Dental treatment

[Canary]

I heard that many Australians go elsewhere for their dental treatment because it far too expensive in Australia. Was told Thailand is one of the countries they go to and that Cambodia is very cheap too. What about India? Any ideas?

Edited June 26, 2012 by Canary

[Sibella]

I'm sure it's not THAT expensive! Don't think it will cost more than your flight tickets and accommodation?

Also health insurance does cover quite a bit of it.

We haven't been to the dentist yet though...

[Enrica]

Dental treatment is very expensive.

Example Implant $7000.00 and your health insurance will only pay a max of $1500.00 and thats over 3 years

Even just something simple like a filling is expoensive.

A lot of Australians also go to Bali for major dental work

[Beebop24]

It is very expensive - I went back to SA and paid $3k and had been quoted $10k in Aus. I did need quite a bit done so combined a trip home to see my family and friends with getting my teeth sorted out! My dentist in Sydney is from SA and he says its the lab costs which are so crazy here!

[candivw]

Root canals are around $1200-$1500 per tooth..... Simple filling around $300.. It's not cheap!!! We have a hospital and extras cover, mid range, and we only get $600 per person per year and that doesn't get you far when u need a few things done

[Bronwyn&Co]

A lot of people in Aus go to Thailand or Bali, especially Asians. It's crazy expensive here. It's cheaper to fly there for big stuff.

[maxi]

It is very expensive - I went back to SA and paid $3k and had been quoted $10k in Aus. I did need quite a bit done so combined a trip home to see my family and friends with getting my teeth sorted out! My dentist in Sydney is from SA and he says its the lab costs which are so crazy here!

What a load of rubbish your dentist has told you. I am a dental technician working in a dental lab in Perth. The average price for a crown ( cap) in perth is about $1400-00 of which the lab bill is between $200-00 and $300-00. Some labs charge less than that just to get the work.

Just remember Before you go over to Bali or Thailand to have dental work done that there is no control as to what they can put in your mouth, here in Aus any thing that goes in your your mouth from a dentist is passed by the TGA.

One of our dentist sent us an implant bridge last week to clean out for him so he could re-cement it in a patients mouth, it was made in Thailand and fell out of the patients moputh in two days, it was not very well made either.

while I am on the subject of expensive lab costs ( as your dentist says), some thing that the puplic does not know is that it is estimated that 40% of dentist in Aus will have your lab work ( crowns , dentures, mouth gaurds ...........) sent to be made in China for about $30-00 a crown , but he will still charge you the full price and will not pass on the saving to you. Need I remind you of what happened to the baby formula that was made in China a few years ago or the toys that was painted with lead paint.

So make sure that your dentist does not send your lab work to China as it has to go in your mouth. There is no control over the materials used. You have a right to know where your lab work is sent to , ask him to send your lab work to a local lab and ask him to see the lab bill, as all lab bills will have your name on it .

Sorry for venting

[Tilla]

It is not just expensive, I can't seem to find a decent dentist anywhere - maybe it is just because I had such a good dentist in South Africa. He was also able to enlarge my x-rays to the size of his computer screen to see exactly what is going on, but here they look at it like you would look at a small negative the size of a passport photo. Don't they have the technology or what?

[Riekie]

Firstly on the lab costs, it is only a small fraction of the costs your dentist charge - I worked for one, so I know...

Secondly on having anything done in Asia, I'd do my homework before I'd go for the cheapest option as in many cases you get what you pay for. I can speak from experience - not for teeth but for hair straightening (a supposedly reputable Paul Mitchell salon) - my hair was burnt and damaged beyond repair and it cost me more to salvage it once back in Australia, than it would have if I've just had it done here in the 1st place (in fact, almost 11 months later, I'm still having costly treatments to repair the damage!) I'm lucky this was just my hair - it could have been worse... Yes, dental costs are sky high but I know I can trust my dentist

[Riekie]

PS: our health fund pays $1600 per person per year - generally more than the average person would need. A clean with X-rays is about $80 - $110, a filling around $250 and most health funds have "accredited dentists" who charge an agreed rate which is either fully covered or 80-90% covered by the fund and our fund covers all general dental for under 24 year olds 100% Shop around for the best cover and you may not need to fly to Asia or Africa.

[Guest May]

Why I am doing all my medical checkups now, only thing its not been good news and I am only half way, I am a medical nightmare or dream depending on which way you look at it. Need to get the ops, etc behind me so I can begin my life in Aus.

[Canary]

Thank you all so much for your helpful replies. OK... I will be having my dental procedures done in S.A. My son and my only 2 grand children have been living in Australia for 9 years now and, once my dental treatment is complete, I'll be going on an LSD trip there - my 676 Tourist visa has already been granted and is valid until June next year. I am new to this forum but would like to make some new acquaintances and/or friends before I get there. I should have a better idea of my ETD after my appointment next week.

[Canary]

Why I am doing all my medical checkups now, only thing its not been good news and I am only half way, I am a medical nightmare or dream depending on which way you look at it. Need to get the ops, etc behind me so I can begin my life in Aus.

Are you still in Randburg ?

[Bob]

The thing with health insurance in Australia is that the Commonwealth gov't subsidises premiums at the rate of 30%, so you only pay 70% of the premium.

Taking out dental insurance, along with all the other extras in life, such as optical, chiropractic and so on doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

Medibank Private used to do a deal with certain dentists that if you went to them, you didn't pay any extra gap payment when you walked out. That was a few years ago, so just check around and see if Medibank Private or BUPA (the old MBF) do coverage like that.

Remember . . . . . you either pay 70% of the health insurance premium or 100% of the dentist's bill!!!

[Guest May]

OMG, just been to orthodontist for Joshua(13), the waiting rooms are full of teens. R21k is pretty standard for braces, they come off after 18months and there is a payment plan to pay them off.

[AllisonW]

I was at the dentist on saturday after my crown came loose. It cost me $360! :-( Not great when hubby has not started working yet and i had to pay out of my savings. all he did was remove the loose crown, and recement it back it. Would not have cost me more then R250 in SA at my old dentist. No man!

[MrsMupersan]

Dental is expensive here. But $7000 for an implant? Find another dentist!!! I've just had one done at Canberra Periodontal & Implant Clinic and it cost me $3400. The care has been absolutely outstanding. I have no idea how you would get something like this done in Bali or Thailand as it's not just a one appointment thing. This whole process has take a few months from the old tooth being pulled & healing to the implant surgery & that healing time to getting the actual tooth fitted.

I have also found a fabulous old-school dentist here in Manuka who doesn't charge an arm and a leg for routine stuff. I had a filling done the other day and it set me back just $180. He also doesn't charge me if he's asked me to pop in to check on how something is healing. He doesn't have a shiny white lab with millions of staff. It's just him and his assistant who doubles as a receptionist (like it was in the old days). And he's an absolute honey too.

[mcbear]

Dental is more expensive than in SA, so if you are going home for a visit, include a visit to your old dentist for sure!

I would not go to Bali etc just to save costs, I agree with previous posts, just not worth it.

We have joined Medibank, and although the coverage is not what we had in SA, it helps, and we have found a local dentist with an agreement with them so his rates are reasonable for us. The kids had their checkup which was for free.

In SA we were paying big rands every month for medical aid that we hardly ever used, and had to cover a large proportion of the dentist's bills anyway, so when you compare, maybe you aren't paying out more altogether.

I am slowly navigating my way around the Aus medical system, my GP has got to know me and my kids really well lol, but if you are careful, and take the time to understand the system (which is very different to SA), then you can get so much without paying a huge medical aid premium.

[VeraB]

Hi there, wondering if any-one has experience with braces? Went to an orthodontist here who wants to replace the braces put on by an orthodontist in Jhb (one of the top guys there). Wants to charge me another $4,800 - my son got his braces in October last year - so we have already paid out a whole lot! Would love to hear if any-one can help me find a South African orthodontist in Adelaide (or Melbourne). Thanks!

[Tilla]

Why does he want to replace them?

[Bob]

Universal dental health is a cause celebre of mine.

When Medicare was introduced in Feb 1984, it only covered doctors and hospitals . . . not your teeth and eyes.

I don't know about you lot, but my teeth are in my head, same as my eyes, and affect my overall health, so it seems pretty dopey for the Australian gov't not to cover a person's overall health needs . . . . just some of them.

I agree with the Green's policy of bringing in a universal Dental Health scheme, allied to Medicare, the same as I agreed to a universal Health care scheme called Medicare which Labor brought in in the 80s.

Medicare has been a terrific improvement in the health of the average Australian and I reckon a universal Dental scheme through Medicare would do no ends for our overall dental health.

I have a daughter who pulls teeth and does crowns. She told me when Dentistry became more of a science than a quack's sideline of pulling teeth, back in the 1800s, the lifespan of the average population soon jumped an extra 15 years simply because of the better dental health of the people.

Worth thinking about.

If this Labor government can afford $1 billion to house, clothe and feed every 4 000 foreigners coming to Australia in leaky boats, (currently running at 1 000 a month!) then it has the money to look after Australians and their teeth, seeing as they have paid their taxes and put into the system all their working lives.

Getting your teeth checked and dealt with effectively shouldn't be a financial nightmare for the average Aussie.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Bob

[Darkwing]

If this Labor government can afford $1 billion to house, clothe and feed every 4 000 foreigners coming to Australia in leaky boats, (currently running at 1 000 a month!) then it has the money to look after Australians and their teeth, seeing as they have paid their taxes and put into the system all their working lives.

Getting your teeth checked and dealt with effectively shouldn't be a financial nightmare for the average Aussie.

Very true. Ever thought about going into politics, Bob? I'm sure you'd get a lot of support ;-) LOL

[Mikej]

Consultation $60

X-Ray $42

Crown $1350 (includes lab work minimum $350)

Root canal $240 for the first canal then $110 per canal.

Fillings start at $110 to much more.

Extraction from $135

When thinking about dentistry remember it is free yes FREE for school aged kids if parents agree to let them be seen by the school dental service (this service is generally of a very high standard). Low income earners and pensioners have subsidised dental care - up to about 75%. The government dental system is often littered with Saffer dentists who use the system as a way of getting into Australia.

PS I am not a dentist.

[AndreaL]

In the four years I have lived in Moranbah we have never had a school dentist visit, eventually I managed to get my kids into the one in Dysart , about 140km round trip, but it is only for check ups, cleans and the odd filling, anything else and they refer me to the expensive dentist. I cannot see why your teeth should not be part of Medicare, after all there are heart conditions that can be caused by oral bacteria. The school dental service in Perth was great.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Hi there, wondering if any-one has experience with braces? Went to an orthodontist here who wants to replace the braces put on by an orthodontist in Jhb (one of the top guys there). Wants to charge me another $4,800 - my son got his braces in October last year - so we have already paid out a whole lot! Would love to hear if any-one can help me find a South African orthodontist in Adelaide (or Melbourne). Thanks!

Vera I don't know any SA orthodontists in Adl but I can recommend Sarah Dudley. Here is a link:

http://www.orthodontistadelaide.com.au/

We went to her lovely rooms near the South Parklands in Eastwood. She is great with teenagers and she won't bulldust you. I would never in a million years agree to them pulling off 9 month old braces. That's just money making!

Let me know if you see her?

If you really want a Saffer we have one in Bne, haha his numberplate is 'Vasbyt' and his name is Victor Lalieu

http://www.profileorthodontics.net.au/page/dr-victor-lalieu/default.asp

Edited September 5, 2012 by Bronwyn&Co