Trouble finding a children’s dentist near you that’s affordable? You’re determined to take care of your child’s teeth in their early years. Naturally, you also want quality and friendly dental care.
You know this means regular check-ups and treatment at your local dentist. They’re a vital part of establishing the right daily habits and regular routines for your kids long-term oral health.
While most dental clinics in Australia offer children’s dentistry the cost of dental treatment can sometimes be an issue.
If you’re struggling to find an affordable family dentist near you – what are the other options for treating your children’s teeth?
In this article – you’ll find out about:
- Why private health funding gives you dentistry options for your child not available in public health schemes
- The TWO types of private health insurance to help fund your kids dental treatment
- The “Extras” option, which includes your children’s dental treatment
- Limitations, opportunities and eligibility for public funding of some of your children’s dentistry costs
- Your child’s eligibility for DHSV public dental health care scheme, Victoria
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Why should I consider private health funding for my kids dental care
Did you know …
Over 85 per cent of dental care in Australia is provided in private dental clinics.
(Source: Australian Dental Association).
Private health funding for dental care and treatment offers you key benefits of:
- Choice of dentist and treatment options, including advanced treatment technology
In Australia, the most popular public health schemes are Medicare and BUPA, which provide access to a wide range of free or low cost services – but not everything. Most notably, dental treatment and care, which is classed as “Extras”.
This means you will have to:
- Pay for your own dental health care, or
- Obtain cover through private health funding
It’s also important to know:
- You may only be covered for some of the treatment cost and will need to fund the rest of the costs yourself.
- Private health funds can each offer their own different types of service and level of insurance cover for “Extras”, such as dental treatment*.
*Over half of Australians (54.9 per cent) take out an “Extras” cover and nearly 45 per cent have both a combined ‘Hospital and Extras’ policy (Source: Fair Health Alliance, March 2025).
Let’s look first at the options for your children’s private health insurance cover.
Private health funding for kid’s dental treatment – what you should know
It’s important to be aware that a private children’s dentist near you will set its own charges for the dental treatments it provides. There is no standard tariff of charges which means the cost of various types of dental treatment is always likely to be different at each dental clinic.
To pay for treatment at a private dental clinic you will have to obtain private health insurance which will pay for some but not necessarily all of the cost.
The options for the private funding of your child’s dental treatment in Australia are mostly limited to TWO types of health insurance:
- Family health insurance
- Single parent health insurance
Family health insurance
A Family health policy is often taken out by couples which provides their child / children with:
- Cover for the same treatments as the parents with just one payment
It’s important to note that insurance for children’s dentistry may only be included as an “Extras” cover option, either:
- Alongside a separate cover option for hospital treatment, or
- Combined with hospital treatment cover
Single parent health insurance
A private health insurance that’s designed to:
- Cover one adult and one or more children
As with a family policy, a single parent health insurance also provides an “Extras” cover option, including children’s dental treatment and hospital treatment
This type of cover will often cost less than a standard family policy – subject to how many Extra options you add on – as it only covers you and your children.
IMPORTANT! You won’t be able to choose different extra options for each child, and financial limits are also imposed for each treatment, such as an annual limit on general dentistry.
Other private health fund options for kids dentistry
There are only TWO other types of private health insurance, which can include “no-gap” (out of pocket expenses) for specific children’s dentistry work:
- Defence Health
- Navy Health
However, both these health funds are restricted to only:
- Current or former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Royal Australian Navy
- Service contractor employees to the Department of Defence
- Australian Public Service providers (directly or indirectly) to the ADF or the Department of Defence
Many Australian families looking for affordable children’s dentistry at a local dentist will tend to rely on public funding.
Medicare public funding of your children’s dentistry costs
Here there’s better news for the funding of your children’s dental treatments. They may be eligible for receiving the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
Child, Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is: an Australian government scheme which can provide basic dental treatment for your child, but only up to a set benefit limit. Currently, the maximum benefit is $1,132 over two consecutive calendar years.
Treatment would typically include:
- Routine dental check-ups, teeth cleaning, x-rays, dental fillings (including cracked teeth), root canals and extractions
It does not include:
- Orthodontics – correcting misaligned and crooked teeth
- Cosmetic dentistry
To qualify for treatment:
- Your child must be aged 2 to 17 when treatment starts
- You or your child receives Family Tax Benefit Part A or a similar government -approved payment
Public dental health care in Victoria
If you live in Victoria, say, Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat or Bendigo the Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) provides public dental care through the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne and community health agencies.
Your children will be eligible for DHSV if:
- Living in Victoria
- Aged 0-12 years of age
- Aged 13-17 and you have a Healthcare card or Pension Card
All eligible children will receive free dental treatment carried out by undergraduate dental students.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: For specialist dental treatment at Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne you will need to be referred by an oral health practitioner or health practitioner.
Summary
Most Australian families rely on public healthcare such as Medicare or BUPA, which excludes dental treatment as “Extras”.
However, your child / children may be eligible (must be aged 2 – 17 when treatment starts) to receive the Medicare Child, Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) – but only for the most basic check ups and dental treatment – and up to a set cost limit.
Private health funding for dental care and treatment offers a choice of dentist and treatment options, including advanced treatment technology.
As each private dental clinic sets its own charges you will need to obtain private health insurance which only pays for some of the cost.
In Australia private funding of your child’s dental treatment is available via either a ‘Family health insurance’ or ‘Single parent health insurance’ policy.
Under both policies the cover for your children’s dentistry will likely be offered as an ”Extras” option alongside separate cover for hospital treatment or combined with hospital treatment.
FAQs
All and any treatments carried out in a hospital, cosmetic and orthodontic treatments (recorrecting protruding or crooked teeth) or claiming from CDBS if previously claimed under private health insurance.
Not all dentists. You will need to first ask with either your current local dentist or another you have chosen.
On your first visit the dentist will create a custom treatment plan, including costs covered under the scheme, which you will need to agree and sign. Usually the dentist will claim back the costs directly with Medicare which is deducted from your child’s CDBS benefit limit.