Dental care subsidy expanded to under-twos

Hundreds of thousands of children under the age of two will be eligible for subsidised dental care under a federal government plan.

A bill was introduced into parliament on Wednesday to expand access to an existing dental benefits scheme at a cost of $5.4 million over four years.

Children between the ages of two and 17 can currently access the scheme.

It covers part or all of the costs for some child dental services.

The expansion is aimed at reinforcing oral health in children younger than two and reducing stigma around dental treatment.

The government estimates expanding the program will ensure an additional 300,000 children are eligible from January 2022.

Of those, 15 per cent are expected to use the scheme.

The measure was unveiled in the 2021/22 budget, alongside more than $100 million to improve public dental access for adults with concession cards.

The Australian Dental Association previously said while it welcomed extra funding, children who needed treatment would still miss out.