Sign up your child
It takes about ten minutes. You can go back at any time.
What your child gets
Your child will get:
- Fun lessons on brushing teeth, chewing and choosing healthy food
- A toothbrush and toothpaste at school to take home
- A gentle check, a clean, and a coating to keep teeth strong
- Help for families with teeth care and finding a dentist - only if they need it.
It is free for most kids. Medicare pays for it. You will not get a bill. If Medicare will not pay, the school or our team may call you. We will still make sure your child can join in.
How does Medicare pay? (the CDBS)
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a Government plan. It pays for basic tooth care for kids. There is a limit on how much it pays over 2 years.
It pays for things like check-ups, cleans, x-rays, sealants, fillings, root canals, taking teeth out and part dentures.
It does not pay for braces, care to make teeth look nicer, or care in hospital.
Your child can get the CDBS if:
- they are 0 to 17 years old, and
- they can use Medicare, and
- they, or you, get a payment from Services Australia at least once a year.
What happens on the day in class
We visit your child’s class for a fun lesson. The kids watch a puppet show about looking after their teeth. They do fun face exercises to move their lips, tongue and cheeks. They learn how to choose healthy foods, and talk about foods that feel different to chew, like crunchy, soft and chewy. They also learn how to keep their hands, toothbrush and mouth clean.
What happens at the check
We look at your child’s teeth and clean them. We show them how to brush well.
We may use a coloured gel to show where the plaque (germs) is.
We follow Queensland Health guidelines (QH-GDL-410:2013).
We may paint on a coating to keep teeth strong. You can read all about it on step 7, before you say yes.
After the check
- If your child’s mouth is healthy and they do not need more care, we will send you a text (SMS) or email.
- If we find a problem, we will call you first. If we cannot reach you, we will send you a text (SMS) or email.