Children’s Dentistry – Distinctive Dental Mareeba

07/Jun/2020

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is an Australian Government scheme run by Medicare that provides eligible children up to $1,000 over 2 calendar years to pay for a range of dental services.

At Distinctive Dental, we are proud to support this scheme and bulk bill treatments covered by the scheme for all eligible children so there is no out of pocket cost to you!

If your child is eligible, the CDBS will cover dental check-ups, preventative care, x-rays, routine professional cleaning, fillings, root canals, extractions and even “happy gas”.

The scheme doesn’t cover orthodontic treatment or dental work that needs to be done in a hospital.

The CDBS is means tested and children in families who receive Family Tax Benefit A or another relevant Australian Government payment are usually covered. It’s easy to find out if your child is eligible. Simply give our friendly team a call with your child’s Medicare card number and we can check their eligibility online.

The scheme applies to children aged between 2 and 17 years so it provides a great opportunity to introduce you child to routine dentistry early to create positive experiences and keep their smiles healthy.

Distinctive Dental

07/Jun/2020

A child’s first few dental experiences can shape their attitude toward dentists and taking care of their teeth for life!

It is perfectly normal for children to be a little anxious and fearful with any new experience and going to the dentist is no different.

Parents and the dental team both play very important roles in making a child’s dental appointment a positive experience.

There are a number of things that you as a parent can do to help the dental visit go well:

Explain that the dentist is a friendly doctor whose job is to help keep their teeth and gums heathy so they can enjoy eating their favourite foods and keep their smiles lovely.
Talk about going to the dentist in a positive way. Don’t use words like “hurt” or “painful.” Don’t ask children to be brave; this will imply that something scary may happen. Similarly, don’t tell children that they were brave after their dental appointment, instead tell them how well they behaved.
Start taking your child to the dentist at a young age. Preferably between 2-3 years of age. This gives children an opportunity to meet the friendly dental team and see the dental practice. They can have a ride in the chair and be introduced to simple dental tools before any treatment is necessary.
Make dental visits regular (every 6 months). Don’t make it a big deal. When something is routine, it becomes a part of life and less scary and unknown. Let kids know that everyone, including Mum and Dad, visit to the dentist.
Children can easily pick up on your attitude. If you are anxious about dental treatment, do your best to avoid sharing your fears with your children. If you are comfortable at the dentist, it can be good for children to watch you have a simple procedure such as a check-up without fear.

At your child’s appointment the dental team will explain what they are doing in simple language and use demonstrations to help your child understand what we are doing. At Distinctive Dental, we are passionate about making early dental experiences positive and happy for everyone involved.

Is your child eligible for free dental treatment?

Preparing for your child’s first dental visit