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Dental Costs Perth – We Investigate the Real Costs

Dental Costs Perth dental aware feature

If you regularly visit the Dentist in Perth, WA, you may wonder – what are the average dental costs in Perth?

Annually, the Australian Dental Association or ADA for short reviews the cost of multiple dental procedures at a number of clinics in WA. From this data, the average price for each treatment is evaluated.

This blog is about how these costs are determined, and how they can be used to your advantage, including;

  • How to find average dental costs in WA?
  • Dental Item Numbers and how they work.
  • No-gap Dentists’ in Perth.
  • Dental costs in the city compared to greater WA.
  • Dental teeth cleaning cost in Perth.

How to Find Average Dental Costs in WA?

Our website has a nifty little gadget – the Dental Cost Calculator.

It was designed for you, so you have a simple place to access the average price for every dental treatment in each state or territory in Australia.

We modify this Calculator once a year when the Australian Dental Association (ADA) has gathered the latest costs.

To clarify, what occurs is every year is the ADA reviews the cost of over 120 dental procedures.

They do so by surveying around 11,000 Dentists’ that have been chosen randomly, in clinics nationwide.

The Dentists’ will be quizzed as to what they currently charge patients for their dental treatments.

The data that is collected from these yearly reviews is extremely useful, as the ADA does not have any say in what any Dentist charges for their work.

Rather, every dental clinic can choose what they want to charge for their treatments.

So, the information that is gained from these annual reviews allows us to gain insight into how much the treatments cost, both;

  • Throughout the states/territories of Australia, and
  • Within different regions of the states/territories themselves.

We can then take all the prices that have been collected and use them to evaluate the average price in each state/territory for each dental treatment.

After the ADA has done their yearly review, we use the costs that have been gathered to update our Calculator.

So, if you want to know the average costs for dental treatment in Perth, you can look at our Dental Cost Calculator.

How to Use the Dental Cost Calculator

Below are some instructions to help you learn how the Calculator operates.

1. Choose your State

The first thing you will need to do is choose your state/territory.

So, if you want to know the average prices in Perth, choose WA.

Dental Treatments WA Dental Aware Cost Calculator

Selecting your state is the first step

2. Select Dental Treatment

The second thing that you will need to do is choose your dental treatment.

This can be done in a variety of ways, which I will talk you through below.

3. Item Codes

Item Codes – If you already know what the Item Code/s for your procedure is, pick these from the drop-down menu, and “Add to Treatment List”.

Add all the Item Codes that you require to your Treatment List. Then, “View Treatment Summary”.

Dental Item code selection dental aware cost calculator

Dental Aware Cost Calculator – Item code

Here, you will see an overview of the average costs of every one of your treatments, as well as your total cost.

You can have a copy of this emailed to you, by pressing “Download This Summary”.

If you would like to know more about Item Codes, refer to the sub-heading, “Dental Item Numbers and How They Work”.

4. Treatment You Need

If you are unaware of your Item Code/s but know the treatment/s you need, this is the drop-down menu for you.

Here, you will see both treatments and symptoms.

“Add to Treatment List” every time you find a treatment or symptom that suits your issue.

When you have selected all your requirements, “View Treatment Summary”.

This will give you an overview of the median treatment costs, and your total treatment cost.

Whilst viewing this if you think you have forgotten a treatment, “Choose More Treatments”.

Or, if the summary suits your needs, we can email you a copy if you “Download This Summary”.

5. Symptoms You Feel

If you are feeling any indications that you require dental work, but do not know what, this is the menu for you.

Choose any ‘warning signs’ that are indicating you need dental work performed, such as tooth pain, trauma, etc.

Once you have chosen your symptoms, the Calculator will suggest the potential dental work that you may need.

You can add any of these to your Treatment List.

Then “View Treatment Summary”, to get an overview of what each procedure will roughly cost, and the average total cost.

Again, you can have this emailed if you “Download This Summary”.

Dental Item Numbers and How They Work

Dental Item Numbers are a three-figure number (also known as Dental Item Codes).

Established by the Australian Dental Association (ADA), their purpose is to make dental work easier.

The ADA will appoint a Dental Item Number to every procedure that they consider is a current element in a dental clinic.

By doing so, the method they use when reviewing the annual costs for dental work is much more effective.

Meaning, the Item Numbers help us to gain the average costs for all dental procedures nationwide.

This is as the regulations for each Item Number (which are put in place by the ADA) are very detailed. For example;

  • Each Item Number must use the same technique, no alterations are acceptable.
  • Another benefit of this is that the result of the treatment will continue to be the same.
  • The only Item Numbers that can be used are those that have been approved by the ADA
  • This simplifies dental jargon for the ordinary person, as it is impossible to define every dental procedure in existence.
  •  If an Item Number suitable for the procedure cannot be located, instead Item Number 990 must be applied.

No-Gap Dentists in Perth

A “no-gap” Dentist is one who will perform your dental treatment, leaving you with nil out of pocket expenses (up to your yearly limit).

What this means is that the Dentist will cover all costs that remain leftover from your procedure and the amount you get back from your health insurance rebate.

So, you will not have to pay even a cent for any of the dental work.

This is not the only positivity’s that come from the existence of “no-gap” Dentists.

Many people delay or prevent visiting their Dentist, as they are unable to afford it.

This is unfortunate, as, by the time they can visit their Dentist, it is too late – the problem in their mouth has before now begun.

So, the treatment will end up costing more and maybe even causing more pain.

Whereas, if you attend your regular dental check-ups, your dentist can spot a problem before it becomes too significant.

This will save you money and protect your oral health.

The saying “prevention is better than cure” exists for a reason and should be taken seriously when it comes to your health.

I have provided you with a list of no-gap Dentists in Perth below. I hope this will motivate you to go to your regular check-ups.

Rossmoyne No Gap Dental – (08) 6153 5303.

LifeCare Dental – (08) 9221 2777.

DB Dental – 16300 483 384.

HCF – 13 13 14.

London Court Dental Clinic – (08) 9325 4175.

West Perth Dental Centre – (08) 9321 6928.

Dental Excellence – (08) 9443 8333.

If our list does not include a no-gap Dentist in your area, just hop on the internet and type into Google, “no-gap Dentist near me”.

Doing so will direct you towards one in your region.

Dental Costs in the City Compared to Greater WA

The average price of dental work can alter a lot – depending on where you live.

The Dentists’ price for a treatment will vary for many reasons, including their location and their overhead prices.

Western Australia is the largest state in Australia at 2.646 million km.

Even Perth itself is fairly widespread, so you may find that by shopping around for a Dentist, you could save money.

Generally, a Dentists’ fees are higher in the wealthier suburbs of the city, as their overheads are higher.

If you are willing to travel, you could pay $600 for crowns in South Perth, rather than $1000 in the CBD.

However, those who live in rural areas of WA are in a more difficult position.

There is a known shortage of dental professionals in regional areas of WA, and this can affect the resident’s oral health.

A study instigated by the Parliament showed that in 2000;

  • Of the 913 Dentists’ in WA, only 16% worked outside of Perth, yet 27% of the population live in this region.

Therefore, people residing in the country’s oral health is of poorer quality than those living in the city. This means they have a greater need for dental work.

This is shown by the fact that Dentists’ in rural and remote areas work, on average, two hours more each week than those in the city.

There is an obvious inequality between the supply and demand for Dentists’ in the rural, remote, and regional towns of WA.

This is demonstrated by the long waiting times many country residents must deal with.

Due to these waiting lists, those who reside in the country are not as likely to have visited a Dentist in the prior 12 months than those who live in the city.

As such, the country residents are more likely to show signs of issues that relate to the timing of their dental visits.

For example, country residents are more likely to have had teeth extracted in the 12 months prior.

They are less likely to have had a scale and clean in these 12 months, so this may lead to further issues in future.

Dental Teeth Cleaning Cost in Perth

The average price for a professional tooth clean in Perth is $218.

Though, there are times when you may be asked to revisit for what is called a rescale and will have to pay the Dentist to finish the treatment.

There are other times when you may need a deep clean.

These can be quite expensive, as they are charged per tooth.

For extra information on the different treatments, and when and why they are used, please see our blog post – Dental Costs for Teeth Cleaning – All Your Options Listed for more information.

What are you paying in Perth for a dental clean?

By Andrew Adams

Created at October 23, 2020, Updated at September 30, 2021

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