Anyone know how much you pay as a backpacker if you need to see a dentist?

I'd guess about $60 and up for a check up. If you need any work its more than the UK for sure. I had a root canal a couple of years ago and seem to remember it was about $800, some of which my health insurance paid.

Ok thanks wow that is expensive!

Some people actually travel overseas just for dentistry, I know a guy who went to Thailand for some dental work and flights+2 weeks accom+ dental work still figured much cheaper.

I also find the dentists here very good at finding work to do, first time I visited one gave me a $3,000 "treatment plan", bear in mind I had regular checkups and all advised work at a BUPA dentist before I left the UK. There's an element of recommending as much work as possible IMHO.

I haven't been to the dentist for ages but I reckon my 2 gold crowns inserted about 5 years ago are probably worth more now than what I paid him to fit them! One of my better investment decisions.

If uou need serious work done its probably cheaper to fly home and come back afterwards!

Or India.. $40/- for the best root canal and about $70 for a full ceramic crown..!

Check up for $60? - it's a long time since I had one that cost less than twice that!

Oh no, I think those prices would be incredibly cheap. My last dentist check up, clean and polish was $250. I paid $2k for a crown last year.

I don't think being a back packer has any bearing on dental costs, my dentist did not ask about my occupation / situation anyway.

If you have not set off yet, then it is an excellent idea to go to dentist before you do and get everything you need doing done.

My last check up in the UK with an NHS dentist was £47 and if I saw the hygenist for a clean and polish (I didn't but many do) that would have been another £200. Fortuantely when I needed a broken tooth repaired that was also only £47 so swings and roundabouts

As others have said, you won't pay any more than the general population, but you won't pay any less either. Dentists in Australia are all private (except for the very few government run practices which have a huge waiting list and are reserved for citizens, and maybe permanent residents, on benefits). Some recent examples of dental treatment costs from family and friends are $375 for an ordinary filling, $1,500 for a root canal treatment, $5,000 for a single implant. Personally, when I go to the dentist I find it easier to just hand over my wallet, savings account, credit cards and the deeds to my house, and hope that covers it.

ps, if you have a dental abscess (swelling and pain) you're best going to a doctor, as you won't be able to have any dental treatment until you've had antibiotics to clear the infection.

That's a handy tip to file for future reference

I always go straight to the dentist. He can either prescribe anti-biotics himself or give emergency treatment. I needed a tooth taking out immediately the last time I thought I just needed anti-biotics.

I suppose the dentist could have prescribed antibiotics, I rang his surgery to get an emergency appointment for an abscess (it was a front tooth and the swelling made me look like Bart Simpson). He said he wouldn't touch the tooth until I'd had a course of antibiotics and advised me to go to my doctor. Maybe he thought it could have been something else, don't know. I suppose every dentist and every situation is different, the thing that dental abscesses have in common is they hurt like buggery and anyone who's ever had one has my deepest sympathy! Doctor or dentist, they're not things you can ignore or leave, that's for sure.