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Compassionate Early Release of Superannuation

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ADA SA
ADA SA
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23 March 2025
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1 minute read
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  • SA Updates

Have you heard about the early release of Superannuation funds for dental treatment? Have you ever wondered whether this is something you could or should consider for your practice or for your patients?

According to Australian Tax Office statistics, the dollar value of funds approved for early release for dental treatment over a twelve month period reached $313.4million in the 2022/23 financial year.

This represents a staggering 83 per cent increase on the previous year. Not surprisingly, this level of activity has prompted scrutiny and concern from the ATO and dental regulatory authorities – with the Dental Council of NSW and the Dental Board of Australia recently issuing advices to the profession.

The president of the Dental Board has indicated that, ‘The Dental Board is concerned by this sudden rise and sees this as an emerging issue that may lead to more complaints in the near future.

'The Board is acting now to address this issue to try to reduce the number of potential complaints by reminding practitioners that good dental practice involves upholding the right of patients to gain access to necessary levels of healthcare while ensuring the services provided are necessary, appropriate, and likely to benefit the patient.'

The Board communique goes on to issue a warning advice to practitioners that providing misleading information to support a patient’s request to draw from superannuation is potentially grounds for the Board to consider disciplinary action, in addition to any action that the ATO may deem necessary. ( see: Dental Board of Australia - Dental Board urges compliance with advertising rules amid increase in patients accessing super to fund dental care)

If you are curious about your responsibilities as the treating dentist, about whether you can or should prepare a report to help patients wanting to access their superannuation funds and the rules around the release of those funds and where/how those funds might be used, there is a new ADA podcast in which Dr Craig Brown interviews the Chair of the Dental Board and the ATO’s Deputy Commissioner Superannuation and Employer Obligations (See: Compassionate Release of Superannuation) which contains a wealth of practical and pragmatic advice.

If this topic raises any queries or concerns for you, or if you wish to engage in a confidential conversation about your own situation, then you could contact the ADA SA Peer Advisor, Dr Jane Pinchback, on (08) 8272 8111.