Dental insurance help?
 

I am flying out in 2 weeks. Today the dentist repaired a tooth but says I need a crown, but hasn't time to do it before I leave. :(

My flight goes via LA with no stop over.

Any ideas on where I may get dental Insurance in NZ because he says the tooth needs doing ASAP when I arrive. :fingerscrossed:

Thanks

:)

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

Get it done before you leave - find a dentist in the UK who can fit you in! Seriously, dental work is sooooo expensive here!

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

You cannot do a crown in two weeks. He has appointments but says it is impossible in that time frame

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I'd phone someone else and ask them, agree that dental care is very expensive here.

what tooth is it, might be easier to have it removed rather than crowned

found this, not sure if its the cost at most dentists but might be useful to get a ball park figure

Crowns
DC13 Stainless steel crown $81.47
DC14 Acrylic jacket crown $391.00
DC15 All ceramic crown $817.78
DC16 Porcelain fused to metal crown $788.54
DC17 Cast gold crown (full and ¾) $746.22

taken from:
http://www.acc.co.nz/PRD_EXT_CSMP/gr.../wpc089181.pdf

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

Do you mean insurance? You wont be able to claim on a pre-existing condition.

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

try Harley street you might pay but it may be cheaper

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

As earlier poster said, dental work is really, really expensive here. I've had 2 quotes for 2 dental implants both about $11,000. It's much cheaper to have it done in UK. One piece of advice I was given by a Kiwi dentist, seek out UK trained ones in NZ, as he was.

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I pulled a favour to get registered with a dentist in Invers, try really really hard to get it sorted before you come out.

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I echo all of the above. Try hard to get the work done before you come out to NZ.

Mr BEVS has needed quite some dental work and it cost thousands. Not something we could afford at all but it needed doing. He also had an implant ( front tooth ) , the cost of which left me gasping for air.

Not that we have done it at all but Kiwis that can afford to have major dental work done seem to choose to go overseas - Thailand - for this, whilst affording a holiday at the same time.
I think it may be the same with small surgeries too.

An example

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

There's usually a waiting period before you can claim on health insurance, 6 months mostly so it would still be a while before it could be fixed.
Also, if its a pre-existing condition it wont be covered.

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I agree with above, it's expensive here.

"My flight goes via LA with no stop over"

As for the above, on a side note, make sure your travel insurance covers you for the US too.

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I got quoted 2000 for a crown by a dentist here. Needless to say I didn't bother. They offered me 6 months 0% credit but that doesn't make it cheaper for fuggs sake. They seemed to think that this would soften the blow somehow. I'm still just as broke after 6 months! Dentists over here - daylight robbery.
I have fillings that need doing - I only came here 18 months ago. Living the high life now, I am.

I love it here but I now have very crap teeth.

Dental insurance - FWIW, it's soooo expensive too, you have to start questioning whether that's really worth the bother either...

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I have tried a few dentists here. They say they cannot make the crown fast enough to fit it before I leave. :(

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

I was quoted last year $1500 each to do two crowns on back molars. Needless to say they'll not be getting done ay time soon.

Re: Dental insurance help?
 

2 weeks pay to us Bo-J. Wouldn't be happening here either.

Answer here is to do without or get the tooth pulled, like so many Kiwis have to do.