Public Dental Care

We offer the following programs: 

• Early Childhood Oral Health Program
• Youth Dental Program
• General Adult Dental Services
• Emergency Dental
• Denture Service

Public Dental Care

Eligibility and fees information:

Eligibility for children 0-12 years of age:

• No waiting list
• Free service for health care card holders/pensioner concession card holders
• Bulk billed treatment is available for all children eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
• Non card holders without CDBS may access service for a small capped co-payment fee for a complete dental course of care
• No fees for Emergency Appointments   

Eligibility for youths 13-17 years of age

• No waiting list
• Free service for health care card holders/pensioner concession card holders
• Non card holders with CDBS are able to access bulk billed dental care at Bass Coast Health.

Non card holders 0-17 years of age are also eligible if they are:

• In out-of-home care provided by the Children Youth and Families Division of the Department of Human Services
• Youth justice clients in custodial care

Adult:

• Must hold current Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
• Capped costs and waiting times may apply

For more information on eligibility and priority groups please contact our reception team on 03 5671 3268.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule

The Commonwealth Government has introduced Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).

This entitles children aged 2 up to 17 years to $1,000 of general dental care over two calendar years.

You may have received a letter from Medicare saying your child /children are eligible. If you are not sure please contact us and we will check for you.

Our services are bulk-billed so you won’t have any out of pocket costs.

For more information or to book an appointment contact us today:

Phone: (03) 5671 3268

Address: Bass Coast Dental Service, 235 Graham Street, Wonthaggi, 3995

Contact Hours:

Daily brushing and cleaning between your teeth is important because it removes plaque. If the plaque isn’t removed, it builds up and can cause tooth decay and gum disease. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and toothbrushes should be replaced every 3-4 months, or when the bristles get worn or frayed.

The five steps below show you how to brush your teeth correctly.

1. Aim the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle towards the gum line.
2. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
3. Use a gentle circular motion.
4. Repeat on the inside surfaces.
5. Use a light back and forth motion on the chewing surfaces.
6. Spit out the toothpaste after brushing.
7. You do not need to rinse, as the small amount of fluoridated toothpaste left in your mouth after spitting continues to protect against tooth decay.

Electric toothbrushes also do a good job of cleaning teeth.

For healthy teeth, food and drinks should be free of added sugar whenever possible.

Tooth decay (dental caries) is a diet related disease. Sugars in the food and drinks you consume mix with the bacteria in the plaque on your teeth and produce acids. These acids attack the outer layers of the tooth (tooth enamel).

Consuming sweet food and drink between meals is a major cause of tooth decay; this is because there is no between-meal period for teeth to undergo recovery. The more often sweet foods and drinks are consumed, the higher the risk of tooth decay.

What you can do to help maintain healthy teeth:

• Limit how often you have sweet foods and consume them during meal times rather than between meals.
• Limit sweet drinks, including fruit juices (even if diluted, fruit juice contains natural sugars which can lead to tooth decay).
• Choose healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, natural yoghurt, plain popcorn, soups or cheese.
• Choose fresh fruit over dried fruit, as dried fruit will leave a sticky residue on your teeth and can contribute to tooth decay.
• Cut down the sugar added to cups of tea and coffee.
• Drink fluoridated tap water and plain milk instead of soft drinks, juice or cordial.
• Have a piece of cheese after consuming sweet or acidic food as dairy products assist in reversing the decay process.

Brushing your teeth and cleaning between your teeth is important because it removes plaque. If the plaque isn’t removed, it builds up and can cause tooth decay and gum disease. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day.

• 75% of adults rarely or never floss or clean between their teeth.
• 1 in 5 adults brush only once per day
• 39% of parents report their children drink 2-5 soft drinks per week.
• 2 in 3 adults usually visit the dentist for a problem rather than a regular check-up.
• 47% of adults (18+ years) consume too much sugar.

Make small changes to your oral hygiene habits such as:

• Brushing twice daily using fluoride toothpaste
• Clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes
• Eating a healthy, balanced diet and limit added sugar intake
• Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventative care.

These changes will help you maintain the health of your teeth and gums, and you won’t have to tell the dentist you last flossed when you had popcorn stuck in your teeth while watching TV!

There have been many upgrades to the dental clinic to keep the spread of COVID-19 at bay: the installation of low-pressure rooms and the approval of a new surgical unit to minimise and eliminate aerosols generated during COVID restrictions on dental procedures.

The low-pressure rooms were installed in early 2021 and have been instrumental in containing and extracting aerosols generated during dental procedures. We are the only public clinic in Victoria to have these facilities.

BCH’s Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer Paul Patten and the Dental Team have been collaborating to help bridge the gap in oral health needs in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Paul has provided support to us and made it more comfortable for this community to overcome barriers to dental care. For information please follow the link to the Dental Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People or more information about Paul Patten AHLO of Bass Coast Health.