In New Zealand, basic dental care is available free-of-charge for eligible children up to the age of 18. This helps set the stage for positive habits into adulthood, encouraging people to take a proactive approach to oral health by driving home the importance of looking after your teeth. Unfortunately, the cost of dental treatment for adults in New Zealand can be prohibitive for a lot of people, and many Kiwis opt to put up with bad (and painful) teeth rather than pay to visit a dentist.
In New Zealand, dental treatment isn’t subsidised by the Government once you’re over the age of 18 (unlike visits to the GP), which means patients must foot the entire bill for treatments. The cost of different dental treatments can vary markedly from one dentist to another. While it can pay to shop around, the table below gives an approximate idea of the average cost of dental treatments in major centres in New Zealand:
These numbers are indicative and prices vary between regions and dental practices.
Put simply, because avoiding the dentist can lead to much higher costs in the long-term. When it comes to dental visits, there are two types of people:
Health insurance that covers dental is one option that can help ease the cost of annual check-ups and six-monthly hygiene appointments.
Dental is usually classed under ‘everyday’ benefits for policies with nib health insurance and provide a percentage that you can claim back up to a certain limit. With nib’s Premium Everyday health insurance policy you can claim 80% back on a range of dental treatments up to your annual limit of $1000, including:
Please note a standard 12-month standdown period applies on all dental benefits.
Some dentists offer stand-alone annual dental payment plans that cover a basic range of treatments each year – including an annual check-up (examination and x-rays), two hygienist appointments, and a discount off additional treatments unlikely to include extractions, orthodontics or implants. Investing in health insurance or a dental plan, via regular, more affordable payments, could help to protect you against the shock of an unexpected and costly dental bill in the future.
Visiting the dentist regularly for a check and clean is the best way to nip an issue in the bud before it gets out of hand. But if you do need extra treatment at any stage, it can be a relief to know you can claim back some of the costs when you have health insurance that covers dental. One of the benefits of having health insurance that covers dental is that it can offer a wide range of cover for things like general and major treatments, and orthodontic work. While you might be vigilant about taking care of your teeth and visiting the dentist, it’s no guarantee that you won’t need an expensive treatment down the track. So why not avoid the stress of paying for dental care in the future? Get a dental insurance quote from nib now.