The Greater Western Area Health Service is urging families who have received a Medicare Teen Dental Voucher to ensure they take advantage of the new Commonwealth Government Scheme and ensure vouchers for their children are used before they expire on December 31.

Medicare Teen Dental Vouchers are issued to young people aged 12-17 years whose families are in receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A, or who receive Youth Allowance or Abstudy.

Most vouchers would have been posted to families in August this year.

A Medicare Teen Dental Voucher covers a dental check-up and preventive dental care up to the value

of $150.

Public dental clinics and some private dentists will bulk-bill patients with no out of pocket expenses for the preventive care.

Some private dental practices will charge an upfront fee and provide a receipt which can be taken to Medicare for a refund of up to $150.

Bathurst residents can contact the GWAHS Child Dental clinic on 1300 552 208.

For more information on the Medicare Teen Dental Voucher Scheme, or if an unused voucher has been lost, parents can contact Medicare Australia on 132 011.