[TFR]

I'm trying to understand how NZ dentists work and how they differ from the UK. I've scanned the forum and the NZIS site but they don't go into detail (apart from for children under 18 which I'm not!), so, can anyone help please:

1. Do you all register with a local dentist? Do they invite you for a checkup every 6 months or do you just pop into your local one when you have a problem?

2. Do they all have set fees for services? Roughly how much for a 6 monthly checkup please? I've heard lots of quotes.

3. Do you all pay an equivalent of UK national insurance contributions? Or do can you pay into a dentist insurance policy which covers the cost of trips to the dentists? Any web links for this service so I can get a quote if so please?

4. any other related info would be appreciated.

Cheers in advance...

[wiki]

In my experience, I only had a dental check-up once a year in NZ. If you wanted them more frequently, you could book in but unless your teeth are a mess, the dentist will tend to stick to a yearly schedule. You will have to pay around $100 a time for a basic check, but that will usually include a clean. any extra work - fillings etc - will be more, but you should be able to get a pay scale in advance.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/settlementpack/health/OtherHealthCare/DentalCare.htm

that link may be of help.

Most health insurance policies will have an add-on for dental care, but it will up your premiums.

ETA: There are no national insurance payments in NZ, but there are ACC levies which are paid by employers. This will entitle you to free care if you get your teeth smashed out by a cricket ball etc... anything which can be labeled an "accident"

[TFR]

thanks for that, that's really useful. Cheers.

In your experience do you think that's the norm? ie do "most" people do dentist this way or is it common for kiwis to buy a dental insurance policy (if you can help on than I'd be grateful). Am just trying to get a general feel on monthly health $'s outgoings.

Re the ACC - I understand that that payment comes straight out of an employees salary as PAYE? Is it a set fee or a set percentage of the employees wage please?

[khhill]

My experience with dentists has been identical to Wiki's.

One yearly checkup for me is $125 includes cleaning, polish, x-rays. I don't know of anyone personally who has dental insurance-just budget in the cleaning and keep a slush fund for any work that may be needed. Basic fillings at my dentist are $85.

[wiki]

Not a lot of people I know have dental or optical on their medical insurance either - the dental premiums can be quite a bit more, and even if you just put aside $5 a week you'd have $260 by the end of the year which would happily cover your check-up and possibly more work besides.

You'd have to look at policy options and considering the state of your teeth, decide if the economics added up for you.

As for ACC - Inland Revenue takes an "earners levy" which is a flat rate. For 2007 I think it's going up to $1.30 in every $100 you earn (it was $1.20 for quite a few years)

The employer rate varies depending on the type of work. Office work results in a smaller ACC levy that say forestry or fishing where you are more at risk of serious accidents. And the level of levy changes every year depending on how many claims their were for each industry the year before (ie if there are no construction ACC claims then that levy will be cheaper the next year for employers).

If you are self-employed you have to pay a weekly rate + a percentage, I think but that should be explained on the NZ Inland Revenue website.

[Anita & Marco]

Since the dentist is relatively very expensive for the huge amount of people who earn the average NZ salary or below - this group of people do not regularly go to the dentists. They just wait until a problem comes up and deal with it then. I realised this when I had a problem here and had to have a root canal treatment. The dentist offered me the choice of extraction first, which I did not do of course, but later I realised the people often choose this because it is far cheaper.

Asking around with Kiwi colleagues I checked what they would have done when they had a lot of tooth pain and one answered : "Just ignore the pain". A really Kiwi-attitude!!

Cheers,
Anita

[TFR]

excellent stuff, thank you all.
Just one last thing before I leave this. Wiki mentioned health insurance...as far as I understand it, if I end up in hospital for an accident, an ACC claim will cover the cost (the trip to the A&E is free) and this is all paid for by my levy contributions (as above thank you) but what about if it's not an accident - is that where a private health insurance policy comes in to play? What happens in this event? Does everyone have these as, although I applaud the grin and bear toothache attitude :), I'm going to struggle with that with , say, a broken femur!
I'm struggling for this info, thanks in advance, then I'll leave you all alone ;)

[Anita & Marco]

In this case again - only the people with hire incomes can afford to take an insurance policy. We took a basic insurance policy mainly to avoid waiting times in the public system as soon as you need surgery. But we did not take any dentist insurance because it was so expensive (after the root canal treatment I think differently, because the total will cost me about $ 2,000).

Cheers
Anita

[TFR]

Anita & Marco: thank you...could you send a link over as to where you buy your health insurance from please? I'm trying to get hold if some quotes for us. Many thanks in advance.

[Anita & Marco]

not a prob, we have insurence with Southern Cross, but that is not the only insurance company - it might be worth while to do a search on the internet.

Cheers,
Anita

[TFR]

found them here: http://www.southerncross.co.nz/ , thank you, I'll have a looksee. Cheers

[mossum]

Hi

Hope I may be able to help a little here .

I am a dental assistant here in Christchurch - Perhaps Ch Ch is reasonable - or I work for a practice that has reasonable fees - who knows ???

A check up is $ 61-71 including x rays , a 30 minute hygienist visit is $75 . I have to say that the general standard of dentistry that i have seen is very high - I worked at NHS practices in the UK for 12 years . Examinations are very thorough & x rays are standard at each exam . We recall our patients on an as needed basis - dependant on their decay rate - some at 3 months but most at 12 months . I have to say that NHS dentistry is artificially low priced - I understand that many of you may not agree - but thats why your NHS dentist is so chaotic - its a bit like pak n save stack em high & sell em cheep !!

There are no schemes such as cigna/ practice plan or denplan availiable - in fact most kiwis seem baffled when I talk about them , rather lots of our patients pay $x a week by direct debit to the practice - allowing them to keep an account open with credit on it .

I would suggest having any crown work done before arrival crown & bridge work is EXPENSIVE !!!! - shop around and see what you can get price wise £250 might seem expensive but - its a whole lot cheeper than $1000 per crown .

Most importantly take advise from other people - what you pay for is not always what you get - If colleagues reccomend someone - its worth trying them out . There appears to be no shortage of dentists here so changing practice is not hard .

Hope that I've been helpful - any more specific questions - I'm more than happy to answer .

Right off to have a tidy & then a nice potter around the garden .

vic x

[Smiler]

Vic

Good post thanks. :nice1

Can I pick your brains some more please? Is there a professional standards body I should look for when choosing a dentist?

I'm finding it difficult, you can't walk in and test drive one to make sure they are ok first (for scaredy cats like me). :roll

[TFR]

Hey Vic - thank you for posting - very much appreciated. I've PM'd you!

[mossum]

Hi smiler ,

I'll have a little ask at work & let you know . I'm still getting my head around all that kind of stuff :p .

vic x