Medicare Teen Dental Plan

The Medicare Teen Dental Plan provides financial assistance to families to help keep their teenagers’ teeth in good health and encourage them to continue to look after their teeth once they become independent. The program commenced on 1 July 2008.

In this section:

The Government is providing dental benefits of up to $163.05 (indexed on 1 January each year) per calendar year for each eligible teenager to receive a preventative dental check from a dentist who is registered with Medicare Australia. Dental therapists and dental hygienists can also provide services under the supervision or oversight of a dentist.

Around 1.3 million teenagers are eligible for the Medicare Teen Dental Plan each year. To be eligible, a teenager must be aged between 12-17 and meet a means test (as described in the Answers to Frequently Asked Questions for families and teenagers below).

Medicare Australia will automatically send eligible teenagers or their families/carers a voucher for a preventative dental check each calendar year, using client information provided by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Most people will receive their voucher from mid-January each year.

Eligible teenagers can receive their preventative check from a private dentist and claim the benefit from Medicare Australia. Alternatively, the dentist can choose to bulk bill the preventative check (ie the dentist claims the benefit directly from Medicare Australia).

Eligible teenagers may also be able to use the voucher at a public dental clinic (including a school-based clinic). Contact your local public dental clinic or State or Territory health department for further information and to find out when it may be possible to schedule an appointment.

Teenagers will need to present their voucher when they have a preventative check.

Information for families and teenagers:

Answers to frequently asked questions about the Medicare Teen Dental Plan

Information for dentists:

Fact sheet for dentists

Further information and link to Medicare Australia

For further information about the operation of the Medicare Teen Dental Plan, please contact Medicare Australia on 132 011 (patients) or 132 150 (dentists). Information can also be found on the Medicare Australia website at www.medicareaustralia.gov.au

Report on the Review of the Dental Benefits Act 2008

The Report on the Review of the Dental Benefits Act 2008 (the Act) was tabled in Parliament on 15 March 2010. The Review looks at the operation of the Act having regard to the attainment of the purposes of the Act; and the administration of the Act, particularly in relation to the Medicare Teen Dental Plan.

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