New dental scheme will not care for children's teeth - ADA

The Australian Dental Association says that the fee structure (Dental Benefits Rules) for the new child dental benefits scheme, Grow Up Smiling, will deprive many youngsters of proper dental care.

The Association’s Federal President, Dr Karin Alexander, says the fees are nearly 20% below a dentist’s average fees, which will result in dentists having to charge co-payments to deserving people to cover costs.

“This Government will be known as the government that introduced ‘poor dentistry for poor people’ because this scheme, as currently designed, does just that,” Dr Alexander said.

The scheme starts on 1 January next year.