What the Child Dental Benefits Schedule covers, who qualifies, and how bulk-billing works for your child at Berala Dental in Sydney. A clear 2026 parent's guide.
By the Berala Dental clinical team. Educational information only — this article is general information and is not a substitute for personalised dental advice. Please book a consultation to discuss your individual needs.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a Medicare program that contributes towards basic dental care for eligible children, and at Berala Dental we bulk-bill CDBS-eligible treatment — so there's no out-of-pocket cost for covered services. Eligibility is assessed by Medicare, the benefit is capped over a two-year period, and it covers everyday care like check-ups, cleans and fillings. Here's everything parents need to know.
The CDBS helps eligible families with the cost of basic dental services for children. Rather than paying upfront and claiming back, you can have eligible treatment bulk-billed, which means Medicare pays the clinic directly up to your child's available benefit. The benefit amount is capped over a two-year period and is set and reviewed by Medicare, so it can change year to year.
Eligibility is decided by Medicare, not the clinic. As a general guide, a child usually needs to:
The simplest way to be certain is to let us run an eligibility check, or to look it up through your Medicare online account.
The schedule is designed for essential, everyday dental care. It commonly contributes towards:
It does not cover orthodontics (braces) or cosmetic treatments, and it can't be used for dental work done in hospital. If your child needs something outside the schedule, we'll explain it clearly before anything goes ahead.
The CDBS benefit is capped over a two-year period rather than per visit. Some children use it across several appointments; others use less. You can check your child's remaining balance through your Medicare online account at any time, or ask us to check before treatment so you always know where you stand.
For services covered under the schedule, we bulk-bill CDBS-eligible treatment. Medicare pays the clinic directly, so there's no out-of-pocket cost to you for the covered care, up to your child's available benefit. We're careful never to describe this as "free" — Medicare is paying on your behalf — but for you as a parent, covered visits mean nothing to pay on the day.
The benefit is capped over two years and the exact amount is set by Medicare and reviewed regularly. Check your child's current balance via your Medicare online account, or ask us to check it for you.
It's bulk-billed, not free — Medicare pays the clinic directly for covered services up to your child's benefit. For you, that means no out-of-pocket cost for the covered care.
We'll explain it and provide a clear quote before going ahead, so you can decide. Nothing outside the schedule happens without your okay.
Eligibility is assessed by Medicare. Check your Medicare online account or let us run a quick eligibility check — start at our CDBS page.
No. Orthodontic and cosmetic treatments aren't covered by the schedule. It's for basic, essential dental care.
Want to know if your child is covered? Check CDBS eligibility here, book online, call (02) 9649 6468, or click our WhatsApp to chat now: message Berala Dental on WhatsApp.
We review this article periodically so the information stays current for 2026.