Millions of families missing out on thousands in government funding for kids' dentist visits

Despite 2.4 million kids being eligible, only 600,000 Australians have accessed a government program that provides $1132 over two years for dental services for children.

Uptake for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule has been stuck at 40 per cent since it was introduced a decade ago.

The Australian Dental Association says the reason for the low adoption is that accessing the scheme is confusing.

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While the government promotes it on social media, it has admitted it could be better advertised to increase numbers.

"It's a terrific opportunity for relatively low-income families to get access to high-quality dental care for their kids and build that strong oral health for a lifetime," Health Minister Mark Butler said.

To qualify for the benefits, a child must be aged under 18 and their family must receive a government payment like family tax benefit A, or a parenting payment.

Australians can check their eligibility for the use-it-or-lose-it benefit on MyGov and can call their dentist ahead of time to confirm that they participate in the scheme.

The program covers dental services such as examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals, and extractions, although it doesn't cover whitening or braces.

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