Dentists
 

What are the dentists like in NZ? How expensive are they? I've just cracked a filling on a chicken nugget (of all things) and am booked in for this afternoon...:(

Re: Dentists
 

hi jacky g here

i think you are roughly $200ish for a filling.....

i got tooth ache 3 days after arriving:thumbdown:had to go to dentist....ended up having to get root canal treatment at a cost of $1,500

apart from the cost the dentists are, imo much better than back home....
i even got a face massage from dentist when she was finished:blink::thumbsup:

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Si-I'm with you brother! One of my teeth has cracked,died and gone to the bi spit-sink in the sky,but it aint sore,so I aint going. Good luck though mate. If I told you about the bills I don't think you'd go!!

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You'll pay somewhere between NZ$100-200 if you have the filling replaced. My last filling a couple of years ago cost NZ$130.

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Cheers guys, i know i don't need root canal as that was down back in the UK, the tooth is dead, it's just still in my mouth for cosmetic reasons...

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Jesus. It's coming out then?

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If you want a recommendation, my mother goes to the dentist at North City Plaza.

Yep, North City. Above the shops there is a floor of offices and there is a dentist office in there.

My mothers description of the dentist was “very good, no fuss, didn’t try to convince you to have work done you didn’t want/need” . I think she also said he didn’t talk much. But personally, I think that’s ok.

She got a filling done last week because she bit into a piece of chocolate. It cost her $145

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Noth City rocks! It actually has got everything!

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Couldn't get into that one until next week, going to one in Hartham Place, Wishart Dental Practice. Think of me at 2pm with me mouth open wide and a knee in my chest...:(

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I take it they do take EFTPOS?

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I would be shocked if they didn't.

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my dentist doesn't take eftpos:blink:but it takes cash,cheque or visa:thumbsup:

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I've just been for the same thing. I go back on Monday for the work to be done. My tooth with the root canal will cost about 3k to save, that's $1500 for the old one taken out and replaced, and another $1500 for a crown. And she gave it a 50/50 chance of lasting for 5 years. I'm going to get it pulled instead!
I also have to have some kind of sealant on some back teeth, a clean and polish, and a couple of little fillings, total estimated cost, $2600. But I think that must include the replacement root canal so it should be quite a bit less than that.
Thankfully, they will accept installments!

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Where's this dentist Jude? I cracked a tooth just before coming out here, on a pizza :eek: and want something done as it's near the front of my mouth :(

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Heh... I had a cap on one of my front teeth before I got married. 3 days before we tied the knot, the cap came off on a piece of pizza. :lol: :rofl:

Simon, whatever you do, do NOT get the tooth pulled! Even if the root canal has been done, headaches, neckaches and backaches have all been linked to something as simple as having a tooth pulled. Two of my wisdom teeth have never "erupted" (love that word for teeth! :lol: ) and my dentist is leaving them in as they're straight. He said it would be very detrimental to take them out.

Just ask for gas and you'll be fine, I never go to the dentist without getting gas now! :D :thumbup:

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Its on the corner of Anzac Road its called Browns Bay dentist or something very original like that! I saw a female dentist and she was lovely. I'm not scared of going at all, its just the paying for it that keeps me awake!

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It's alright Maz he didn't pull it, just a simple filling costing $90 (phew). Though he does recommend a cap in the not too distant future...

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Super! :thumbup: (apart from the cost...)

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Is there an insurance for dental work in NZ?

We've used HSA in UK and it's been worth it, when our dentist went private and we had root canal and fillings done glad HSA paid 50%!!

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Tell you what Si-that's not too bad! Nice one!

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Maz
Could you show me a decent US dentist who'd do a filling for the equivalent of NZ$90? I don't think so, you have the highest dental fees in the western world I understand.
In fact it's really cheap isn't it....if the exchange rate were say 3 NZ dollars to one pound it would only be £30...that's cheap even by UK NHS standards.

TLC and painlessness is more important to me than cost. My check up appointment hasn't come round here yet but from what I can make out the dentistry standards here are good.....looking at websites, more dentists in Wellington seem to offer healozone than in the whole of the UK put together and it was invented in the UK!

Danny - best to go before the tooth hurts...it's usually more expensive if you wait :D.

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Dentist seems pricey in NZ? seeing as in the last 6 months or so I've lost couple fillings and 2 crowns/caps fell off maybe it could be a good idea to have all my teeth done (NHS) before i was to move out?

As in once I sell up house i "could" be unemployed and claim benefits;)

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Someone here said recently that if you are registered with an NHS dentist, you can still visit them for up to 3 years after registering. Based on that theory, if you 'pop back' every couple of years you should still be covered. :sneaky:

Only problem is if you want an emergency appt, bit far to go :D

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Your right there.... he quoted me $1000 for a cap in Welly, my sister in Auckland was quoted $3000. Why the difference i ask?

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Please don't hurt yourself when you fall off your high horse. You obviously missed my point, which is that any cost for dental treatment is, IMNSHO, too much. OK I'm dating myself here, but dental check-ups and all treatments used to be free in England.

Now please calm down, I don't run the dental industry so should not be expected to defend it. Sheesh.

:blink: :confused: That's a very good question, and one that I hope you can get an answer for!

Re: Dentists
 

"Your right there.... he quoted me $1000 for a cap in Welly, my sister in Auckland was quoted $3000. Why the difference i ask?"

"That's a very good question, and one that I hope you can get an answer for!"

Dentists of course are in business like everyone else. The cost will vary depending on each practice's overheads, the treatment offered, the dentists qualifications and experience and of course the going rate in each area.

In my practice we charge a lower rate to regular patients compared to the "only when it hurts " more casual attenders. We also have a receptionist as well as nurses ( some dentists just work themselves or with a combined nurse/receptionist ) and, I like to think a more relaxed friendly atmosphere, we take the time to talk to you as a patient (hopefully making it all a less harrowing experience all round) as well as doing the best work we can. But all this has to be paid for of course !

The NZDA does a survey yearly on costs nationwide here -

http://www.nzda.org.nz/pub/resources...eesurvey07.pdf

peter

Re: Dentists
 

I've just had the first bit of work done this morning. Two rather large fillings, total cost $560.
It hurts now the injection has worn off :(

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My dentist here in Blenheim is lovely :)
Had 2 massive fillings replaced just over 1 hour job. The most gentle procedure ever, cost $310 fab!!!

He is a super South African guy he even locally gels the gum prior to injections.
Think he may have noticed what a chicken I am!!!!!:eek:

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Hopefully someone can answer this.

If you had medical insurance covering the dentist wouldn't the cost of work be free?? If this is the case why don't members join these insurance companies, or am I missing something about how it works over there?

Russ

Re: Dentists
 

Probably but I found in the EU country I was living in before I came here that it was more cost effective (especially if you have some savings behind you for emergencies) to just do 'pay as you go' for dentistry rather than shell out a monthly or annual premium which you will most years not get anything like the full value back on. Plus I also hate filling in insurance claim forms to get my money back!!!

Also policies usually only cover you up to certain levels and would often exclude any work which is not strictly necessary for dental health.

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Most Insurance covers you for a max of $500 per POLICY per year.:sneaky:

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oh ok that explains it then thats a complete wast of time. Really can't see the incentive of having insurance now.

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If you don't turn up for your 6 months/1 year check up they can throw you off the register, we have all recieved letters, via our last uk address confirming this!!!
I was taken off my previous dentists list after I cancelled an appointment, after being his customer for 31 years!!!
It's all in the big scheme of changing to private only practices;)

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Dont get me wrong great place N.Z.i cant wait to get back myself but the dentistry needs to be seriously looked at.out and out extortion if you ask me.its a wonder its not a nation of people with rotten teeth!!!!!!

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Not sure any Western country has got a perfect dental health model (Sweden maybe?). Well NZ has always had a free school dental service (admittedly with a slightly dodgy history in some respects) so just as in the UK, the idea is to give 'free at point of use' access to children from all income groups to at least give them a good start dentally. Don't think braces on teeth etc is routinely covered anymore in either country whereas when I was a child in UK it was.

People forget but NHS dentistry was never totally free for all adults - it was free only to adults in certain income groups/situations and there was an upper limit to what the rest were expected to pay towards a particular course of treatment. Not that different from the weird 3 band system they have recently introduced.

Does anyone else know if you had an accident here in NZ and say all your front teeth were knocked out...would implants to replace them be covered on the special catch all accident cover (forgotten the acronym for it) or does it only cover true medical? Or maybe NHS-style they'd only cover you for dentures :p!

Re: Dentists
 

Dental work would definitely be covered.

Example: My (idiotic childish nutter) ex boyfriend was playing “fights” with a friend of his. The friend accidentally knocked two of his teeth out.

The repairs were paid for by ACC. From memory the cosmetic stuff wasn’t and he ended up having a few problems with his teeth which couldn’t quite be put down to the fight but most likely would have been the result of it. But, generally yes, if there is an ‘event’ then ACC would pay.

The same idiot also tripped one day (I suspect he had a couple of beers but he denied it) and fell through a window. Those bills were also paid for – physio, doctors visists, etc.

Apparently he has grown up in recent years though!

Re: Dentists
 

ACC will cover dental work but you may still have to pay something, depending on the state of your teeth before the accident. For instance for implants the latest guidelines say that if you have an unrestored gap elsewhere in your mouth they will not pay for implants for the accident. And if there was pre-existing decay in a damaged tooth ACC will say you contributed to the amount of damage and the amount given will be reduced say to 75% or 50%. So . . . get to your check ups !

A few things heard about a dentist down the road from us ( he is gone now )

Patient, while having a tooth extracted -

Doctor, "I know you have put jabs in but it still hurts "
Dentist, " Well, hang onto the chair then "

And, patient in chair for filling, dentist sits down, gets everything ready then turns to his nurse and says " ok, what do I do now ? "

peter

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If you get a community services card its cheaper

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.


Dont you haveto be on a low income to qualify for one

I have just been quoted $1050 for a cap on a tooth that was broken in half after an accident at work,AC will pay $700 ,I have to fork out the difference but my company may pay that as it was caused at work and they are insured.

Re: Dentists
 

that sounds a right touch there...