The Victorian Denture Scheme — Your Guide to Subsidised Dentures
- May 20
- 5 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
For eligible Victorians, the Victorian Denture Scheme (VDS) provides access to dentures at low or no out-of-pocket cost through a network of registered providers. If you hold a concession card and need dentures — or if you're managing deteriorating or broken dentures and haven't been able to access treatment due to cost — this scheme may be able to help.
Keep Smiling Dentures in Warrandyte is a registered provider under the Victorian Denture Scheme. Jacqueline Bell has been seeing VDS patients for many years.
This page explains how the scheme works, who is eligible, and how to access it through Keep Smiling.
What is the Victorian Denture Scheme?
The Victorian Denture Scheme is a state government–funded program administered by the Department of Health. It provides eligible Victorians with access to full and partial dentures — and in some cases, denture repairs — at low or no cost to the patient, through registered providers.
The scheme recognises that dental health significantly affects overall health, quality of life, and social wellbeing — and that the cost of dentures places them beyond reach for many people on low or fixed incomes. The VDS exists to close that gap for eligible Victorians.
Who is Eligible for the Victorian Denture Scheme?
Eligibility for the VDS is based on your current circumstances. The scheme is generally available to:
Commonwealth concession card holders — including those who hold a Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) or a Health Care Card (HCC)
DVA Gold Card holders (though DVA has its own dental benefits program — see below)
Eligible dependants of concession card holders in some circumstances
To confirm your eligibility, the most reliable step is to contact your local community health service or the Department of Health. Keep Smiling can also advise at your initial consultation.
Note: Eligibility rules and administrative details for the VDS are set by the Victorian Government and subject to change. The information on this page is a general guide — always confirm current eligibility and waiting period information with the scheme directly or with your provider.
What Does the Victorian Denture Scheme Cover?
Through the VDS, eligible patients can access:
Full dentures — complete upper and/or lower dentures
Partial dentures — replacing one or more missing teeth
Denture repairs — in some circumstances, repairs to existing dentures are covered
The scheme has a fee schedule that determines what is covered and at what cost to the government. As a registered provider, Keep Smiling charges in accordance with the VDS fee schedule for scheme patients — meaning low or no out-of-pocket cost for covered services. A small co-payment may apply depending on the services required.
Are There Waiting Lists?
Yes. The Victorian Denture Scheme is a publicly funded program, and demand typically exceeds supply. Waiting periods can vary — sometimes significantly — depending on the priority of your need and the current state of demand.
Certain groups receive priority access and are not placed on the general waiting list. These include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, pregnant people, refugees and asylum seekers, and people registered with mental health or disability services with a letter of recommendation from their case manager.
Patients with more urgent clinical need — significant pain, or dentures that are broken to the point of being unwearable — may also be assessed as higher priority.
If you're on a waiting list or expecting a long wait, it's worth calling Keep Smiling to discuss your situation. Jacqueline can advise on what to expect and whether your circumstances may qualify for priority consideration.
How Do I Access the Victorian Denture Scheme?
The process varies slightly depending on your circumstances, but generally involves:
Confirming your eligibility — check that you hold a current eligible concession card
Contacting a registered provider or community health service — you can access the VDS directly through registered private providers like Keep Smiling, or through public dental services at community health centres
Assessment and referral — in some cases, a referral or prior approval may be required before treatment begins. Jacqueline can guide you through this at your initial consultation.
Treatment — once approved, your dentures are made and fitted at low or no cost to you for covered services. A small co-payment may apply.
The simplest starting point is to call Keep Smiling on 03 9844 4321 and explain that you'd like to enquire about accessing treatment through the Victorian Denture Scheme. Jacqueline and her team will advise on the next step.
Quality Under the Victorian Denture Scheme
A question Jacqueline hears regularly from VDS patients is whether the quality of dentures under the scheme is the same as what private patients receive. At Keep Smiling, the answer is yes.
Every patient — whether self-funded, health fund–covered, or VDS-eligible — receives the same level of care, the same attention to fit and appearance, and the same access to Jacqueline's 30+ years of expertise. There is no "scheme version" of a Keep Smiling denture.
As Jacqueline has said of her own philosophy: "Never compromise on quality, and bring about the most natural looking dentures." That standard doesn't change based on how a patient's treatment is funded.
Patients supported by the VDS appear in Keep Smiling's Google Reviews, writing about the same transformation outcomes — confidence restored, eating freely, feeling like themselves again — as any other patient. The scheme funds the treatment. Jacqueline brings the care.
Veterans Affairs Dental Benefits
If you hold a DVA White or Gold Card, you may be entitled to denture services through Veterans Affairs rather than — or in addition to — the Victorian Denture Scheme.
DVA Gold Card holders typically have access to comprehensive dental cover. DVA White Card holders may have entitlements for specific accepted conditions.
Keep Smiling Dentures accepts DVA patients. If you're a veteran and unsure which pathway applies to you, call the clinic and Jacqueline will advise.
If You Don't Qualify for the VDS
If you're not eligible for the Victorian Denture Scheme but cost is still a concern, there are other options worth knowing about:
Private health insurance — if you hold a policy with major dental cover, you may be able to claim a partial rebate. Keep Smiling accepts all major health funds with HICAPS on-the-spot claiming.
No-interest payment plans — Keep Smiling offers interest-free payment plans, so the cost of treatment can be spread over time without adding to the total.
For a full overview of what dentures typically cost and what funding options are available, see our guide to denture costs.
Why Patients Travel to Warrandyte for VDS Treatment
Keep Smiling Dentures is located in Warrandyte, approximately 25km northeast of Melbourne's CBD. Patients travel from across Melbourne's eastern and north-eastern suburbs — Eltham, Greensborough, Doncaster, Templestowe, Croydon, Ringwood, and beyond — for both private and VDS treatment.
What brings them is the combination of Jacqueline's clinical expertise and her approach to care. For patients who've spent years on waiting lists or managing broken or ill-fitting dentures, arriving at a clinic where someone genuinely takes the time to get it right — and where the surroundings feel calm rather than clinical — is itself a relief.
"I wish I had found Keep Smiling Dentures a long time ago." — Paula S.
See all the areas we serve across Melbourne's east.
Book Your Initial Consultation
If you're eligible for the Victorian Denture Scheme and want to know whether Keep Smiling can see you under the program — or if you'd simply like to understand your options — call Jacqueline on 03 9844 4321.
You can also send an enquiry and we'll be in touch to discuss your situation.
Keep Smiling Dentures11 Lorraine Avenue, Warrandyte VIC 3113Mon–Fri, 10:30am–7pm (after-hours by appointment)
