LIBBY

Honestly, why?

We are skint and returning in Feb and every little bit of money we have is precious and goes straight in to the saving to go home fund, we are on rations food wise and dont go anywhere at weekends at all.

So I am so cheesed off as I had to go to the denist as I have got a toothache and they quoted me $1050 for a root canal

Nothing I can do about it as apparantley I have strong bones?! and removal of tooth would take surgery and cost a lot more.

1 step forward 20 back.....sorry to moan on here but really p234ed off today and need to vent.

LibbyX

thomas and sarahjayne

I can sympathise with you, your so right, i feel its 1 step forward a million back. We are living week to week and cant save off it, already on a strict budget, and i need a implant, which is a crown set in a nail which goes in the bone of tooth, they told me $5000 just for implant and does not include xrays etc etc. Told me i could get referred to melbourne dental hospital which is about 18 months wait, and would still have to pay but not as much as would be students. Its cheaper to fly home get it done and come back again. Even if i did have private healthcare, would still be greatly out of pocket as would not cover most of it.

Aproblem shared is a problem halved and at least you know you are not alone. It can only get better.

sj x

LIBBY

The thing is dentist have you over a barrell.....you cant argue with them as they do know best.

I hope it all goes well for you and sounds painful to having implants in bones, I really feel for you.

Bloody money!!

Good luck

LibbyX

jad n rich

Can sympathise Son is 21 now so the private health fund wont cover him on our policy anymore, hes only an apprentice so cant afford his own policy, severe toothache 2 nights ago, the flippin dentist could see his age, see his profession by the uniform and offered him a $1300 root canal treatment. No choice but to go the aussie way cant afford dentistry except rip it out $220 bill, luckily it was a back tooth. If it was the front tooth, guess mumsy would have coughed up.

jad n rich

WTf is the story with implant prices, are they really serious i asked about one tooth and was told similar price.

Nomore

I think the dentists over here are in it for money, they couldn't give a shit. Do all Aussies walk around with rotton teeth (if they have any) as it baffles me how they can afford such treatment on such crappy wages!!!

Apart from dentists, doctors are just as bad. My daughter was referred to a specialist as she has a skin problem on her knee. For him to even look at her was going to cost me $750...then treatments extra. I can't afford that either at the moment, so she is walking about with this ugly scar and rash all over her leg. They just let you rot in hell.

wafc

Yep, many people slate the NHS but its got to be one of the best systems out there for when you need treatment etc.

I know what you mean about the money too, I'm struggling to get rid of my car and so far I stand to lose $7k on it!!! Thats what you get for buying a brand new European car (Ford Focus) and selling it 6 monhts later! Pants!!

Rosie Cheeks

Medicare does at least rebate some of the doctors fees, but what about dental? It is amazing that medicare don't cover any of it. But apparently you can claim health expenses over a certain amount as a tax rebate, but what is the use of that when you haven't got the money on the first place to pay the bills?

I am so pleased I have a private health fund, and did I get my money's worth recently! $12,000 was billed to my health fund for my hospital stay (mind you I was in the intensive/critical care unit) and I only had to pay a $200 excess. What a bargain

mandtooz

omg thats a joke!!!

but like you said what can you bloody do???

how long before you go back to england ? can they put something temp in to keep you going??? that would probably be a rip off though too!!

my eldest had half a baby tooth come out and half left in, i thought (stupidly) that it would be cheao enough and better to take her to dentist, well to take half a already wobbly baby tooth out cost $150!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i bloody choked and said your having laugh? but no they were serious! lesson learnt here - pull the bloody thing out yourself!!!

thomas and sarahjayne

Its crazy the same thing in uk would cost me 350-400 quid private. I asked if it was made of gold and he said unfortunately not!, did not think so!!!!,
We have aussie relies and i can remember when we came on holiday as kids and they were never allowed sweets or chocolate and i thought my aunt was a health freak, it was because they could not afford dentist bills, and sure enough they are all over 30 and have great teeth. I do think its aweful that under 16's cant be seen for free by the dentist its ridiculous.

sj x

PLANTS

Oh boy, can I relate to this one!

First, had what I thought was terrible toothache/pain, went to dentist (this was 2 months ago now), he said I had a split bottom tooth and needed a crown $1000, and said that I also had a serious sinus infection so gave me tablets too. So after about 6 weeks, three lots of anti-biotics later and a lot of pain it finally went only to be told by the doctor that I seem to be allergic to something!! Oh plus I had to have the crown done which was $1000 too! Next time I get sinus problems I am not going to the dentist!!

Then back in January I found a lump in my breast and had severe back pain too so he referred me for a scan and ultrasound. Rang the centre up for an appointment and asked how much it would be, $200 odd for the scan, same for the ultrasound and xxx for a fine needle thingy so I had to say sorry can't afford that, it will have to wait. Anyway, saved the cash, went to make appointments the women on the phone asked which doctor I went to, told her, she said it was all bulk billed and I didn't have to worry about paying!

I came off the phone absolutely stunned that I have waited 4 months to make an appointment, worry myself sick about whether it was cancer or not and I could have had it done straight away!

All ok now though, just a blocked duct or something in breast but back is another thing, herniated disc and can only pick up things to 5 kgs which seriously restricts me!

So I can relate to everyones comments on here. It shouldn't be that we risk our own health because of the countries health system or lack of I should say! We should all be encouraged to go to the dentist and it not cost a fortune to have something done, it would be different if the wages were higher to compenate but they aren't.

ok, vent over, calm down time!


Di

jobart

Hi Stu, hows it going buddy?

I'm in excactly the same position. I too bought a Focus and going to loose 7k on it! I sold it to my brother in the end as I couldn't sell it private at all, so rather than the car yard cashing in, I sold it to bro for 14k! I paid 21K!!!!

Are you heading back permanently now then? last time I was on here you decided to return after your holiday. Under 2 weeks for you now is it?

I fly back on the 15th June and can't wait. 2 weeks tomorrow. I guess Aus just isn't for me. I gave up lots to come here too, and I'm going to struggle to get back to where I was before I left thats for sure, but right now I'd rather be there than here.

Not knocking Aus or anything here, it's just not for me.................

I too can't get my head around the health issue here either, you really don't want to be worrying over money when there's something wrong with you, it should be the last thing on your mind, but here it aint.

Everything here involves a fee. Everybody's your best pal when they're trying to get money out of you, but you try and get something and everything goes quiet!!!!

jad n rich

Just a tip, if your kids in a state school in qld WA or Vic there are some sort of dental vans come to the school, for basic dental. In qld its a caravan comes once a year to the primary schools, the are dental nurses but good enough as they only do simple fillings, extractions. I thougth they went to the high schools too, but have recently been told that may not be so now. Anyway it might help someone.

This place is so bloody expensive, just seen another thread on the aus forum about airfares again, didnt reply but searched on a bargain fare recommended as cheap, $2944 per person to UK in early december (not the peak bit!), next person to say its only a plane trip away will get throttled

ozzieeagle

Fact is Dentists in this country are bigger rip offs than any profession that I know of.

I'm up to well over 14,000 bucks in the last two years for my two youngest.


I am curious to know how they would handle braces in the UK (circa 6,000 bucks here). With my son the orthodontist have put plates in his mouth to make his jaw larger, as he has a very tiny mouth. Not sure what they call this procedure. I do know it costs upwards of 7,000 bucks.


How does the UK handle these procedures for kids please, Ive been out of the country for a long while ?

My wife and I are also undergoing dental procedures at present, I've had two teeth out in the last 3 months, and will need deep cleaning to help retain more of my back molars, I expect to be paying around 5,000 bucks for the wife and myself. Hence in 30 months we will have spent at least 18,000 dollars on dental procedures for the family. With a net return of around 3,000 bucks in tax refunds and about 4,000 in health care fund reimbursements.

The dentists do seem to have us over a barrel on this, I'm not convinced the situation would be terribly different in the UK. Is it ?

Funny thing is En-Masse Aussies think that its the Brits that have bad teeth, is this a misnomer ?

Rosie Cheeks

Agreed, the prices for flights now are astounding! No change out of $10,000 for 2 kids and 2 adults.
So that yearly trip home everyone says you can have is just a load of rubbish.