Gold Card and White Card veterans welcome. We claim directly with DVA. No paperwork, no rebate to chase.
Divine Dental Care accepts both DVA card types at our Croydon practice: the Gold Card and the White Card. We bill DVA directly, so there is no form for you to lodge and no rebate to claim back. For most DVA patients with an assessed clinical need, there is nothing to pay.
Phone (03) 9725 8040 and mention your DVA card when you book, or book online. We are at 59 Wicklow Ave, Croydon, a short distance from Croydon station, and we are open six days a week including Saturdays.
If you have noticed different wording on DVA correspondence lately, you are not imagining it. The cards have been renamed:
Nothing about how the cards work has changed, and your existing card remains valid. Most veterans still say Gold and White, so we use both sets of names throughout this page. If you turn up with a card that says Gold Card on it, that is fine.
The practical difference between the two cards is scope, not quality of care.
| Card | Official name | Dental cover |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Card | Veteran Card – All Conditions | Dental treatment where there is an assessed clinical need |
| White Card | Veteran Card – Specific Conditions | Dental treatment relating to an accepted service-related injury or condition |
If you hold a White Card and are not certain whether your dental issue falls within an accepted condition, bring the card in and we will work it out with you before any treatment is booked. Nobody should be guessing at the front desk.
Under DVA, an eligible veteran with an assessed clinical need may receive:
DVA funds check-ups usually once every six months. If your situation calls for more frequent visits, your dentist can contact DVA to request approval. That is our job, not yours.
This is the part that confuses most people, so it is worth being clear about.
In most cases you will not pay anything for DVA dental treatment. However, a Biennial Monetary Limit (BML) applies to certain high-cost items, things like some bridges and crowns. DVA currently sets the BML at $5,980.30 across two calendar years, and the figure is indexed.
If your high-cost items exceed that limit over the two-year period, you may need to make a co-payment. Routine care is not what the cap is aimed at.
You are exempt from the BML entirely, with no co-payment at all, if:
We check where you sit against the limit before starting any high-cost work, and we tell you in writing if a co-payment is likely. No veteran should discover a gap after the fact.
DVA has specific rules for dentures that are worth knowing, because they are more generous than most people assume:
If you are wearing dentures that no longer fit, you may well be overdue for a re-line rather than resigned to putting up with them. It is worth having them looked at.
DVA does fund dental implants in defined circumstances, and prior approval is required before treatment starts. DVA describes an implant as a titanium screw used to support partial or full dentures, and funds:
This is the part most practices do not explain, and it decides how your treatment is arranged. DVA splits implant treatment into two phases and sets out exactly who may provide each one.
| Treatment | Surgical phase | Restorative phase |
|---|---|---|
| Single tooth implant | Oral and maxillofacial surgeon, oral surgeon or periodontist | Prosthodontist or dentist |
| Incisor replacement with a pontic | Oral and maxillofacial surgeon, oral surgeon or periodontist | Prosthodontist or dentist |
| Implants to support a full lower denture | Oral and maxillofacial surgeon, oral surgeon or periodontist | Prosthodontist only |
| Implants to support a partial upper denture | Oral and maxillofacial surgeon, oral surgeon or periodontist | Prosthodontist only |
In plain terms: the surgical placement always goes to a specialist. That is DVA policy, not a practice preference. For a single tooth implant or an incisor replaced with a pontic, the restorative phase can be done by a general dentist, which means our team can complete that part of your treatment here in Croydon. For implants supporting a full lower or partial upper denture, DVA requires a prosthodontist for the restorative phase.
Your treatment plan is developed and submitted to DVA for assessment before treatment begins. DVA notes that approval requests can take some time to process, so it pays to start the conversation early.
DVA does not fund treatment plans that include mini implants, block bone grafting, or zygomatic implants, though where a specialist believes there are exceptional circumstances, DVA can assess approval case by case.
DVA also requires that your dentition and oral health have been stable for more than six months, including any periodontal disease, with risk factors such as smoking and osteoporosis suitably controlled. Implants are funded where clinically necessary, not for cosmetic purposes alone.
Croydon has an older population profile than many outer-eastern suburbs, and that matters for veterans' dental care. ABS 2021 Census data records Croydon's population at 28,608 with a median age of 39, and a notable older cohort: 4.0% aged 75 to 79, 3.1% aged 80 to 84, and 3.3% aged 85 and over. Across the wider catchment of roughly 128,227 people spanning nine suburbs, an estimated 15 to 20% are aged 65 and over.
That is the age band where DVA cardholders are concentrated, and it is also the band where dentures, crowns, periodontal treatment and dry mouth become common. It is why we have kept our DVA arrangements straightforward rather than treating veterans as an administrative exception.
We see DVA patients from Croydon, Croydon North, Croydon Hills, Croydon South, Mooroolbark, Kilsyth, Ringwood, Ringwood East and Bayswater. The practice is on Wicklow Ave, a short distance from Croydon station, with Saturday appointments available for those who would rather avoid weekday travel.
If you are not a DVA cardholder, or you are helping a family member who is not, we are also preferred providers for the major health funds and bulk bill eligible children through the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule. See our private health insurance page and our CDBS dentist in Croydon page for details. If you are not sure which scheme applies to you, our Medicare and the dentist page sets out each pathway.
DVA entitlements, the Biennial Monetary Limit and implant rules described on this page are drawn from the Department of Veterans' Affairs and were last checked on 8 August 2026. DVA figures are indexed and rules can change, so confirm current details at dva.gov.au or with our team. This page is general information, not personal dental advice; your dentist will assess your individual clinical need.
Our friendly team at Divine Dental Care is here to help you achieve the healthy, confident smile you deserve.