Regardless of whether you’re missing a single tooth, or looking to replace an entire set of teeth, permanent dental implant surgery is undeniably one of the best solutions available for patients.

You’ll very quickly have an improved appearance, better overall oral health, and the ability to eat without any pain or discomfort.

However, it’s never the advantages of dental implants that deter the patients that really need them from committing to oral surgery – it’s the cost.

In fact, we’ve seen numbers of Kiwis opt to travel overseas to countries like Thailand for a cheaper surgery while on ‘dental’ holiday which, of course, comes with risks.

We understand the financial pain points of our patients. That’s why in this blog, we endeavour to answer your most common FAQs:

• So why does implant surgery seem so expensive in New Zealand?
• Is it worth travelling abroad for cheaper dental surgery?
• Are there alternative ways to cover my dental costs?

With a peak under the hood of oral surgery operations in New Zealand, you might be surprised to learn where your hard-earned coin is going.

So what exactly are you paying for?

The first thing to know is that the rate you pay for your implant surgery depends significantly on the area you live in, the technology and equipment used at your chosen facility, and the balancing of competitive rates in the area.

The New Zealand dental, oral and maxillofacial surgery industry isn’t cost regulated by the government, so no matter where you go across the country, there’s no flat rate for any given treatment.

Part of the reason for this is that treatments also aren’t subsidised by the government in the same way that General Practitioner healthcare is. This means that, while prices for oral surgery may seem comparatively high, the ‘true’ cost of other healthcare is government-funded.

Implant Treatment Overheads

Beyond the factors of location and government funding, there are a few reasons why dental implant surgery is a particularly costly procedure:

• Implants are considered surgery. Your doctor must have completed specialist training in oral surgery to even perform the procedure. A very costly, and highly in demand, qualification. Therefore, you’ll be charged at a higher rate than a simpler procedure.
• The number of necessary appointments. From start to finish, an All-on-4 treatment takes approximately five appointments, so a lot of the cost goes towards the labour costs of your surgeon.
• The cost of materials. Included in the overall cost of your surgery is the cost of the materials used, which is actually two separate elements: the implant and the crown.
• Technology and tools. Drill costs, surgical kits, x-rays, anaesthetic, iCat scanning, digital implantology software – theses are all necessary costs that are covered by your fee.
• Cost of running a surgery. Simply keeping the lights on and powering the machines is an overhead that has to be factored in.

With all factors considered, it’s easy to see how costs can seem a little pricey, however, it’s important to note that the quality, safety, and technology that New Zealand surgeries can offer make the price tag attached to implant surgery locally well worth the investment.

Is it worth travelling abroad for Dental Implant Treatment?

The option of travelling abroad on a ‘dental holiday’ is one that has been highly publicised in the media over the past few years and is undeniably a tempting option.

Who wouldn’t be tempted by a short holiday, all of their treatments and a lower price tag than their local surgery attached?

However, as with most things, if you’re lowering your costs, you’re also likely to be compromising in quality.

Here are a few things to look out for:

• New Zealand has standardised health regulations that keep the quality of treatments, and the qualifications of our surgeons, reliable. In other countries, regulations are less strict, and quality varies.
• Follow-up and maintenance appointments are essential and only possible if you’re actually in the country where you received your treatment. If anything (although unlikely) goes wrong here in NZ, you can easily head back to your practitioner for assistance.
• New Zealand has a Standards Framework for Oral Health Practitioners which requires any New Zealand Dentist or Oral Surgeon to put the patient’s interest first instead of their own financial gains, maintain a safe workplace to ensure patients’ safety, and upgrade their skills by getting involved in professional and learning activities.

Of course, there’s a much longer list of reasons to consider which you can check out in our blog; Risks of Dental Treatments Abroad.

The most important take-away here is that in New Zealand there are laws, regulations, and qualifications that ensure that you’re always getting the best possible treatment and that your safety comes first.

It’s almost always worth paying a little more in the short term to prevent ongoing and costly problems in the long term.

Are there alternative ways to cover my dental costs?

Not everyone has a spare $4,000 – $8,000 spare change in their pocket ready to hand over for the sake of a pearly white smile and a fresh set of All-on-4’s, and we understand that.

Fortunately, it is possible to get the best possible solutions when it comes to dental implant treatments. We’d suggest looking into the following options:

Government Assistance

• Children: Children in New Zealand who meet the eligibility criteria for publicly funded health and disability services are entitled to free basic oral health services from birth to 17 years of age (until their 18th birthday). These services include everything from x-rays, cleaning and fissure sealants, to your regular check-ups. If you haven’t already enrolled your child, you can find more information, here. Of course, the best part of this is teaching kids a healthy oral care routine sets them up to take care of their teeth later in life.
• Adults: While limited, there are options available for adults who qualify to help fund dental procedures. For example, people on low incomes who have a Community Services Card may be able to get emergency dental care such as pain relief or extractions. As well as this, people with specific medical conditions or disabilities may be eligible for funding. You can check out the list of options, here.
• ACC: Finally, if your oral surgery is necessary as a result of an accident or injury, you could be eligible to receive ACC cover – it’s well worth applying. For this kind of financial help, you can take a look at eligibility requirements, here.

Insurance

Dental insurance is a great option to consider, as it will cover any dental treatment costs (specified in your policy) while your cover is active. This can really set back any immediate costs and make the treatments you need more affordable in the long term.

Payment Plans

Of course, your selected oral surgery clinic may offer alternative payment plans and options to help you out if you need surgery. Here at NSOMS, we have a wide range of payment options available to service all of our clients’ needs.

How to decide if it’s worth the money

The bottom line is, if you’re looking for the best possible quality, a high calibre of technology, and the safest procedure, it’s usually best to stay right here in New Zealand.

There are a number of payment options available to help to reduce the immediate cost and, when all overheads and costs are considered, the price attached to implant surgery actually isn’t too unrealistic at all.

Of course, every patient is different and your needs may differ significantly from the next person. For this reason, we always recommend booking a consultation with an Oral Surgeon to discuss your options before making any decision.

If you’d like to go over your options and discuss costs relevant to the implant treatment you need, get in touch with our friendly team. They’d be more than happy to help!

 

Dentists are seeing the direct impact this is having on oral health, with increasing numbers of patients calling in with severe conditions that could have been prevented by regular check-ups.

As astutely put by Health Minister Dr. David Clark;

“We have people struggling with Third World health conditions as a result of bad dental hygiene and inability to access the care and treatment they need.”

While clearly a longstanding issue, the question still remains, why is dental care so expensive in New Zealand?

In this blog, we look at the average cost of procedures in New Zealand and how they compare with the rest of the world and attempt to explain the factors that are adding to your oral healthcare bill. There may even be some options to reduce your bill that you may not even be aware of.

The cost of dental care in New Zealand

A recent evaluation of the cost of dental procedures in New Zealand revealed that across the country, the costs were definitely enough to burn a hole in the back pocket of the average kiwi – if they had the funds available at all.

Here’s how the numbers stack up:

Dental Procedure	Cost
Check up with x-rays	$95 – $150
Check up with Scale/Polish	$85 – $120
Amalgam filling (molar)	$110 – $165
Composite filling (molar)	$130 – $185
Extraction	$170 – $220
Porcelain Veneer	$900 – $1,300
Composite Crown	$280 – $500
Porcelain Crown	$1,200 – $1,400
Molar Root Filling	$900 – $1,200
Single Tooth Implant	$2,500 – $3,000

Source: https://www.enz.org/dental-costs-in-new-zealand.html

While these numbers were fairly indicative of the general cost of oral care in NZ, the comment section of the article suggested that in some regions, patients were asked to shell out upwards of these figures.

Compared to the rest of the world, these figures are seemingly high. For example, a short, 45-minute appointment with a hygienist in New Zealand can cost 202 percent more than the same treatment in the UK and Bali.

Looking at the comparative costs, it’s no wonder that, despite the risks involved, Kiwis are considering taking a trip abroad to get their dental work taken care of.

So why is oral healthcare so expensive?

There are many reasons why the high price tag attached to oral healthcare onshore seems overwhelmingly expensive. Oral surgeons and dentists alike have been raising awareness for the poor state of oral health in NZ for years, and have directly linked the problem to lack of affordability. This leaves the public asking, why can’t the costs just be lower?

There are two key factors.

Overheads

Probably the most significant factor, the overheads associated with running any kind of oral surgery or dental clinic are inconceivably high – and most likely are unbeknownst to the general public.

One Otago dentist recently stated;

“People don’t seem to understand that running a dental surgery is like running a mini hospital. There’s registration fees, staff, sterilisation, materials cost. A dental chair is upwards of $70,000. My drills cost $2000.”

If you consider the costs of setting up and running an Oral surgery clinic with state of the art technology, such as PIC Cameras, I-CAT 3D scan technology, digital implant workflows and X-Rays, the upfront overheads steadily increase.

The cost of top-of-the-line healthcare is expensive, as the technology required to provide the service comes with a large price tag.

Lack of Government Funding

When you visit a GP in New Zealand and pay your standard, up-front cost of a visit, the amount you’re paying is heavily subsidised by the Government. Unfortunately, oral healthcare, for the most part, does not receive any public funding and therefore the upfront costs to the patient are far higher comparatively.

In fact, the best estimate is that $1.8 billion is spent on dentist visits each year in New Zealand. And almost all of it, $1.6 billion, comes directly from patient’s pockets.

Only $242 million, 15%, is paid for by the State.

We can’t afford it – what are our options?

Fortunately, with enough research, you’ll begin to see that there are options available to kiwis to help to reduce the upfront cost of oral healthcare. Here’s what we’d recommend looking into if you know you’re going to need treatment soon, or you’d like to prevent the problem altogether.

Regular Check-Ups

We can’t stress it enough – the more often you’re going to visit your oral healthcare professional, the more likely you are to catch any lurking problems in their early stages before they manifest into a more expensive issue.

It’s recommended that you have a check-up once every sixth months, even if you’re diligent with your oral hygiene and tooth care.

The numbers say it all – a check-up with a professional clean or X-Ray costs between $85-$150, and treatments escalate into the thousands – which would you prefer to pay?

Government Assistance

• Children: Children in New Zealand who meet the eligibility criteria for publicly funded health and disability services are entitled to free basic oral health services from birth to 17 years of age (until their 18th birthday). These services include everything from x-rays, cleaning and fissure sealants to your regular check-ups. If you haven’t already enrolled your child, you can find more information, here. Of course, the best part of this is that teaching kids a healthy oral care routine sets them up to take care of their teeth later in life.
• Adults: While limited, there are options available for adults who qualify, to help fund dental procedures. For example, people on low incomes who have a Community Services Card may be able to get emergency dental care, such as pain relief or extractions. As well as this, people with specific medical conditions or disabilities may be eligible for funding. You can check out the list of options, here.
• ACC: Finally, if your oral surgery is necessary as a result of an accident or injury, you could be eligible to receive ACC cover – it’s well worth applying. For this kind of financial help, you can take a look at eligibility requirements, here.

Insurance

Dental insurance is a great option to consider, as it will cover any dental treatment costs (specified in your policy) while your cover is active. This can really set back any immediate costs and make the treatments you need more affordable in the long term. If you’re looking into taking out a dental insurance policy, we’d suggest considering:

• Making sure your plan covers your dental needs
• Ensuring that there’s a high or no yearly limit on costs
• Investigating different insurance companies and policies available

With a little future thinking, you might thank yourself later down the track.

Payment Plans

Of course, your selected oral surgery clinic may offer alternative payment plans and options to help you out if you need surgery. Here at NSOMS, we have a wide range of payment options available to service all of our clients’ needs.

Interested in an appointment and finding out how we can help?

It’s true that it’s cheaper to get your dental treatment done in Vietnam, but is money more important than your long-term health?

Risks of dental treatments abroad

Overseas dentistry seems economically attractable. Indeed, you might also think of a vacation squeezed in between the treatment visits. As good as it sounds, there are factors we want you to be aware before making your decision:

Quality of the treatment

Just like anywhere else, the skill set, knowledge and experience of a dentist vary. In the countries where the regulation is less strict, it becomes a greater problem. In NZ, the health regulation keeps our dentists’ skill level at a very high standard which we have discussed in detail further in this article. The bottom line is, the quality of treatment is New Zealand is much more reliable.

 Sterilisation

 Sterilisation is way more important than the clinic’s interior design. Here’s a firsthand account of an American tourist who went to Vietnam for dental treatment.

“What I witnessed my eyes could not believe – sealed surgical tools that were rusted and still covered with existing dried blood from previous patients! Blood-born pathogens “HIV” Hepatitis – A, B and C.”

You can read the rest of this horror story at Trip Advisor’s forum but do so at your own risk.

 Follow-up & maintenance

In order for the treatment to succeed, there needs to be an appropriate follow-up and maintenance. Without follow-up visits, you are more likely to develop complications. Also, the complications need to be managed as soon as it occurs as it may lead to bigger problems. So, taking ten days off work to fly abroad whenever there’s a maintenance issue with your overseas dental treatment is not viable at all. Don’t trade short-term financial gain for long-term a hassle.

Why is New Zealand dentistry better?

The common belief is that dental care is expensive and you can never be sure about the final cost. But, as the saying goes, “every truth is but a half-truth.”

It’s not your fault if you’re holding back on seeking help for a serious dental problem because of the high price. But the high price is there for a reason. The standards of oral health practitioners in New Zealand are some of the best, if not the best, in the developed world.

In New Zealand, dentists are required to:

• Put the patient’s interest first instead of their own financial gains
• Respect the freedom of choice of the patients
• Practice only what they’re skilled at. If not, they should refer the patient to another health practitioner who can handle the situation
• Maintain a safe workplace to ensure patients’ safety 
• Upgrade their skills by getting involved in professional and learning activities and comply with Dental Council’s re-certification programmes
• Have arrangements to handle emergency situations at the practice
• Communicate factual truth to the patients instead of exaggerating things

and much more. Read the Standards Framework for Oral Health Practitioners to learn more.

The bottom line is, you can have much more confidence in the quality of dental care here in New Zealand.

 

What should patients be aware of before choosing a dental provider?

Choose a dental care provider who will make you smile throughout your treatment journey.

Communicate your stress and anxiety about the treatment to your dentist. You’d be amazed when you see how helpful the right dentist can be. So, please don’t be shy.

Secondly, ask questions, every question that you have in your mind before you book in your treatment. Proceed only if you’re satisfied with the answers.

In the dental industry, it’s hard to avoid unexpected costs as the treatment plan can change. But just because the treatment plan changes doesn’t mean you have to pay extra.

Here at NSOMS, we take the onus on ourselves to ensure our patients’ peace of mind.

That’s right, you pay only what has been agreed upon before the treatment takes place. If extra costs occur, we’ll take care of it ourselves. Not only this, but we also have interest free payment plans to assist our patients.

We also accept payment from health insurance companies and can assist you with getting prior approval.

Request an appointment now to move one step closer to a beautiful smile.