Community
12 February, 2025
Free dental care for kids
FREE dental appointments are available for children up to the age of 17 across the Far North.
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service has prepared its fleet of dental vans for visiting schools and community sites across the region for the year ahead.
Oral health director Dr Herholdt ‘Harry’ Robertson said the vans provided an easy way for younger patients to easily access free dental care closer to home.
“We have nine mobile dental vans that travel throughout the Cairns and Hinterland region on a regular basis, from as far south as Tully, and north to the Daintree, and west to Croydon,” he said.
“Our dental vans treat eligible children up to 17 years of age for free and they are staffed by highly experienced dental therapists and oral health therapists and their dental assistants.’
“We have plenty of appointments free for children and this is a stress-free environment with clinicians who are highly skilled at treating and caring for our youngest patients.
“Children only need to have a Medicare card and be a Queensland resident to be eligible for this service.”
Dr Robertson said booking children into the dentist gave them a head start for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
“If we can help kids with their general oral health and hygiene early on in life, that will help against serious diseases like heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s later in life,” he said.
To make an appointment, call 1300 300 850 or drop by one of the oral health vans.
