Last ditch effort to save dental scheme

With the resumption of Federal Parliament, the Australian Dental Association has stepped up its lobbying efforts to save the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).

The benefits of the scheme, which helps disadvantaged children who need dental treatment and has a focus on prevention, has been highlighted in a story about the President of the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch, Dr Andrew Gikas (pictured), using the CDBS to treat the children of one family.

Debate on the Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016, which ends funding for the scheme and introduces the Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme, will resume this week.

ADA says that the CDBS has provided dental treatment to more than 1.5 million children and argues that its public dental services’ replacement will be under-resourced.