Adults | Children |
New South Wales |
Adult NSW residents must be eligible for Medicare and be listed on one of the following Australian Government concession cards: - Health Care Card
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
Additional eligibility criteria may applyfor dental specialist services or dental services provided in a hospital. In addition to services provided in public dental clinics, vouchers may be offered to eligible patients under the Oral Health Fee For Service Scheme (OHFFSS). This is used in emergency cases or when the public dental service cannot provide the required treatment | All children (under 18 years of age) who are NSW residents are eligible for public dental services in NSW. Children can access dental services at public dental clinics. NSW Health also works with public primary schools to deliver theNSW Health Primary School Mobile Dental Programto children in five local health districts: Western Sydney, South Western Sydney, Mid North Coast, Nepean Blue Mountains and the Central Coast. Hunter New England, Murrumbidgee and Western NSW local health districts have recently commenced an outreach program that may include school visits |
NSW Health assists 21 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) to provide dental care for their patients. |
Victoria |
Adults living in Victoria are eligible for public dental services if they: Community dental clinicsand Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne provide General dental care. A fee of $30.50 per visit is payable for those holding a Pensioner Concession Card. The most a complete general course of care will cost is $122. See below for list of people who do not pay fees. | Children and young people living in Victoria are eligible for public dental services if they: - are aged 0-12 years of age, irrespective of family income or
- are aged between 0–17 and are eligible for theChild Dental Benefits Scheduleor
- are aged between 13-17 with a Health Care card or Pension Card or whose parents hold a Health Care card or Pension Card or
- are a youth justice client in custodial care,regardless of age, or
- are agedup to 18 years of age and are in out-of-home care, provided by the Children Youth and Families Division of the Department of Human Services
General and emergency dental care is available at local community dental clinicsand at theRoyal Dental Hospital of Melbourne. Specialist dental services are only available at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne (referral required). For children aged 0-12 general treatment is free if free if they or their parent holds a Concession card, or if they are eligible forChild Dental Benefit Schedule. Otherwise a fee of $36 per child applies; the most a family will pay is $140. See list below of people who do not pay fees. For young people aged 13-17 years, treatment is free if they (or their parents) hold a concession card or they are eligible for the Child Dental Benefit Schedule. In addition, Smile Squad is Victoria’s free school dental program. The program is free for all Victorian government school students. It is delivered to students during school hours and includes all required treatment (excluding orthodontics). From 2026, Smile Squad will begin offering services to students enrolled in primary and secondary low fee non-government schools. |
The following groups have priority access to public dental services: - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- children (0-12 years) and young people
- homeless people and people at risk of homelessness
- pregnant people
- refugees and asylum seekers
- people registered with mental health or disability services, who have a letter of recommendation from their case manager or a special developmental school.
The following people do not pay fees for dental treatment: - Refugees and asylum Seekers
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples except for Specialist treatment
- Homeless people and people at risk of homelessness
- Children and young people up to 18 years of age, who are in out-of-home care provided by the Department of Human Services
- All youth justice clients (regardless of age)
- People registered with mental health or disability services, who have a letter of recommendation from their case manager or a special developmental school
- People experiencing financial hardship
- Children and young people aged 0-17 years who are health care or pensioner concession card holders or dependents of concession card holders except for specialist dental services.
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Queensland |
Adults residing in Queensland are eligible for free public dental care when they receive benefits from any of the following concession cards: - Pensioner Concession Card issued by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink
- Health Care Card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- Queensland Seniors Card
| For children to be eligible for free public dental care they must: - be a Queensland resident or attend a Queensland school; and,
- be eligible for Medicare; and,
- meet at least one of the following criteria:
–be aged four years or older and have not completed Year 10; or, –be eligible for the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule; or, –hold, or be listed as a dependent on, a valid Centrelink concession card Public dental care for children may be provided on-site at schools through fixed or mobile dental clinics or at larger community dental clinics. |
Western Australia |
Western Australian adults with a current health care card or pension concession card are eligible for general public dental services. Dental Health Services uses the Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs schedule of dental fees. Dental treatment provided at a Public Dental Clinic is subsidised by the Western Australian Government (either 50% or 75% of the cost of the treatment). The level of dental subsidy a person receives is based upon the income received from Centrelink. | Children aged 0 to 4 whose name appears on their parent’s health care or pension concession card are eligible to attend a general dental clinic for care. The level of subsidy is as per adults. Children and teenagers aged 5 to 16 attending school are eligible for the freeSchool Dental Service. |
The Country Patients Dental Subsidy Scheme supports those without access to a public dental clinic to go to a private dentist who has agreed to provide treatment at the same cost as at a public dental clinic. In addition to the routine dental services, Dental Health Services provide special services to the following groups: |
South Australia |
South Australian adults with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card can attend public clinics to access general and some specialist dental services. A co-payment applies for general dental care, of up to $166. Costs for denture care are available online. | All children under 18 who live in or go to school in South Australia can attend a public dental clinic (also known as the School Dental Service). There are no out of pocket costs for kids who: - haven’t started school
- are covered by the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, a Pensioner Concession Card, a Health Care Card or a School Card Scheme.
If a child is not covered, dental care is $50 a year. |
The Aboriginal Oral Health Program (AOHP) aims to improve the oral health of Aboriginal people by increasing oral health knowledge in the community and by improving access to dental services. Eligible Aboriginal adults can access free priority general and emergency dental care at South Australian clinics. |
Tasmania |
Public dental services for adults are provided from six major dental centres: Burnie, Devonport, Launceston, Clarence, Glenorchy and Hobart. To access public services Tasmanians must hold a current Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card. Tasmania requires a co-payment contribution (prices from 1 July 2022): - General dental care, such as a check-up, scale and clean and fillings: $45
- Priority dental care to treat an urgent single dental problem: $45
- Some high-costadditionaltreatments: discussed at appointment
| Tasmanian public dental services are available for babies, children and teens up to age 18 living in Tasmania Most services do not require a patient contribution. |
Australian Capital Territory |
Adult ACT residents who hold a Centrelink-issued Pension Concession or Health Care Card, a Veteran’s Affairs card or an ACT Services Access card can access public dental services. Interstate Centrelink concession card holders who are visiting the ACT for short periods of time AND who are assessed as needing an emergency appointment can access one off services. This does not include the surrounding areas of the ACT such as Yass, Murrumbateman, Queanbeyan, Cooma and Goulburn. Co-payments may apply: - an emergency course of care is $47.35
- denture repair is a minimum of $47.35.
There is a cap of $450 per course of care for restorative treatments. This does not include root canal therapy, splints or denture work | Child and youth dental services are available to: - all children under the age of 14 years who live in the ACT or attend an ACT school
- young people under the age of 18 with a Centrelink-issued Pension Concession or Health Care Card
- children who are under the care of the Canberra Health Services Cleft Palate Clinic.
Children under the age of 14 years who are visiting the ACT for short periods of time AND who are assessed as needing an emergency appointment can access one off services. This does not include the surrounding areas of the ACT such as Yass, Murrumbateman, Queanbeyan, Cooma and Goulburn. Some fees apply: - Children under 5 years (who require treatment) – No fee
- Children aged 5 to 14 – $72.60 per child per ‘course of care’
- Children under the age of 18 years who are listed on a Health Care Card or Pension concession card – No fees for general treatment
- Co-payments apply for children for items such as space maintainers, splints and if eligible orthodontic services.
There may be a small co-payment for a course of care if a child is not covered by a Centrelink pension concession or health care card or eligible for Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS). |
Northern Territory |
Free public dental services are available to those with a Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card. In addition, those who live more than 100km away from the nearest dental service in a remote area, and need emergency dental care but don’t have access to private dental services, can receive care from the visiting dental team. | Children and young people under 18 years old, and for those of school-age, still in school and not working full-time, can access free public dental services. Children who have been living in the Northern Territory for less than six months can only access emergency services, not general services. To receive free orthodontic services: - must be the holder or dependant of a Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card
- meet strict clinical criteria based on clinical assessment of a public orthodontist or dentist
- orthodontic treatment must be completed by the age of 18.
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