get or be part of a family getting certain Australian Government payments.
Common qualifying payments include Family Tax Benefit Part A, along with a number of other Centrelink payments Services Australia maintains the full, current list.
Importantly, eligibility is reassessed annually, so a child who qualified last year isn't automatically covered this year and vice versa. If your family's payment situation changes partway through the year, it's worth checking again.
How to check eligibility
The most reliable way to confirm whether your child is eligible right now is directly through Services Australia not through a dental practice guessing on your behalf. You can:
Check your Medicare online account via myGov
Call Services Australia on 132 150
Wait for a notification letter, though you don't need one to check yourself
Services Australia routinely checks for newly eligible children and sends a notification, but a notification of eligibility will be sent to the child or their parent/guardian/carer either by post or electronically through myGov, and it is optional for a parent/guardian/carer or patient to present this notification to the practice so don't wait around for a letter before booking if you suspect you qualify.
What Does CDBS Cover?
Within the capped amount, CDBS covers a broad range of basic dental services. Based on the official schedule, this includes:
Check-ups and examinations
X-rays
Cleaning and preventive treatments (such as fissure sealants)
Fillings
Fissure sealing, fillings, root canals, extractions and partial dentures
What CDBS does NOT cover
This is where a lot of confusion happens. Benefits are not available for orthodontics, cosmetic dental work or any services provided in a hospital. Braces, teeth whitening, and hospital-based dental procedures are all excluded, regardless of a child's eligibility. There are also item-specific and time based restrictions on some services, so it's worth confirming with your dentist before treatment starts whether a particular item is included.
The CDBS Benefit Cap and the Two-Calendar-Year Rule
This is the part parents most often misunderstand, so it's worth reading carefully.
CDBS is capped at $1,158 over 2 consecutive calendar years, and this cap amount is indexed yearly on 1 January. The increased $1,158 cap applies only if a child's CDBS treatment period begins in 2026 a slightly lower cap applied to children whose treatment period started in 2025, even if that treatment continues into 2026.
Again this figure is current at time of writing. Confirm the exact cap and any changes directly with Services Australia, as indexing happens every year and rules can be updated.
How the two-year period works:
The 2-year cap period starts when a child or teenager first gets an eligible dental service. From that point, the full capped amount is available to use across that calendar year and the following one but it doesn't automatically renew every single year. A new two-year period only begins once your child again meets all the eligibility criteria (age, Medicare, and a qualifying payment) at the start of a fresh cycle.
Any portion of the benefit that isn't used within the two-year window doesn't roll over into a new period. This is one of the main reasons dentists recommend booking early in the cycle rather than trying to fit everything in during the final months.
Using CDBS in Perth
CDBS is a federal Medicare benefit, so it works the same way in Perth as anywhere else in Australia but there are a few practical steps that make the process smoother locally:
Confirm eligibility first, via myGov or Services Australia, before you book.
Ask the practice directly whether they participate in CDBS and how claiming works at that clinic. Participation, billing arrangements, and any out-of-pocket costs can vary by practice, so it's best to ask this when you book rather than assume.
Bring Medicare details to the appointment so the claim can be processed correctly.
Keep track of the remaining balance if your child has ongoing treatment across the two-year period, since the cap is shared across all CDBS-eligible services in that window.
If you're weighing up CDBS alongside private health cover, our guide on dental check-up and clean costs in Perth and how health fund cover works breaks down how the two can interact for different family situations.
Booking a Check-Up During the WA Spring School Holidays
The spring school holidays in Western Australia run from Saturday, 26 September 2026 to Sunday, 11 October 2026. This break is a popular window for Perth parents to fit in appointments that are hard to schedule during term time dental check-ups included.
If your child is due for a routine visit, or you're not sure whether previous treatment has eaten into their CDBS cap, the school holidays are a practical time to:
Get a routine check-up and clean out of the way before Term 4 starts
Ask the practice to confirm your child's CDBS eligibility and remaining balance for the current two-year period
Address any small issues (like early decay) while there's no need to take time off school
Because school holiday appointment slots fill quickly, it's worth booking ahead of the break rather than waiting until the second week.
A Perth Clinic Families Can Ask About CDBS
Hocking Dental Care offers general and family dentistry, laser dentistry, check-ups and cleans, and children's dentistry for families in Perth's northern suburbs. If you'd like to know whether CDBS applies to your family and how the claiming process works at this practice, the team can talk you through it when you book it's always best to confirm participation, billing details, and current CDBS eligibility directly with the clinic rather than assume.
To find out more about the practice, visit the Hocking Dental Care clinic page, or explore our children's dentistry services and check-up and clean information to see what a typical paediatric visit involves.
For a broader look at raising kids with healthy dental habits in Perth's north, see our related guide: A Parent's Guide to Children's Dentistry in Perth's Northern Suburbs. And if you're wondering how often your child actually needs to be seen, our article on how often you should really visit the dentist covers the general guidance behind those six-monthly check-ups.
Key Takeaways
CDBS can cover up to a capped amount per eligible child over two consecutive calendar years check Services Australia for the current figure, as it's indexed every 1 January.
Eligibility depends on your child's age, Medicare status, and your family receiving a qualifying payment such as Family Tax Benefit Part A, reassessed every year.
CDBS covers basic services like check-ups, X-rays, cleans, fillings and extractions, but does not cover orthodontics, cosmetic treatment, or hospital-based dental care.
Always confirm eligibility and balance directly with Services Australia, and ask your dental practice how they handle CDBS claims before your appointment.
The WA spring school holidays (26 September – 11 October 2026) are a good window to book a routine check-up without disrupting the school term.
Ready to get your child's teeth checked before school goes back? Book an appointment online and ask about CDBS eligibility when you schedule.
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