Huge Bill,any advise?

**eager6** · 10-10-2011, 05:02 AM

Hi Guys

Recently moved here and our 4 year old needs some fillings.Went to dentist and told us we would have to bring him to hospital and knock him out at a cost of about $1,000 in total.Cannot believe it!Private health cover said 12month wait until you are covered and free dental treatment for kids is only for in dental surgeries.Any advice?? Siobhan

**Nick11** · 10-10-2011, 05:27 AM

It sounds about right..that is why we took out hospital cover as any dental treatment my youngest will need...will have to be in hospital. The majority of that will go toward paying for the hospital bed....my daughter had teeth out and the bed itself was $675 just as a day patient. You could shop around...apart from that..my advice would be to get it done...you can't mess around with kids teeth. If you think that is expensive...wait for the orthodontist bill...$6000 and rising in my case!!!!

**eager6** · 10-10-2011, 05:31 AM

Thanks Nick,joys of having kids eh!!!

**RockDr** · 10-10-2011, 05:39 AM

What visa are you on? do you have full medicare cover? If so, Medicare should cover some of it since a lot of the cost is probably the hospital bed and anaesthetist (sp?). The cost of these varies greatly.

Sorry not much help, since all I know is the system is complicated, and it's worth specifying that you don't have private cover to get referred to the cheaper places. Your other option might be to look into whether there's a dental school in Adelaide, their prices should be much lower, but then you've got the guinea pig problem, though if your kid's knocked out, and the fillings are in baby teeth, letting students loose on him shouldn't have any major repercussions...

**Diane** · 10-10-2011, 06:58 AM

Have a look at Noble Dentist - worth a call to see if cover is instant and you may need to travel a bit to see one of their dentists, but I have heard good things about them. http://www.nobledentist.com.au/

**brad the brickie** · 10-10-2011, 07:37 AM

Hi they have childrens dentists here where student in their last year practice on your children. We live near Glenelg and my daughter needed 7 fillings and we had just gone to a local dentist they managed to do one and frightened the life out of her so they said she would need to go to hospital!!! There are children's dentist's all over adelaide usually attached to schools let me know what suburb you live in and I may know of a dentist it is also free :) apart from an annual fee of $35 i think.

Regards Tina & Brad

Originally Posted by eager6

Hi Guys

Recently moved here and our 4 year old needs some fillings.Went to dentist and told us we would have to bring him to hospital and knock him out at a cost of about $1,000 in total.Cannot believe it!Private health cover said 12month wait until you are covered and free dental treatment for kids is only for in dental surgeries.Any advice?? Siobhan

**eager6** · 10-10-2011, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by brad the brickie

Hi they have childrens dentists here where student in their last year practice on your children. We live near Glenelg and my daughter needed 7 fillings and we had just gone to a local dentist they managed to do one and frightened the life out of her so they said she would need to go to hospital!!! There are children's dentist's all over adelaide usually attached to schools let me know what suburb you live in and I may know of a dentist it is also free :) apart from an annual fee of $35 i think.

Regards Tina & Brad

Hi Tina and Brad,

We live in Brighton (not far from you)The dentist said it would be free if he would sit and let them do it!
But he is 4 and screamed his head off last time he went for check up!going next week to see if he MAY sit but not holding my breath.Let me know who your daughter is going to.Tks Siobhan

**brad the brickie** · 10-10-2011, 07:57 AM

whats you telephone number i will call you with details email to bradthebricklayer@hotmail.com
Tina

**eager6** · 10-10-2011, 08:01 AM

Thanks Diane,have emailed them with a few questions but they look and sound good!!

**Nick11** · 10-10-2011, 11:31 AM

Medicare doesnt cover the cost of the bed but will pay about 66% of the general anesthetic.
As for childrens dentists..we visited 2 of them.My god.....what a farce...just normal dentists masquerading as childrens dentists to make a quick buck!!! One of them told my daughter not to be such a baby and that she had pulled her daughters teeth out at the dining table!!!!!!!We ended up taking them to our local dentist...a lovely sweet guy who has gradually won their trust over the years. My son has a phobia of dentists after knockiong his teeth into the roof of his mouth when he was 3. The rotting teeth caused a virus that reached his brain and he nearly died.
Please dont assume that as they are classed as childrens dentists they will be any different to a normal dentist!!!!!
I have also been told that school dentists employed by the government are no more than dental techicians....as cut backs have forced sa government to do this...how true this is I don't know....but both my dentist and orthodontist have said this. So be aware.