Shop around to find cheapest dentist
Australians could save more than $200 on a visit to the dentist by simply shopping around and taking advantage of discounts available to new patients.
A survey of all 6268 publicly listed dental clinics in Australia has found wild price differentials, with some charging $400 more than others.
The report by Healthcare directory Cleanbill identified the local government area (LGA) of North Midlands in Tasmania as the cheapest with an average price of $185.
Narromine in NSW, Mt Isa in Queensland and Mid Murray in South Australia were the next cheapest at around $199 for a first visit.
In Victoria, the Surf Coast was the cheapest LGA at just over $240.
The most expensive clinic in the country was in remote East Pilbara, WA, where the one dental clinic charges $640 for the same initial consult.
In most capital cities, prices varied by about $200.
Cleanbill founder James Gillespie said he was amazed at the huge cost variants.
“We can see that the LGAs of Mosman and Strathfield are only separated by a 30-minute drive but they’re separated in average new patient costs by over $200 which is unbelievable for localities that are so close,” Mr Gillespie said.
The other surprise was that one in four dental clinics had special offers for new patients.
“In order to get new patients to come to their clinic and bring new patients in on their books they would charge a reduced rate,” he said.
Some clinics were also offering $20 supermarket vouchers to attract new patients.
Dr Jack Hogkinson, from Sydney’s City Dental which has a special $220 offer for a first visit, said like other Australian businesses, dental practices were facing rising costs.
The cost of masks and other equipment used in clinics had skyrocketed during Covid and never returned to pre-Covid levels, he said.
As the cost of living rises, many people are putting off expensive dental work.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics found 29.7 per cent of Australians delayed or did not see a dentist in 2023. More than 2.28 million Aussies said cost was the reason they delayed seeing a dentist.
“I have noticed that a lot of new patients I see haven’t been to dentist for up to five to 10 years,” Dr Hogkinson said.
“Everything can become quite a bit worse over that time, particularly their gum health
“With regular check-ups, you will need less than to work long term. So it ends up cheaper.”
For those wanting to find the cheapest clinics in their area, Cleanbill offers a free di
rectory service where you can put in a suburb or postcode and find every dental clinic around you and what they charge for basic services.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission did not allow it to set or recommend fees.
“Members base their individual fees on a range of variables, including the complexity of the procedure, the cost of running a practice which can vary greatly … and necessities like PPE (personal protective equipment),” ADA president Dr Scott Davis said.
Between 2017 and 2022 ADA surveys show fees rose below or in line with inflation.
“Inflation went up 14.5 per cent but dentistry fees only went up 2.14 per cent over the same time,” he said.
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