Accessing superannuation through the Early Release of Superannuation (ERS) program for dental treatments in Australia is only possible under specific circumstances. These circumstances typically fall under the ‘compassionate grounds’ category, where you can apply for early release of your super funds to cover dental treatment costs if it’s deemed necessary for your medical well-being.
Here are the key points regarding the eligibility for accessing Super on compassionate grounds for dental treatments:
- If you are suffering from severe dental conditions
- If you are uninsured or insufficiently covered
Thus, if your dental malady is significantly affecting your health or well-being and requires dental treatment, then you can access your Super.
How does superannuation work ?
You don’t have to worry about going to the dentist anymore. Your superannuation fund covers dental treatments and you can focus on getting your teeth fixed without stressing out about the associated costs. Follow these steps to claim your superannuation fund :
- Determine whether you need your superannuation fund for getting a dental treatment
- If you do, obtain a letter from your Supercare dentist
- Collect all of the required documents and complete your application
- After submitting the application, you must wait for the approval, which will take around four weeks.
What Dental Treatment Can be Done Using Superannuation:
With Supercare Dental & Cosmetics, you can get the following treatments done using your superannuation fund:
Your superannuation fund covers all types of implants, including All-on-X, individual, dentures, and more, available at Supercare.
Considering that root canal is required to alleviate severe dental pain and prevent the spread of infection that could impact overall health, it qualifies for Super.
Crowns are eligible for ERS if they are deemed medically necessary to address dental issues that impact overall well-being.
Although orthodontics is typically considered elective treatment, it is considered in cases of severe misalignments impacting dental health significantly.
This includes dental surgery or any dental treatment that requires patient sedation.
Who Can Apply ? How Long Does it Take ?
Anyone with the following issues can qualify for accessing their superannuation fund for dental treatment:
- Painful Dental Malady: As discussed above, your dental condition should have an impact on your overall health and quality of life for you to receive ERS on compassionate grounds.
- Financial Hardship: If you are unable to cover the costs of the necessary dental treatment through other means, such as health insurance or government assistance, you can qualify for ERS.
- Exhaustion of Other Resources: If you have exhausted all other reasonable options to fund the dental treatment, including accessing available savings or assets, you can use your Super.
Once your dental superannuation application is lodged, the ATO takes around 4 weeks to approve the application, and the superfund takes around 2 weeks to release the money. The whole process is completed in approximately 6 weeks.
Supercare FAQs
Yes, you may be eligible to access your super for the dental treatment of another person, but your application to the ATO may require additional information to support you have a dependant relationship.
Yes, you can access your superannuation for dental work under the ERS on compassionate grounds. This typically requires meeting specific eligibility criteria, having a severe dental condition, obtaining certification from a medical practitioner, demonstrating financial hardship, and exhausting other options for funding the necessary dental treatment.
After your application is submitted, the ATO takes around 4 weeks to approve it and 2 more weeks to disburse the funds.
The application process for accessing superannuation for dental treatment can vary based on factors such as the completeness of the application, the complexity of the case, the volume of applications being processed, and the responsiveness of the applicant in providing necessary documentation. Our experts are here to help you out with the application process so that it can be reduced as much as possible.
Yes, there is a limit to the amount of superannuation that can be withdrawn through your Super. The maximum amount allowed for withdrawal depends on your circumstances and needs, as assessed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or the superannuation fund.