How much does a dentist cost? What's covered, what's not, and how to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
| Treatment | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Check-up + clean + X-rays | $200–350 | Recommended every 6–12 months |
| Filling (tooth-coloured) | $150–350 | Depends on size and tooth |
| Extraction (simple) | $150–350 | Surgical extraction costs more |
| Wisdom tooth removal | $300–600 per tooth | Under GA in hospital: $1,500–3,000+ |
| Root canal | $800–1,500 | Front tooth cheaper, molar more |
| Crown | $1,200–2,000 | Porcelain or zirconia |
| Dental implant | $4,000–6,500 | Implant + crown, per tooth |
| Orthodontics (braces) | $5,000–9,000 | Invisalign: $6,000–9,000 |
| Emergency exam | $80–200 | After-hours may cost more |
Prices are approximate and vary by dentist, location, and complexity. Metro areas are generally more expensive. Prices based on ADA survey data and typical practice fees.
A government program providing basic dental for eligible children
Eligibility: Child aged 0–17 at any point in the calendar year, and the family receives Family Tax Benefit Part A or certain government payments (Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, etc). Medicare sends an eligibility letter at the start of each 2-year period.
What's covered: Examinations, X-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, extractions, and root canals.
What's NOT covered: Orthodontics (braces), cosmetic work, dental performed in hospital under GA.
How to check: Call Medicare on 132 011, check your Medicare online account, or ask your dentist — they can check eligibility at the time of the appointment.
Important: Not all dentists bulk bill under the CDBS. Some charge a gap. Ask before booking whether the dentist bulk bills CDBS or if there will be an out-of-pocket cost.
Public dental clinics: Every state and territory has public dental services for concession card holders (Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card). Treatment is free or very low cost, but waiting lists can be long (months to years for non-urgent care). Emergency dental is usually available within days.
University dental clinics: Universities with dental schools (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, UQ, Griffith, UWA, La Trobe, and others) offer dental treatment performed by supervised students at significantly reduced fees. Quality is closely supervised. Wait times are shorter than public clinics.
Community health centres: Some community health centres offer dental services on a sliding fee scale based on income.
Payment plans: Many private dentists offer interest-free payment plans through services like Afterpay, Zip, or in-house plans. Ask before treatment begins.
PHI extras cover: If you use dental regularly, private health insurance extras cover may reduce costs — see below.
Basic extras cover costs around $15–40/month ($180–480/year) and typically covers 60–80% of preventive dental (check-ups, cleans, X-rays) up to an annual limit of $400–600.
The maths for preventive only: If you spend $300/year on check-ups and cleaning, and get back $200–240 from insurance, but pay $300+ in premiums — you're slightly behind. Insurance becomes better value if you also need fillings, major dental work, or have multiple family members.
Waiting periods: Most policies have a 2-month wait for preventive dental and a 12-month wait for major dental (crowns, root canals, implants). You can't sign up and claim immediately.
Annual limits: Even with insurance, there's usually a cap ($400–1,500/year depending on your policy). Major work like crowns or implants can exceed your limit in a single treatment.
Compare policies at privatehealth.gov.au — the government's independent comparison site.
Severe pain, swelling, or knocked-out tooth: Go to your nearest hospital emergency department. Public hospital dental is covered by Medicare (no cost). They will manage acute infections and trauma.
After-hours dental pain: Call your regular dentist — many have an after-hours number on their voicemail. Otherwise, search for an after-hours dental clinic near you.
Concession card holders: Contact your state's public dental service for emergency dental appointments — usually available within 24–48 hours.
NSW: NSW Health Oral Health — for concession card holders. Call your Local Health District.
VIC: Dental Health Services Victoria — call 1300 360 054.
QLD: QLD Health Oral Health — through Hospital and Health Services.
SA: SA Dental Service — call 1300 008 222.
WA: Dental Health Services WA — call 1800 098 818.
TAS: Oral Health Services Tasmania — call 1300 011 055.
ACT: Dental Health Program — call (02) 6205 1281.
NT: Oral Health Services NT — through community health centres.