12/02/2026
A smile saved
“When my daughter had her routine dental check-up at school, I wasn’t expecting any surprises. Her last visit had been completely fine, and we’ve always been diligent about brushing twice a day. So when the dentist flagged several areas of tooth decay — and showed me an x-ray with decay creeping alarmingly close to the nerves — I was shocked.
The diagnosis was enamel hypoplasia, a condition that weakens tooth enamel and often changes its colour, especially in the molars. The school dentist referred us to a paediatric specialist, explaining that the treatment was too complex for their clinic.
The specialist confirmed our fears: my daughter would need extensive dental work, performed under general anaesthesia as a day surgery. The estimated cost? Over $3,000.
I sat at the kitchen table later that night, staring at the treatment plan and trying to figure out how we’d manage it with the cost-of-living crisis and all. We were with a different health fund at the time, and when I called them, their response was crushing — they’d only cover $500. Even upgrading our policy wouldn’t get us close to the cost. I now had two heavy worries: my daughter’s health and a bill we couldn’t afford.
The next day at work, I was distracted and overwhelmed. While sitting in the lunchroom, my eyes landed on a flyer on one of the tables — one I must’ve walked past a hundred times: “CBHS – join now, no waiting on Extras.”
That evening, I made the call — and it changed everything.
The CBHS agent was kind and genuinely listened. I explained our situation, and instead of rushing through the sign-up, they guided me step by step. They even provided an estimate of the benefits we’d receive.
I was stunned.
CBHS would cover nearly $2,000 of the dental treatment. The hospital stay? Fully covered. No gap.
And for that, I’m deeply grateful.” – Maria N, CBHS member.
💛 Thank you, Maria, for sharing your story. At CBHS, our not-for-profit difference means putting members and their families first.
