Increase in MSD Dental Special Needs Grant

From 1 December 2022 the MSD Dental Special Needs Grant increases from $300 to $1000.

Aside from being an excellent result of NZDA’s advocacy, there’s a few things to know about this implementation.

Attached is Information guide for Dental Special Needs Grants.

This outlines the key changes, including included and excluded treatments, and the Dental Treatment Information Form (this is a new one).

Key changes are:

Changing the treatment criteria from ‘emergency’ to ‘immediate and essential’

People can apply to receive a Special Needs Grant when they or their dependent child have an immediate
need for essential dental treatment. This change recognises that not all dental treatment needs arise from
an emergency, which is the pre-1 December criteria in place for this grant.

‘Immediate and essential’ means dental treatment is required immediately to treat an oral health issue that:

  • has deteriorated or would begin to deteriorate if left untreated
  • is having, or is likely to have, a detrimental effect on the person’s oral health and/or wider physical health
  • For example, where a person has active and open tooth decay, there would be an immediate need for essential dental treatment to prevent further deterioration.
Increasing the maximum available amount from $300 to $1,000 over a 52-week period

If someone receives a Special Needs Grant for essential dental treatment, they don’t need to pay this
money back. From 1 December, the maximum available amount is increasing from $300 to $1,000 in a
52-week period (except where exceptional circumstances exist). We’ve made this change to better support
people in low-income households to meet their oral health needs.

Making multiple applications possible within a 52-week period

From 1 December 2022, people will be able to apply to receive more than one Special Needs Grant for
essential dental treatment, up to a maximum of $1,000 in a 52-week period. This will make it easier for
people to get a Special Needs Grant for immediate and essential dental treatment when they need it.

Further information is now available on the NZDA’s MSD website and dental treatment page.