By Jade Glen
Prevention is better than cure – especially when that prevention is free.
Pakenham Dental Surgery’s Dr Alan Zhang said many people were unaware that their children were eligible for up to $1000 of free dental work under the Commonwealth’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
The scheme covers eligible children aged 2-17 for basic dental services over a period of two calendar years.
If you receive Family Tax Benefit A, you can probably access this free dental care – and if you call Pakenham Dental Surgery with your Medicare number, they will be able to confirm your child’s eligibility.
Dr Zhang recommended introducing children to the dentist early, at around three years old.
“A lot of people are quite anxious, and we pride ourselves in making them as comfortable as we can.
“We recommend they come in at three or four, even if they come and watch mum or dad get a check-up and then they can have a ride on the chair and go up and down. Then they know who we are, what we do and what to expect.
“It’s about preventing things happening. We do sometimes see the parent bringing in the child, and they are very much in pain and we have to do something drastic in their first dental appointment – that’s not an ideal situation for anyone. The dentist is not meant to be a scary place and we don’t want to create a bad experience.”
To help prevent any issues arising, Dr Zhang recommends check-ups every six months and encourages parents to brush and floss their child’s teeth.
“By the time they are five or six, kids’ teeth change very quickly and we want to keep on top of things.
“If the teeth start getting wobbly, but don’t fall out in time it can affect the position of adult teeth so sometimes we do need to intervene to prevent problems with placement down the track.”
Dr Zhang also encourages parents to get a properly fitted mouthguard to protect children’s teeth during sport.
“We’ve seen a lot of footy injuries. It’s really a small cost for a mouthguard that can prevent a lot of problems down the track,” Dr Zhang said.
To find out if you are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, contact Pakenham Dental Surgery.
