If we ask what you do for better dental health, most of you will say we brush our teeth twice a day. And if we ask, is there anything else? You will be completely clueless. This is because people don’t think about the hard times that they might face while facing a dental health issue. Although not made compulsory by any law, opting for it seems like a valuable investment for almost everyone. Plus, opting for dental care services in Australia isn’t easy at all, as they are pricier.
In Australia, you have two options for dental insurance. Either you can choose to purchase it as a standalone policy or take advantage of it as part of a larger health insurance policy. By opting for a dental insurance policy, you would be able to benefit from both general dental coverage consisting of dental fillings, check-ups, X-rays, scales, and cleaning as well as major dental coverage that consists of bridges, crowns, root canals, surgical removals of teeth, and much more. You just need to keep track of your health bills, which will allow you to save hundreds of dollars at the end of the year.
Quick fact: Most health insurance policies don’t provide coverage for dental treatment, which makes dental health insurance a must-have. Although we are not just going to say it, we are going to prove it to you.
Stats Related To Dental Problems In Australia
Not only children and teenagers, but a large part of adults in Australia as well face various kinds of dental problems. Some of the most common dental problems that the people of Australia face consist of tooth sensitivity, tooth decay, gum disease, bruxism, dry mouth, cracked or chipped teeth, malocclusion, wisdom teeth pain, and much more. The reasons for all these oral health problems are so many. Other than this, there are some stats worth knowing in Australia:
- More than 90% of Australian adults have faced the problem of tooth decay at some point in their lives.
- In the years 2020–21, an estimated $11.1 billion was spent on various dental services in Australia.
- Around 2 in 8 Australian children aged 7–15 had dental caries in their permanent teeth.
- Around 2 in 20 Australian adults had at least one permanent tooth that was still untreated.
- More than 4.4% of people between the ages of 16 and 35 are affected by dental problems in Australia, and this number is 11% in the case of 36 and 55-year-old people.
- Over 1 million dental prescriptions were developed each year in Australia from 2013 to 2020.
- More than 35% of Australians are not considering dental checkups in their monthly routine because of the unavailability of better dental services and the costs involved in them.
4 out of 12 people avoid or delay seeing a Dentist In Australia.
How Does Dental Insurance In Australia Works?
Dental insurance in Australia is specifically covered in two different sections; the first section is a general dental cover, within which you would be able to get yourself treated for general dental problems. The second option is a major dental insurance policy used whenever you get into an accident and face serious dental damage, The overall procedure is very systematic, and every dental insurance policy in Australia comes with different annual payout limits for both general dental and significant dental cases.
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What’s Covered in Dental Insurance?
The major benefit of dental insurance and coverage is that your insurance would cover an average of 50–60 percent of the fees. Although most people think that it’s just 50–60 percent of the coverage, the fact is that this ultimately depends on your service fee and the insurance package you have selected. If you pick a costly insurance package, that can help you cover 70–80% of your dental care charges. Let’s now have a look at what’s covered in those options:
1. General Dental Coverage
Under this dental coverage, you get check-ups, dental fillings, X-rays, scales, and cleaning. General dental coverage is also considered a type of prevention coverage, with the help of which you are prevented from further dental issues. If you have opted for general dental cover in Australia and a surgery or root canal comes up, then that is not going to be covered in the general plan.
2. Major Dental Coverage
Under major dental coverage, you get root canals, bridges, crowns, surgical removals of teeth, and more. When you are selecting major dental coverage there could be some insurance providers who may not offer you cover for surgical removals and only root canal, bridges work might be added. Hence whenever you are opting for major dental coverage keep a close eye on what’s covered in your plan.
What do people think about dental insurance in Australia?
There are mixed reactions to this question, although the government of Australia is working towards making people aware of dental insurance and oral hygiene. But still, more than 30% of people live without dental health insurance. Most people believe that they would never require such services or coverage, and some people don’t get in touch with a dentist even after facing serious dental health issues. People think that as they pay for their health check-ups directly to their doctors, they can make payments in terms of dental health as well. But if we closely look at the charges involved in generic and dental health check-ups, the dental check-ups are way more expensive than other check-ups.
Top 5 Dental Insurance Service Providers In Australia
A dental insurance service provider provides people with coverage for the dental healthcare needs that they might come across. While there are a number of health insurance policy providers, most of them don’t provide coverage for dental treatments. There are plenty of dental insurance service providers in Australia, and picking the ideal service provider for your particular requirements is a bit challenging and tricky. Thus, we are here with the top 5 dental insurance service providers you can choose from.
| Dental Insurance Provider | USPs |
|---|---|
| 1- AHM | Looking for dental insurance for generic dental cover at decent charges? AHM is the answer for you.
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| 2- Health Insurance Fund of Australia (HIF) | If you are looking for the best dental insurance in Australia for minor dental coverage, then HIF is the option.
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| 3- LaTrobe | Want to get major dental insurance by paying less? LaTrobe is the option for you.
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| 4- Australian Unity | Looking for a dental insurance company with the most claims and lesser waiting period? Australian Unity is your answer.
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| 5- Frank Health Insurance | Looking for a mid-range option for general dental insurance? Frank Health Insurance is the option.
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Factors to keep in mind while selecting the best dental insurance in Australia
Prior to finalising a dental insurance provider for yourself and your family, you need to take into account a number of factors, as only then will you be able to make the most of your investment. See exactly what dental needs you and your family are having, considering any genetic dental problems if you have any. Plus, there are plenty of dental insurance service providers in Australia, and picking the ideal service provider for your particular requirements is challenging. That’s why we are here with a list of factors based on which you can select the best option for yourself.
- The first factor to keep in mind is your requirements. What kind of coverage do you think you want? If you are looking for dental insurance for regular check-ups or major dental coverage, figure out what you need, and then choose an insurance provider according to your needs or requirements. There are a few health insurance companies in Australia that offer regular or general dental insurance. In that case, you should opt for major dental coverage only.
- Always look at the reviews of an insurance service provider, with the help of which you can know what kind of services and customer experience they offer. If you are picking up a service provider with excellent reviews, this assures you that you will get exceptional services.
- The charges are the third and most important factor to remember. Make sure you are selecting a dental insurance option that fits your budget; you can ask for the monthly charges based on which you can choose the right option.
- See how many family members you have in total.
- Judge if any of your children require any sort of orthodontic treatment in the future or not.
Tips To Get Your Money’s Worth From Your Dental Insurance
Most people think that both health and dental insurance are similar, but in reality, they are very different from each other. Think of spending money on insurance plans as an investment that you need to take advantage of, no matter if the need arises or not. Think of it as signing up for a GYM membership, but going twice a month only. Statistics have stated that only around 3% of those opting for dental insurance take advantage of its full benefits. Here in this section, we will discuss how not to treat dental insurance just like health insurance and get your money’s worth from your dental insurance.
Tip 1: Get in touch with a dentist, build a relationship, and make them your friend. If you already have a dentist as a friend, you should get in touch with them for all your dental services. This way, you would be able to get more comfortable with a dentist, which means you would regularly visit the dentist. Regular or more visits mean better dental health. In such a case, you can opt for dental insurance that covers your major dental coverage, as this will save a lot of money.
Tip 2: Some dental insurance plans in Australia cover 1-2 dental check-ups a year; make sure that you take complete advantage of those services and visit a dentist as per your plan.
Tip 3: If you exceed your annual dental insurance limit, you are offered in-network discounts. Make sure you apply for those discounts every time you exceed your annual limit on dental insurance.
Tip 4: Make sure to opt for dental insurance before you both start showing up with dental issues. In most cases, people get in touch with an insurance provider when they start facing dental problems. Make sure you are not making this mistake.
Concluding Thoughts
Prevention is always better than cure. But when it comes to your oral health, the probability is that you might face some kind of dental problem at some point in your life, no matter how hard you try to prevent it. Thus, it’s advised to opt for dental insurance that will safeguard you from going bankrupt in case you come across any major dental damage. Taking out a dental insurance plan not only gives you peace of mind, but it also acts as a protective shield for you. So make sure to opt for the right dental insurance plan and take full advantage of it to keep your oral health at its best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a person does need dental insurance in Australia, as he or she might come across a dental issue at any time and need it at any given moment. In such scenarios, the thing that one worries about the most is the cost of getting treated for their respective dental health issues. Thus, the best way to tackle these kinds of circumstances is to have dental insurance done, which will help you save a lot of money.
All dental professionals in Australia comply with all the different policies and guidelines laid out by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration). This states that all the materials used by them are of guaranteed high quality. In addition to that, the standards of dental care that Australian doctors have are quite high as compared to those of dental experts based in other nations. Furthermore, dental care items such as crowns, dentures, splints, mouthguards, veneers, and bridges that one might require at times might also be costly.
On average, basic dental insurance plans in Australia start at $20–$30 per month for a single person and $60–$80 per month for a whole family. Besides that, there are some comprehensive plans that cover a wide range of treatments, like fillings, crowns, and root canals. They cost around $50–$100 per month for a single person and $150–$200 per month for the whole family.
On average, an Australian spends around $253 on various kinds of dental services in a 12-month time period. But this is just an average and not the actual figure that people spend on their dental health needs. There are individuals who might require regular checkups and, accordingly, spend a lot of money on them. Plus, another factor that might affect the average amount of money spent by an Australian on dental care is whether they have taken out private health insurance or not.
The cost of getting a tooth filled in Australia depends on a lot of factors, like exactly what kind of filling is to be done, the number of tooth surfaces that need to be filled, the size and complexity of the filling, and much more. Basically, there are three types of fillings that are done for different teeth that consist of amalgam (silver fillings), composite resin (tooth-coloured fillings), and gold fillings as well. The average cost of amalgam fillings ranges from $90 to $250, whereas composite resin fillings range from $160 to $450. The cost of gold and porcelain filling ranges from $800 to $2,500.
The exact amount that you will pay for a root canal treatment in Australia depends on a lot of factors, like how many canals need to be filled and whether a crown is required or not. On average, a root canal in Australia without a dental crown can cost anywhere from $900 to $3,400. Although the cost may exceed some additional considerations like X-rays, anaesthesia, private health insurance, etc.
In general, tooth extraction in Australia without insurance may cost anywhere between $70 and $300. Still, there are a lot of factors that one needs to take into account in order to conclude an estimate of the final amount that they will be paying to the dental expert. Factors that can influence the price of tooth extraction consist of the specific situation of the patient, the expertise of the dental expert, and much more.
The cost of teeth whitening in Australia depends on the type of whitening service that you opt for. If you go for a take-home bleaching tray, it will cost you around $300–$500. But if you go for in-chair teeth whitening at a dental clinic, you would be paying anything from $500 to $2,000 per session.
