VPTAS: Support for patients travelling for specialist dental care
Many dental patients in rural and regional Victoria travel significant distances to access specialist care. The Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) provides financial assistance to eligible Victorians who need to travel long distances for specialist medical or specialist dental treatment.
Recent updates to the VPTAS, introduced in April 2026, may help eligible patients reduce some of the financial burden associated with travel and accommodation costs. The update has introduced a new online claims portal and updated guidelines designed to simplify the application process and improve claim tracking.
The easiest way for patients to apply is online via myGov, where they can link the Victorian Concessions and Allowances service to submit, track and manage their VPTAS claims.
Who is eligible?
To access VPTAS, patients must generally:
- be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or refugee
- be a Victorian resident at the time of referral and treatment
- travel to the closest eligible specialist medical or dental service
- travel either 100 km one way, or a cumulative 500 km within seven days, to access specialist treatment (rural and regional patients)
- travel interstate for treatment that is unavailable in Victoria
- lodge their claim within 12 months of the specialist appointment or treatment.
Importantly for dental, VPTAS includes eligible patients receiving in-hospital specialist dental treatment (this includes day admissions or appointments). More specifically, under the updated arrangements, eligible services include:
- Specialist dental treatment provided by an approved dental specialist in a hospital setting; and
- Paediatric dental services delivered at the Royal Children's Hospital, Monash Children's Hospital and the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide.
Note: General dental treatment is not covered under the scheme
If patients are attending a hospital appointment for dental services outside of a specialist dentist and require a general anaesthetic, they may be eligible for VPTAS support under the medical specialist criteria, noting the anaesthetist normally falls under the medical specialist criteria. In such cases the anaesthetist details should be provided on the application form.
Please note that if anaesthetic services are provided by a general practitioner anaesthetist, this does not meet the medical specialist requirement.
Patients who are uncertain whether their treatment or specialist is eligible should contact the VPTAS office on 1300 737 073 for advice.
The role of dental specialists
Dental specialists play an important role in the application process. VPTAS requires confirmation from the treating specialist regarding attendance, treatment requirements and, where relevant, the need for accommodation or a support person. For online applications, this information is provided through a Specialist Confirmation Form.
Dentists treating rural and regional patients who require hospital-based specialist dental care may wish to make patients aware of VPTAS and encourage them to check their eligibility before travelling.
Further information, eligibility requirements and application forms are available via:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/victorian-patient-transport-assistance-scheme
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/rural-health/victorian-patient-transport-assistance-scheme-vptas
