Guide on dental costs

[Jessica Berry]

I had a crown replaced recently and I thought I would post the costings on here as some people may not be aware that dentists can be quite costly. Please feel free to add to the thread if anyone has had any treatment.

 

The cost of the crown was $1290. We pay extras private health cover which covers us for dental, chiro, optician, ambulance, physio etc (but not hospital cover) and under our policy I was entitled to 70% of the cost back. So I received $903 back and it cost me $387.

[NicF]

My OH and kids went to the dentists today. It cost $56 each for a check up and $122 each for a clean. The extras cover we have paid $106.80 towards each and we paid $71.20 each, so $213.60 all up for the three of them.

[jtct]

We don't have medical insurance so LOTS.............. had a tooth rebuilt with resin and Xrays ($265) Full examination and good clean, rough back tooth smoothed over (didn't need a new filing but maybe in the future) + fluoride gel treatment about the same price as the previous week so $500 in all. Could have been worse - i was expecting a root canal

[Blossom]

GREAT thread idea!

[Nikianx73]

Not looking forward to my next trip. Got impacted wisdom teeth and I've got a feeling they'll have to come out surgically & hubby broke two teeth on a Haighs peppermint frog yesterday (teach him to keep it in the fridge lol) - dread to think what they'll charge for that. We all get a free check up, scale and polish once a year with our insurance so that'll keep the costs down for the kids at least

[Guest wen66]

Good idea, a dentist thread. :biggrin:Know of any good ones near Noarlunga or surroundings?

(I don't like dentists, I am sure they are lovely people but.....that whirring noise, the pain. arghhhhh.....)

[Rachiegarlo]

If you have kids check for an insurance company who pays out 100% for kids general dental until 18 or longer if they continue being a fulltime student and you go to a member dentist. My son had 6 veneers put on just before he outgrew our insurance for $0 and any cleans, visits and fillings etc were also $0.

[alexandkaren]

Rachiegarlo do you mind telling me what insurance company you use?

thanks

[JoeandCarrie]

So Im guessing it's best to get dental up to date before we emigrate as currently listed as an NHS patient! Take these things for granted in the UK!

 

Carrie

Edited March 6, 2015 by JoeandCarrie

[snifter]

Don't forget about the school dental scheme if you have children of any age. Its a set fee and not expensive, $42 for a set course is well worth it IMHO. We use the dentist down at Marion GP Plus centre, lovely facility, nice staff.

 

Dental care for children

 

The School Dental Service offers expert oral health care to eligible children at clinics throughout South Australia. This care is provided by teams of dentists, dental therapists, and dental assistants.

All preschool, primary school and secondary school students, aged under 18 years, are eligible for oral health care with the School Dental Service.

How do I make an appointment for my child?

 

If you would like to make a dental appointment for your child, you can contact a School Dental Clinic in your area.

See our List of SA Dental Service school dental clinics (PDF 45KB)(opens in a new window) in your area, including phone numbers and locations.

Interpreters are available through SA Dental Service. Our staff can arrange for an interpreter to contact you or be present at your child’s appointment.

What treatment will be provided at my child’s appointment?

 

Your child’s general dental care may include:

 

• a dental check-up
  
• information on oral health and healthy food
  
• x-rays
  
• cleaning teeth
  
• applying fluoride and fissure sealants to prevent tooth decay
  
• filling or extracting teeth when necessary
  
• referral to a dentist or dental specialist for further advice.
  

Prevention is vital for your child's oral health. Parents and carers are encouraged to attend dental appointments. Sharing knowledge and information will assist clinic staff to provide the most effective dental care for your child.

 

How much will dental care cost for my child?

 

ALL DENTAL CARE IS FREE FOR PRESCHOOL CLIENTS.

Primary and secondary school children who are dependents of/holders of the following concessions are eligible to receive free dental care:

 

• Centrelink Concession Card(opens in a new window)
  
• Department of Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession Card
  
• School Card
  

For primary and secondary school children who are not dependents of, or holders of the above concessions, a fee of $42 will apply for each course of general dental care provided.

How do I pay for my child’s dental care?

 

Families who are not eligible for free care will be invoiced $42. This fee may be paid at Australia Post or by BPay from a cheque, savings or credit card.

School Dental Clinics do not accept cash payments.

What if I have private health insurance?

 

If you have private dental cover your child/children can access care directly from a private dental provider. Patients with private dental cover but choosing public care should ask their fund if the cost of treatment at a government dental clinic is covered.

 

Does Medicare cover dental treatment through the school dental service?

 

From January 2014 Medicare will introduce The Child Dental Benefit Scheme . Eligible children will receive up to $1,000 of dental care over a two year period. For more information ask your local school dental clinic or visit the Department of Health and Ageing website(opens in a new window).

 

 

 

Here is the link to the webpage the above is copied from. Its worth a read if you have kids of any age.

 

http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/health+services/dental+services/dental+care+for+children/dental+care+for+children

 

 

Website link - http://www.sadental.sa.gov.au/

 

 

 

Also there is the Child Dental Benefits Scheme (as mentioned in the above) if eligible.

What is the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

 

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is a Commonwealth funded dental benefit Schedule.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule will commence on January 1, 2014.

The schedule will provide access to basic dental services for eligible children aged between 2-17 years.

Who is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

A child's eligibility is assessed at the beginning of each year and lasts the whole calendar year.

A child is eligible if they are:

 

• aged between 2-17 years for at least 1 day of the calendar year
  
• eligible for Medicare
  
• part of a family receiving Family Tax Benefit A
  
• or receiving one of the following Australian Government Payments:
  
  • Youth Allowance
    
  • Abstudy Allowance
    
  • Disability Support Pension
    
  • Parenting Payment
    
  • Special Benefit
    
  • Carer Payment
    
  • Double Orphan Pension
    
  • Veteran's Children Education Scheme, if the child is over 16.
    
  • Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme, if the child is over 16.
    

Can my child still receive dental care through the School Dental Service and be eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

Yes. You can still make a dental appointment with the School Dental Service for your child or children, all children and young people under the age of 18 years are welcome.

Link to site with rest of info - http://www.sadental.sa.gov.au/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=491

 

Edited March 6, 2015 by snifter

[samandcraig]

This is very useful, my son will be needing a brace in the next 12 months! I think it may be an expensive time ahead, need to have a good look into the best insurance for us.....

[snifter]

This is very useful, my son will be needing a brace in the next 12 months! I think it may be an expensive time ahead, need to have a good look into the best insurance for us.....

 

You may well find some insurance won't cover it or else it will only cover part and will cost a lot to take out in the first place. Those I have spoken to here whose kids have braces or had them have usually forked out out of their own pocket. Its one thing that as its usually a cosmetic thing it can be something insurance won't cover. I think if there is a genuine medical dental type reason it can make a difference but to get teeth straighter it may not be classed under that.

 

Definately worth doing some reading and researching on. Hopefully there are ways and means but be prepared if not.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

There's also the SA Dental Service.

 

Their contact details are: http://www.sadental.sa.gov.au/

 

I know that a requirement for this service is a low income card or a health care card.

 

They do have a very long waiting list. You can register with them and they inform you when you can attend. The local facilities in Noarlunga were recently upgraded and I have been told that they are modern and well equipped.

If you qualify and need emergency treatment (in pain) you will jump the queue and get a quick appointment.

 

Details of their service are the same as in the previous thread for children's dentistry.:

 

Dental care for adults

 

SA Dental Service community dental clinics provide a range of dental services to eligible adults at clinics throughout South Australia.

Adults (or their adult dependents) with a current Pensioner Concession Card (Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs) or a health care card are eligible to receive a range of general and emergency dental care services through a community dental clinic.

How do I make an appointment?

 

If you would like to make a dental appointment, you can contact a community dental clinic in your area. See our list of SA Dental Service community dental clinics, including phone numbers and locations:

 

• List of SA Dental Service community dental clinics (PDF 44KB)(opens in a new window)
  

Please note that waiting lists apply, and patients should bring their concession card to all appointments.

 

Department of Veteran Affairs Card holders may be eligible for treatment with Veteran Dental Services. Contact the Department of Veteran Affairs 133 254 information line.

Interpreters are available through SA Dental Service. Our staff can arrange for an interpreter to contact you or be present at your appointment.

What treatment can be provided at my appointment?

 

General dental care

 

SA Dental Service provides a range of general dental services for eligible adults with natural teeth or dentures. In some cases, clients may be offered authorisation to receive care from a private dentist through the General Dental Scheme, Emergency Dental Scheme or Pensioner Denture Scheme.

Authorisation for access to these schemes is provided by community dental service staff.

Emergency dental care

 

SA Dental Service provides emergency dental care for eligible adults. In a dental emergency, phone your local clinic where staff will identify your treatment needs by asking a series of questions. Clients with urgent needs will receive priority access, while others may be offered a place on the general waiting list, or will have alternative care options suggested.

How much will dental care cost?

 

You will be required to make a contribution to the cost of your dental care.

The fee is the same regardless of where treatment is provided.

If emergency dentures or denture repairs are required, an additional fee will apply.

Our staff will discuss fees with you before starting treatment.

For more information about fees:

 

• Fees for Adult Dental Services (PDF 175KB)(opens in a new window)
  

How do I pay for dental treatment?

 

Community Dental Clinics accept the following methods of payment.

 

• cash
  
• cheque
  
• money order.
  

Please note that credit card and EFTPOS payments are accepted only at the Adelaide Dental Hospital on Frome Road, Adelaide.

Payment options at private dental providers vary - ask about payment before your first visit.

If you are in severe financial hardship, please speak to our staff about your options.

Emergency care will not be withheld. Speak to a financial counsellor for a letter of support.

What if I have private health insurance?

 

If you have private dental cover you can access care directly from a private provider. Patients with private dental cover but choosing public care should ask their fund if the cost of treatment at a government dental clinic is covered.

Does Medicare cover dental treatment through the Community Dental Clinic?

 

Medicare does not cover the cost of adult dental treatment.

Can I visit a community dental clinic if I need dentures or my dentures need repairing?

 

SA Dental Service offers a number of programs to assist patients who need dentures or may need their dentures repaired.

Denture services in the Adelaide metropolitan area are provided at designated denture clinics.

Country denture services are generally provided by a private dentist, through the Pensioner Denture Scheme. Contact your clinic for details.

Waiting times and fees usually apply for all denture-related treatment and repairs.

Our staff will discuss fees with you before denture work begins.

[samandcraig]

Thankyou for the information I'm am prepared for the fact that I will be spending a considerable amount on dental care for Callum, so it's not a big shock to be honest. We pay for our own dental over here too as a lot if the nhs dentists are booked up, we are from Cumbria and there are a huge shortage of nhs dentists up here, at one point I was paying for Callum to be private just because that was our only option, all of his teeth aren't through yet that's why we have been unable to get it done before we come out....I will take a look at all the info provided, thankyou xx

[SarahB]

I chipped a tooth a few months back which had already been filled on the NHS. I have had bad dental experiences in the past so honestly had avoided going here until this happened. My dentist did X-rays then started removing the old filling to replace with a nice white one. Once he removed it he stopped and told me there was something under the filling which he couldn't identify and more shockingly it wasn't the worst he had seen under an NHS filling! As a result I was at risk of having huge issues and potentially losing that tooth as they had created a ticking time bomb. He treated it and put in a temporary filling.

After that and knowing I had bad dental work I decided to remove all my NHS fillings and replace with white ones. And after that was done at he last appt the dentist went back to the original problem tooth to fix it permanently. All in this cost about $1000 for 6 filling replacements, hygienist appointment and one of the fillings has had to be prepped to potentially crown in future. With my extras cover I paid about $300.

It isn't cheap here but...I would rather have the work done here than the UK I actually feel more confident going to the dentist here now although still nervous they are a million times better than UK. In the past fillings have been extremely painful for me as I was never fully numb and always complained (and got called a liar) here they accept it when I say I'm not numb and either wait or give me another injection.

with medibank I get one free checkup/hygienist visit per year of I go for a second check up in a year I get 70% back from medibank.

[zebedee]

My wife and I put off going to the dentist for a couple of years. We needed quite a few fillings and I also had a crown - totalled about $3000 for the both of us. Utterly ridiculous in my opinion but partly our own fault for leaving it. I am still not convinced on private health cover but all you can do is research it to see if it works for you.

[Gumster]

Im a dental hygienist therapist & work in a surgery in adelaide I would say that the standard of dentistry is generally higher here than compared to NHS treatment I provided in the UK. We had a wait, watch & see approach which if im honest seemed to me like supervised neglect. I would always say that when your looking for a dentist ask friends & colleagues as they invariably will give an honest appraisal of a dentist they recommend. Plus it's advisable to do the research with the private health fund as many practices are preferred providers for companies such as Bupa &; HCF & the rebate will also be better. Often children included on a parents plan are gap free.

[Ktee]

This is very useful, my son will be needing a brace in the next 12 months! I think it may be an expensive time ahead, need to have a good look into the best insurance for us.....

Our son currently has braces. We have silver extras with BUPA and they pay a maximum of $600 I think it was. The braces are $7,500 but ring around as we had prices up to $12,000. With ours we had to pay $1,800 up front and then pay $260 per visit to pay it off.

One thing I would advise you to do is when you decide to start the process begin it near the end of December as the new medical year will start in January so you should be able to claim two years straight away.

[Blossom]

Wow! Who would have thought braces were so expensive?

[Jessica Berry]

Wow! Who would have thought braces were so expensive?

 

Paying for the children's braces was included as part of the divorce settlement for someone I know!

[zebedee]

Our son currently has braces. We have silver extras with BUPA and they pay a maximum of $600 I think it was. The braces are $7,500 but ring around as we had prices up to $12,000. With ours we had to pay $1,800 up front and then pay $260 per visit to pay it off.

One thing I would advise you to do is when you decide to start the process begin it near the end of December as the new medical year will start in January so you should be able to claim two years straight away.

 

Good grief, what do they make them out of? unobtainium?!

[samandcraig]

Thanks for that ktee

[Lazy Cow]

You may well find some insurance won't cover it .

 

When our kids were younger, we used three 'parts' of our extras insurance : one general dental, one major dental, and one orthodontics. I think the general kicked in pretty quickly, but the orthodontics (taken out specifically in case my kids needed braces) had a twelve-month waiting period. The company was Mutual Community but BUPA, who took them over, seem to offer the same extras.

 

That said, I think the amount covered was pretty farcical given the cost of the braces, but it made me feel a bit better to have it!

 

LC

[Jessica Berry]

OH needed two fillings today (maybe I jinxed him starting this thread!), cost of examination and two fillings was $361.00, extras cover paid $252.70 so OH had to pay $108.30.

[Jessica Berry]

I was listening to the radio this morning on the way to work and a lady rang up to have a go at the quiz and win some money. The DJ asked her what she would spend the money on if she won. The lady said she would put it towards her children's orthodontists bill which is $3,000, but she has already managed to reduce it from $6,000. Unfortunately, she didn't know the answer, so no money.