Dental assistance changes from 1 December

You can apply for more than one payment a year (any 52-week period), as long as the total amount is not more than $1000. You don't need to apply for all the assistance at once.

If you need more than $1000 for essential dental treatment, we may still be able to help. You may need to pay some of this back, depending on your situation. Call us to see how we can help.

You can get help with more types of treatment as well. From 1 December 2022, you can use this payment for 'immediate and essential' dental treatment, which includes, for example, fillings and treatment of gum infection.

These changes were part of the Budget 2022 changes announced in May 2022. It means people can get the dental treatment they need while avoiding debt. Currently, you can only apply for one grant of up to $300 a year and only if the treatment is needed because of an emergency situation.

We'll update our Dental treatment page on 1 December 2022.