Dental care is available free for children under 18 years old with a Medicare card. Parents or guardians must sign a Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) Bulk Billing Patient Consent Form. If a child is not eligible for CDBS or has already used their benefit, care is still provided at no cost. For more information or to make an appointment for your child, please contact your local public dental service or call 1800 679 336.
If your child missed out on an appointment while the program was at the school, you can contact the program coordinator at your local public dental service to find out when the next visit is planned or to make an appointment for your child at a local public dental clinic.
You could also contact a private dental provider to make an appointment for your child, and ask if you can use CDBS for your child. The dentist can check your child's eligibility and how much you have available to use. You can confirm that your child's dental treatment will be covered by the CDBS and there will be no costs.
If you attend a bulk billing clinic, they will bulk bill the costs of the treatments after your child has seen the dentist. The cost of the treatment will be deducted from your benefit, if you have one.
If your child doesn't have a dentist, you can find a private dentist near you by visiting the Australian Dental Association website.
If your child has reached their CDBS cap or are worried about costs, your child can also receive free dental care at NSW public dental clinics. For more information, please visit Information for patients.
Yes. You are welcome to attend your child's appointment. If you have received a Parent Information and Consent Pack, you can tick the appropriate box on the form. The program coordinator will contact you to arrange a time when they are at your child's school.
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Your child’s dental care will be provided by experienced NSW Health staff that are registered dental practitioners (oral health therapists, dental therapists or dentists) and qualified and/or experienced dental assistants.
Signs that your child may need urgent dental care include:
If you think your child's symptoms are serious or if their situation deteriorates before you can access dental care, please call Triple Zero (000) or go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department.
During working hours you can also contact your local public dental service by calling 1800 679 336 to arrange care.
Parents/guardians of children at participating schools will receive a Parent Information and Consent Pack from the school before a mobile dental clinic visit is scheduled. For a child to receive care, parents/carers will need to complete and return the consent forms.
At the first appointment, children may receive the following care (if clinically indicated and if parents/carers have consented):
For information on what this care involves, visit Oral health care explained.
A review appointment may be scheduled within 12 months for a check-up and a second application of fluoride varnish.
If a child needs further dental care, the dental practitioner will contact parents to discuss options for treatment. This may involve providing treatment at the school-based mobile dental clinic or at a local public dental clinic. Parent/guardian consent is required for any further treatment.
A letter outlining what was done at your child’s appointment will be provided. A copy of this information will also be kept on your child’s NSW Health oral health record and can be made available at your request.
If a child needs follow-up dental care (e.g. fillings), public dental service staff will contact parents/guardians to discuss options for treatment. This may include providing further treatment at a school-based mobile dental clinic or in a local dental clinic. Parent/guardian consent, including consent to bulk bill this care, is required for any further treatment.
Information that you provide on the Consent Form or collected as part of your child’s healthcare is subject to strict confidentiality and privacy protections contained in NSW and Commonwealth legislation (see the Privacy Statement in the Parent Information and Consent Pack).
If you have consented for your child to participate in the program but your child moves to another school, you should contact the program coordinator at your local public dental service to update your child’s details and discuss options for your child's dental care.
All NSW Health Mobile Dental Program staff are experienced in working with children. Every effort will be made to ensure that children participating in the program feel safe and confident about their dental care. If your child becomes upset, unwell or is otherwise unable to complete their care, they will be able to return to class and a public dental service staff member will contact you to make alternative arrangements. You may be asked to attend a follow-up appointment with your child, either at the mobile clinic or at your local public dental clinic.
You can withdraw your consent at any time. If you no longer wish for your child to participate in the NSW Health Primary School Mobile Dental Program, or wish to withdraw financial consent for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, please contact your local public dental service or onsite dental team to update your consent status.
Health interpreters and Aboriginal health workers are available to support students if needed. Parents should indicate on their child’s consent form whether either of these are required. If your child already has an appointment, please contact the program coordinator at your local public dental service to discuss your child’s requirements.
There are no costs for parents/guardians of children who receive care through public dental services in NSW, including this program.
You will be asked to sign a Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) Bulk Billing Patient Consent Form. All children seen by public dental services receive the same high quality care regardless of their eligibility for CDBS and no fees are charged, even if CDBS benefits have been fully used up. For more information about the CDBS, please visit the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
Sometimes the NSW Health mobile dental teams can provide services to high school students. Contact your local LHD to find out at Contact the NSW Health Primary School Mobile Dental Program
NSW Health provides free dental care for children under 18 years old with a Medicare card. Parents or guardians must sign a Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) Bulk Billing Patient Consent Form. If a child is not eligible for CDBS or has already used their benefit, care is still provided at no cost.
To book an appointment or for more information, contact your local public dental service.
Alternatively, if your child has a regular public or private dental practitioner, you may wish to continue your child's care with that provider. Please note that you or your private health insurance may need to cover some or all of the cost of care provided by private providers.