Don’t Waste Your Dental Benefits – Claim Them Before December 31

Understanding Why So Many Aussies Lose Their Dental Benefits Each Year

Every year, thousands of Australians lose hundreds of dollars in unused dental benefits simply because they forget to use them before they expire. Most health funds operate on a ‘use it or lose it’ system, meaning any unused extras balance does not roll over into the next year. For Sunshine Coast families juggling school terms, sport, holidays and busy work schedules, it’s easy to let the year slip by without booking a dental visit.

But using your health fund proactively is one of the smartest ways to stay on top of your oral health while keeping out-of-pocket costs down. With the end of the year fast approaching, now is the ideal time to check what you are entitled to and ensure you book in before 31 December.

What Most Health Funds Typically Cover

While every fund and level of cover varies, most extras policies include benefits for general dental services. These are the essential treatments that support long-term oral health and help prevent more complex problems down the track.

Commonly Covered General Dental Services

• Check-up and clean
• Scale and polish
• Fluoride treatments
• X-rays
• Fissure seals
• Basic fillings
• Children’s dental services
• Preventative exams

These services are typically claimable with little or no gap depending on your fund and annual limits. For families in the Sunshine Coast, this means children can often access low-cost preventive care, helping set healthy habits early and reducing the risk of dental decay.

Why Preventive Appointments Offer the Best Value

General dental appointments deliver the highest return on your extras cover. Regular check-up and clean visits allow your dentist to identify early signs of decay, gum inflammation, bite issues and enamel wear – long before they develop into more costly treatments.

For children, these visits are even more important. Kids’ dental appointments often include fissure seals or fluoride treatments, which provide extra protection during the high cavity risk years. Most health funds include a dedicated children’s dental allowance, meaning these appointments are often fully covered.

How to Check Your Remaining Health Fund Balance

Before booking your end-of-year appointments, it’s worth taking a moment to check exactly what benefits you still have available. Most health funds make this easy through their app or online portal. You can usually see your remaining limits for general dental, major dental, orthodontics and children’s dental.

Simple Ways to Review Your Extras Before 31 December

• Log in to your fund’s app for real-time limits
• Check your annual caps for general dental and children’s dental
• Look for unused allowances, such as no-gap preventive visits
• Confirm whether benefits refresh on December 31st or January 1st
• Check waiting periods if you’re planning additional treatment

If you’re unsure, your dentist can also help interpret your policy during your appointment. Bringing your membership card or having your digital member ID handy allows the team to check item numbers and give guidance on what may be claimable.

The Treatments You Should Prioritise Before the Year Ends

Once you know your remaining balance, it’s easier to plan which appointments to book in first. With families especially, benefits can be split across children, teens and adults – meaning several people may have unused limits that will disappear on 31 December.

1. Check-Up and Clean

This is the number one appointment to secure before your extras reset. Most funds cover one or two check-up and clean visits per year, and they provide the best long-term value. If you haven’t booked yours yet, now is the time.

2. Children’s Dental Appointments

Kids and teens often miss their mid-year appointment due to school or sport commitments. End of year is the ideal time to use any remaining children’s dental benefits for:
• fissure seals
• fluoride treatments
• replacement X-rays
• check-up and clean appointments
• early intervention for crowding or bite issues

These services help prevent cavities and support healthy development, which saves families money over time.

3. Basic Restorative Treatments

If your dentist has recommended a small filling earlier in the year, now is the ideal time to complete it. Leaving decay untreated may lead to more costly procedures later. Most fillings fall under general dental and are commonly included in extras policies.

Treatments That May Be Covered Depending on Your Extras Policy

While general dental makes up the bulk of claimable benefits, many families are surprised to learn that some higher value treatments may also attract a rebate depending on the level of cover. Each health fund is different, so it’s important to check your individual policy, but exploring your options before the end of the year can help you avoid missing out.

1. Periodontal Cleaning and Gum Health Treatments

Some funds include additional support for patients who require deeper cleaning due to gum inflammation or periodontal concerns. If you have been monitoring gum health across the year, December can be the ideal time to schedule maintenance appointments while you still have benefits remaining.

2. Custom Mouthguards for Children and Teens

With summer sport starting up again, many parents choose to claim a custom mouthguard before their benefits reset. These are often included under general dental or preventative care and provide far better protection than over-the-counter alternatives.

3. Splints or Night Guards

If you grind or clench your teeth, you may receive a rebate for an occlusal splint. Not all policies include these, but for patients who have been delaying this treatment, now is the time to check your remaining limits.

Can You Use Your Health Fund for Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is one of the most commonly asked questions at the end of the year, especially as families prepare for holidays, reunions and festive events. While teeth whitening is not typically included under standard extras cover, some premium policies may offer a small rebate.

Even when whitening is not claimable, this period is still a popular time to book treatment because many patients choose to combine whitening with their check-up and clean appointment. Completing treatment while your oral health is freshly assessed helps ensure you get the best, safest results.

Why Planning Ahead Saves You Money and Stress

The final weeks of the year are always the busiest in dental clinics, with after-school appointments and Saturday bookings filling quickly. Planning ahead ensures your family can access the treatments they need before annual limits reset. It also allows your dentist to map out any care that might be better completed this year rather than next, particularly if you have already paid your annual premium.

A Simple End-of-Year Dental Checklist for Sunshine Coast Families

To make the process easier, here is a clear and practical checklist to help you maximise your health fund before 31 December. Whether you are managing your own appointments or coordinating care for children and teenagers, this list covers the essentials most families should prioritise.

Your End-of-Year Dental To-Do List

1. Book your check-up and clean
If you haven’t used both of your allowable preventive visits this year, schedule one now. These appointments are usually low or no gap and deliver the highest long term value.

2. Confirm your children’s dental benefits
Check for unused limits for:
• fluoride treatments
• fissure seals
• check up and cleans
• diagnostic X rays
• early orthodontic assessments

Many parents forget that children often have their own separate allowances under family cover.

3. Complete any outstanding fillings
If your dentist recommended a small filling earlier in the year, using your remaining extras before they expire can reduce future costs.

4. Check your eligibility for mouthguards or splints
If your child plays summer sport, or if you have ongoing clenching or grinding concerns, December can be an excellent time to claim these items if your policy allows it.

5. Ask about teeth whitening before the holidays
While teeth whitening is not generally covered, many patients choose to complete whitening when they come in for their pre-holiday clean. It is also an ideal treatment to combine with preventive care.

Why Acting Now Matters

Using your remaining benefits early not only reduces potential out-of-pocket expenses, it also ensures that any follow-up care recommended by your dentist can be planned properly for the new year. Preventive appointments completed in December also create a fresh baseline for next year’s dental schedule, helping your family maintain healthy habits moving forward.

Final Thoughts

Your health fund extras are designed to support good oral health, yet every year many Australians lose significant value simply by forgetting to book in time. By reviewing your remaining limits, understanding what is typically covered and prioritising the treatments that offer the highest benefit, you ensure your whole family receives the care they need before the reset date arrives.

To maximise your health fund benefits before December 31st, contact our friendly team at Comfort Dental & Implant Centre Buderim. Reserve your spot today and head into the new year with a healthier, brighter smile.