A $1,132 Child Dental Benefits Schedule cap is confirmed for 2025, available per eligible child over two consecutive calendar years for basic dental services billed through Medicare at participating clinics . Coverage includes check-ups, X-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals, and extractions, with exclusions for orthodontics, cosmetic dental work, and hospital-based services .

$1,132 child dental benefit for 2025

What the program is

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is a federal program that pays for basic dental care for eligible children by covering approved services directly to participating dentists through Medicare up to the current two‑year cap . The cap is indexed on 1 January each year, and for 2025 the total available is $1,132 per child for use across two consecutive calendar years once eligibility and the first service in that year are established .

2025 cap and two‑year cycle

Families can claim up to $1,132 across the two‑year period that starts in the calendar year a child is both eligible and receives a first dental service, and the full amount can be used in the first year or split across both years as needed . Any unused amount after the two years expires and cannot be carried forward, and continued access into the second year requires the child to remain eligible in that year .

What’s covered

Covered items include exams and check‑ups, X‑rays, cleaning and scaling, fissure sealing, fillings, root canal therapy, extractions, and partial dentures when item and timing restrictions are met under the schedule . Dentists can advise of any item or time restrictions before treatment planning, and claims are generally bulk billed to Medicare against the available balance .

What’s not covered

Orthodontic treatment such as braces or aligners, cosmetic dental services like whitening or veneers, and any dental services provided in a hospital setting are excluded from CDBS and cannot be paid from the cap . If a proposed course of care includes excluded items, practices can separate eligible and ineligible components so families understand any out‑of‑pocket costs .

Eligibility snapshot

A child must be Medicare‑eligible, aged 0–17 for at least one day in the calendar year, and associated with a parent, guardian, or carer receiving an eligible government payment during that year to start a two‑year period when a first service occurs . If eligibility applies again in the following year, remaining balance can be used in year two; if not, no further CDBS payments can be made in that second year even if funds remain .

Start date and payouts

The 2025 indexed cap applies from 1 January 2025 for children whose new two‑year period begins in 2025 when they are eligible and receive their first service that year, as per Services Australia’s annual indexation rules . Payments are not made as cash to families; approved amounts are paid directly to the dental provider via Medicare and count down from the child’s available balance .

How to use it

• Confirm eligibility with Services Australia and ensure the child’s Medicare details and eligible payment status are current for the calendar year .
• Choose a participating dentist, request a treatment plan with item numbers, confirm coverage and any item restrictions, and provide consent before care begins so billing aligns to the CDBS balance .
• Ask the clinic to check the remaining balance and any timing limits, then proceed with eligible services bulk billed where offered, paying any gap only if the plan exceeds the remaining cap .

Practical planning tips

Book preventive care early in the two‑year window to avoid losing benefits at the end of the cycle and to reduce later restorative needs under the same cap . For larger courses of care, sequence eligible items to fit within the current balance and, where appropriate, schedule remaining eligible items in the second year if the child will remain eligible .

Example cycle

Services Australia illustrates that if a parent receives an eligible payment in 2025 and the child receives their first dental service in 2025, a new two‑year cover period begins with up to $1,132 available for 2025–2026, usable entirely in 2025 or shared across both years if eligibility continues in 2026 . If eligibility in the second year lapses, remaining funds cannot be used until a new two‑year period begins in a later year when eligibility is re‑established and a first service occurs .

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not assume the benefit is a cash payout; it operates as a capped schedule paid directly to dentists and cannot be withdrawn or transferred . Avoid commencing treatment without confirming item eligibility and remaining balance, since excluded services and exhausted caps cannot be paid from CDBS .

Key takeaways for 2025

• Cap: $1,132 per child over two consecutive calendar years, indexed on 1 January .
• Coverage: Basic services only, with item and timing rules; no orthodontics, cosmetics, or hospital services .
• Payment flow: Direct to participating dentists via Medicare; families may owe a gap only if plans exceed the balance or include excluded items .

This year’s indexed cap helps families secure timely preventive and essential dental care when eligibility criteria are met and services are planned within the two‑year window under the schedule rules .