Eligibility for free dental services
You can get free public dental services in the Northern Territory if you meet one of the following criteria:
- under 18 years old, still in school and don't work full time
- part of the Australian Government's cleft lip and cleft palate scheme, for more information go to Services Australia website
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Centrelink Health Care Card
- live more than 100 km away from the nearest dental service in a remote area, and you need emergency dental care but don't have access to private dental services, you can receive care from the visiting dental team.
To receive free orthodontic services, in addition to the above, you must also meet all of the following:
- holder or dependant of a Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card
- meet strict clinical criteria based on clinical assessment of a public orthodontist or dentist
- your orthodontic treatment will be completed by the age of 18.
For more information contact the Oral Health Services in Alice Springs 08 8951 6713 or Darwin 08 8922 6466.
If your eligibility status changes
If your eligibility status changes during a short course of care, such as routine fillings, your entitlement to treatment won't change.
If your eligibility status changes during a long course of care, such as during orthodontics, root canal treatment, prosthetics or periodontics, you will be referred to the private health sector after immediate treatment is completed.
Residents of the NT for more than six months | Emergency services | General services |
---|---|---|
School aged children | Yes | Yes |
Below school aged | Yes | Yes |
Residents living in the NT for less than six months | Emergency services | General services |
---|---|---|
School aged children | Yes | No |
Below school aged children | Yes | No |
Cleft lip/palate scheme members | Yes | Yes |
Non-Australian residents | Emergency services | General services |
---|---|---|
Tourist visa (676) | No | No |
Dependants of holders of temporary/ interim Medicare cards | Yes | Yes |
457 visa (employer/visa holder responsible for healthcare costs) | No | No |
Refugees within six months of arrival | Yes | Yes |
Trauma and/or torture victim | Yes | Yes |
Overseas students (570 - 576) | No | No |
Temporary residence (non business) 406 - 423 | No | No |
Employer sponsored (176/886 or 475/487) | No | No |
Public dental services
The following routine and emergency dental services are covered by the Northern Territory's free public dental system.
Your dentist will tell you which services are suitable for you. Not all treatments are appropriate for all patients.
- pain and trauma management
- emergency care
- restorative fillings and repairs
- endodontics
- extractions
- oral hygiene
- oral health promotion
- denture services
- dental check ups.
Specialist services include:
- orthodontics
- oral surgery
- dental treatment in hospital under general anaesthetic
- special needs dentistry.
Dental prosthetists:
- education, assessment, treatment, management and provision of removable dentures and mouthguards
- ensure proper fitting and maintenance of dental prostheses.
Dental/Oral health therapists:
- dental examinations
- radiographs
- restoration
- preventive treatments
- hygiene
- tooth extraction
- oral health promotion and education
- specialist referrals to eligible clients.
Oral health promotion planning and evaluation officer:
- planning, development, implementation and evaluation of oral health promotion programs and resources.
Complain about a public dental service
Dental patients have the same healthcare rights as other patients.
Find out about how to make a complaint on the Department of Health website.
Private dentists
You can pay to access private dental care across the Northern Territory.
If you have private health insurance check with your provider to see what you can claim.
Contact
For more information contact your community dental clinic.
How to make an appointment
If you live in Central Australia you can make a dental appointment by calling Oral Health Services on (08) 8951 6713.
If you live in the Top End you can make a dental appointment by calling Oral Health Services on (08) 8922 6466.
You can also go to one of the community dental clinics to make an appointment.
When you make your appointment
You must provide all of the following information:
- name
- date of birth
- Indigenous status
- address
- country of birth
- language spoken.
When you call, you must give the reason for your call and your Medicare number and expiry date. If you are an adult, you will also be asked for either:
- your healthcare card number and expiry date
- or your pension concession card number and expiry date.
You must bring your card to your appointment.
Staff will discuss the options, benefits and risks with you before they start any treatment.
Waiting list
Demand for adult dental services is high so you may need to join a waiting list. Patients with the most urgent problems are seen first.
Cancelling or missing your appointment
If you do not turn up for your appointment you may have to wait longer for a new one.
If you need to cancel your appointment you should give reasonable notice so your appointment can be given to another patient.
Dental clinic contacts
Children can visit any of the school-based dental clinics from age 0 to until they finish primary school (year 6).
Once your child starts year 7, they must be seen at one of the community dental clinics.
School dental clinics
Find school dental clinics in central Australia and Top End below.
Central Australia
Call 08 8951 6713 to make an appointment at one of the following school dental clinics in central Australia.
School | Address | Map |
---|---|---|
Braitling Primary School |
80 Head Street Braitling NT 0870 | View in Google Maps |
Gillen Primary School |
55 Milner Road Gillen NT 0870 | View in Google Maps |
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College (Bath Street campus) | 9 Bath Street Alice Springs NT 0870 | View in Google Maps |
Sadadeen Primary School | Spearwood Road Sadadeen NT 0870 | View in Google Maps |
Tennant Creek Primary School |
31 Paterson Street Tennant Creek NT 0860 | View in Google Maps |
Top End
Call 08 8922 6466 to make an appointment at one of the following school dental clinics in the Top End.
School | Address | Map |
---|---|---|
Anula Primary School |
73 Yanyula Drive Anula NT 0812 | View in Google Maps |
Bakewell Primary School |
Forrest Parade Bakewell NT 0832 | View in Google Maps |
Driver Primary School |
37 Driver Avenue Driver NT 0830 | View in Google Maps |
Karama Primary School | 37 Livistona Road Karama NT 0812 | View in Google Maps |
Manunda Terrace Primary School | 31 Manunda Terrace Karama NT 0812 | View in Google Maps |
Moulden Park Primary School |
103 Bonson Crescent Moulden NT 0830 | View in Google Maps |
Nightcliff Primary School | Cunjevoi Crescent Nightcliff NT 0810 | View in Google Maps |
Parap Primary School | Urquhart Street Parap NT 0820 | View in Google Maps |
Stuart Park Primary School |
Nudl Street Stuart Park NT 0820 | View in Google Maps |
Wagaman Primary School | 35 Wagaman Terrace Wagaman NT 0812 | View in Google Maps |
Wanguri Primary School | 46 Gsell Street Wanguri NT 0810 | View in Google Maps |
Community dental clinics
Families and children who have finished primary school can visit a community dental clinic below.
Clinic | Address | Phone | Map |
---|---|---|---|
Alice Springs - Flynn Drive Community Health Centre | 10 Flynn Drive Gillen NT 0870 | 08 89516 713 | View in Google Maps |
Darwin - Oral Health Services | 9 Scaturchio Street Casuarina NT 0810 | 08 8922 6466 | View in Google Maps |
Gove Dental Clinic | Endeavour Square Nhulunbuy NT 0880 | 08 8922 6466 | View in Google Maps |
Katherine Dental Clinic | Big Rivers Government Centre 5 First Street Katherine NT 0850 | 08 8922 6466 | View in Google Maps |
Palmerston Dental Clinic | 3 Gurd Street Farrar NT 0830 | 08 8922 6466 | View in Google Maps |
Tennant Creek visiting dental service | Tennant Creek Hospital 45 Schmidt Street Tennant Creek NT 0860 | 08 8951 6713 | View in Google Maps |
Visiting dental services in remote towns
Remote towns with visiting dental services
- Alcoota
- Ali Curung
- Alyangula
- Ampilatwatja
- Angurugu
- Areyonga
- Barunga
- Beswick
- Bonya
- Borroloola
- Bulman
- Canteen Creek
- Daly River
- Docker River
- Elliott
- Engawala
- Epenarra
- Finke
- Galiwinku
- Gapuwiyak
- Haasts Bluff
- Harts Range
- Hermannsberg
- Imanpa
- Jabiru
- Jilkminggan
- Kalkarindji
- Kings Canyon
- Kintore
- Lajamanu
- Lake Nash
- Laramba
- Maningrida
- Mataranka
- Milikapiti
- Milingimbi
- Minjilang
- Minyerri
- Mt Liebig
- Mutitjulu
- Nguiu
- Ngukurr
- Nhulunbuy
- Numbulwar
- Nyrippi
- Oenpelli
- Palumpa
- Papunya
- Peppimenarti
- Pigeon Hole
- Pirlangimpi
- Ramingining
- Santa Teresa
- Tara
- Tennant Creek
- Timber Creek
- Ti Tree
- Titjikala
- Utopia
- Wadeye
- Wallace Rockhole
- Warruwi
- Willowra
- Wilora
- Yarralin
- Yirrkala
- Yuelamu
- Yuendumu
- Yulara
Get a free mouthguard for your child
A mouthguard can help prevent damage or loss of teeth and broken jaws when playing a contact sport.
It should be worn during training and while playing.
A custom-made mouthguard is recommended because it is designed to fit your mouth, providing better protection.
Your child can get a custom-mouthguard from a private dentist or from Oral Health Services.
Eligibility
To qualify for a free mouthguard, your child must have:
- a medicare card
- a recent oral health examination and any dental decay treated
- 4 upper front fully grown permanent teeth
- a letter from their sports coach or registration receipt from a sporting club.
Oral Health Services provides a maximum of 2 mouthguards per child.
If your child does not quality, you can use a store bought self-moulding mouthguard or make an appointment with a private dental clinic.
Make an appointment
Make an appointment with Oral Health Services, call Darwin, Katherine and Gove 08 8922 6466 or Alice Springs 08 8951 6713.
At your appointment a mold of your child's teeth will be taken and sent to a laboratory.
The mouthguard will be ready for collection in a couple of weeks.
You can purchase store bought varieties to use in between fittings.
If your child has braces, appliances or any upcoming orthodontic treatment, talk to your orthodontist about mouthguard options.