Dental pain as costs rise sharply

The average cost of going to the dentist has risen by almost a quarter in the past few years.

About half of New Zealanders are now avoiding seeing the dentist due to cost barriers, a national health survey has revealed.

Figures from the New Zealand Dental Association show the price of a typical appointment — including an exam, clean, X-ray and composite fillings — rose by $98 between 2020 and 2023.

Association chief executive Mo Amso said it was no surprise there had been a sharp increase in the three years since the previous survey.

He said the figures were in line with inflation and covered the costs of products, staff and equipment.

“With the inflation rates that we’ve had over the last three years or so, cumulatively, it is actually on-par.

“It has taken sort of a similar path to a lot of other services and consumer goods that have equally gone up by inflation, some probably more than that.”

It was very concerning half of New Zealanders were avoiding the dentist due to costs and the Government needed to address the issue urgently, he said.

“It’s a problem that’s not going to go away, and it does require leadership. Unless there is a political will to change things, half of the people of New Zealand will continue to be unable to access dental care.”

Amso said people on low incomes were the most affected.

“The working poor, as we call [them], are unfortunately the most disadvantaged group of people.

“They are just above the threshold for a benefit or any subsidy for dental care from the Government, but are struggling to afford basic dental care.”

More people needed to be made eligible for dental subsidies, he said.

The survey showed the average price for a dental examination was now $89, but that differed among areas.

North of Auckland the average price was $75, but in Otago/Southland it ballooned to $125.

Half an hour of tooth scaling set patients back $96 on average, while getting a single tooth extracted cost an average of $291.

A single amalgam (silver-coloured) filling cost between $201-323 on average, while a composite (toothcoloured) filling cost between $231-$378.

In the 2023 election, Labour campaigned on providing free dental care to people under 30, while National pledged $120 million in additional spending on the Child Dental Package over four years. —RNZ