Anyone can receive emergency dental care through The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.
To access general, denture or specialist care through the public dental system, you need to be eligible.
The following people are eligible: 
- Children and young people:
- All children aged 0 – 12 years
- Young people aged 13 – 17 years who are health care or pensioner concession card holders or dependants of concession card holders
- All children and young people up to 18 years of age in residential care provided by the Children Youth and Families division of the Department of Human Services
- All youth justice clients in custodial care, up to 18 years of age
- People aged 18 years and over, who are health care or pensioner concession card holders or dependants of concession card holders
- All Refugees and Asylum Seekers
- All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are treated at The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne
Find out How to access dental care.
Priority access
If you are eligible for public dental services, you may also have priority access to public dental care.
People who have priority access will be offered the next available appointment for general care and will not be placed on the general care wait list. Where you have denture care needs, you will be offered the next available appointment for denture care or placed on the priority denture list, where applicable.
The following groups have priority access to care:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
- Children (0-12 years) and Young People (see above)
- Homeless people and people at risk of homelessness
- Pregnant women
- Refugees and Asylum Seekers
- Registered clients of mental health and disability services, supported by a letter of recommendation from their case manager or staff of special developmental schools
If you meet any of the above criteria, tell the receptionist when you telephone to make an appointment that you may be eligible for ‘priority access’.
Do you have children aged between 12 and 17 years?
They may be able to get free dental checks through the Medicare Teen Dental Plan.
Telephone 132 011 (charges apply) or visit www.medicareaustralia.gov.au to find out more.