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[VIC] General ($31.50 Per Visit) & Emergency ($31.50 Per Course) Dental Schemes for Eligible Patients @ Victorian Dept of Health

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[VIC] General ($31.50 Per Visit) & Emergency ($31.50 Per Course) Dental Schemes for Eligible Patients @ Victorian Dept of Health
Go to Deal
liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 16:05 health.vic.gov.au (1853 clicks)
Last edited 29/04/2025 - 21:55 by 1 other user

Before you read the below:

Keep in mind there are waitlists and eligibility requirements before everyone contacts their local public clinic asking dental care

While it is a big read, multiple commenters have not read the requirements or clicked to the links, it is not as simple as, call clinic, get voucher.

Waitlists are as long as 3-4 years at some health services and you may be offered a clinic appointment at a Public Dental Clinic instead of an alternative arrangement detailed below

Please don't harrass the poor staff at the clinic or on the phones. It's not their fault that the Victorian public dental system is underfunded and under resources. Screaming at them does not help your situation.

Your first step is to call you local public dental clinic ideally between opening time and 10am so they can triage you, if you're in severe pain you should call as soon as they open so they can triage you, if they're over capacity and can't see you in the public dental clinic and have funding they may give you a VEDS voucher (if the health service allows it/has funding, this it not up to the front desk receptionist they're just following a policy from the health service). If you aren't in pain, they'll put you on a waiting list for treatment which could be anywhere from 12 months - 4 years depending on your region and funding, at some point they'll will either give you an appointment slot or a VGDS voucher.

Victorian Emergency Dental Scheme (VEDS):

Public Dental Clinic Clinic:
- Covers urgent issues like toothaches, infections, abscesses, broken teeth.
- Flat co-payment of $31.50 (waived in some cases).

Voucher system (Public patient in a participating private dental clinic):
- Vouchers worth up to $333 issued through public dental clinics.
- Emergency vouchers usually issued only if the public clinic can’t fit you in urgently.
- Flat co-payment of $31.50 (waived in some cases).
- Voucher valid for 1 month from issue.
- May be granted if the health service public dental clinic doesn't have capacity for an emergency appointment and hasn't run out of VEDS voucher funding

Victorian General Dental Scheme (VGDS):

Public Dental Clinic:
- $31.50 fee per visit, to a maximum of $126 for a general course of care (includes an examination and all general dental treatment- waived in some cases)
- Covers non-urgent, routine dental care (e.g. check-ups, fillings, dentures, x-rays).

Voucher system (Public patient in a participating private dental clinic):
- $31.50 fee per visit, to a maximum of $126 for a general course of care (includes an examination and all general dental treatment- waived in some cases)
- Covers non-urgent, routine dental care (e.g. check-ups, fillings, dentures, x-rays).
- Vouchers worth up to $939 issued through public dental clinics.
- Valid for 3 months once issued.
- If more treatment is needed (e.g. root canals), dentists can apply for an extension of up to $400 extra (no official documentation of this, considered on a case-by-case basis by the issuing authority or treating dentist. Sometimes this will be denied and the public dental clinic will take over care.
- Note: Root canal treatments are sometimes only funded for front teeth and first molars depending on health service policy.
- You may have priority access to care if you fall into a disadvantaged group (one of them is mental health with a letter from a case manager/social worker so if you're in dire need you could ask for a letter from somewhere like Vinnies/Salvos to advocate for care)
- Generally granted if the health service public dental clinic doesn't have capacity for a general dental appointment and hasn't run out of VGDS voucher funding

Victorian Denture Scheme (VDS):

  • $76 per denture, capped at $152 for full upper and lower dentures.
  • If the person has denture care needs, then they will be offered the next available appointment for denture care or placed on the priority denture waiting list.
  • Generally run through Public Dental Clinics

Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne Specialist services

  • Fees for specialist services (Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne only) depend on the treatment. They will not be more than $378 for a course of care.
  • Royal Dental Hospital runs a separate crowns waiting list and has additional eligibility criteria. Although you can have root canal done on public dental as part of a "general course of treatment", it does not include the crowns which should be done soon after the root canals. Requires referral from your dentist.

Public dental clinics which are teaching clinics

  • Completely waive the co-payment for anyone eligible for public dental if you elect for a student to complete the procedure
  • If the students consider the procedures outside their ability, you will be referred to a fully accredited dentist with no waiting list and no co-payment. - A good option to consider as it also supports the training of next generation of dentists
    https://www.dhsv.org.au/our-services/dental/dental-teaching-…

Eligibility

How to Access

  1. Contact your local public dental clinic (different clinics have different funding availability so you could also phone another health service and see if they can help you).
  2. You may be able to get a voucher if:
    • If they can’t book an emergency appointment quickly, they may offer an emergency voucher (VEDS).
    • General care vouchers (VGDS) are generally slower to issue depending on funding given to the health service/demand, you're generally on a wait list.
      3.Use the voucher at a participating private dentist (you should be given a list, shorter waiting times than public clinics)
  3. Ask the dentist to apply for an extension if your treatment exceeds the voucher value (e.g., root canal, multiple fillings, some dental clinics more familiar with this than others).

What Treatments Are Covered?

  • Examinations
  • Fillings
  • Tooth extractions
  • Scale and clean
  • Root canals (often only front teeth and first molars are often covered — check with your health service policy)
  • Dentures and repairs
  • Emergency infection or pain management

Full detailed list of services and capped fees here:
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/st…)

List of private dentists participating: (currently only South West Healthcare and Barwon Health lists sorry, feel free to add your regions list if you get a voucher)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eDn8dhDlq-0iITTaQ_AytvUq…

Important Tips:

  • Funding can run out — once a health service’s budget is used up, vouchers may not be available until next financial year.
  • Emergency cases are prioritised over general care.
  • Extensions for complex care (e.g., root canals) are possible if justified but generally easier to get funded on a VGDS voucher verses a VEDS voucher (so get on the waiting list!)
  • Not all teeth are funded for full root canals — often only front teeth and first molars and often only enough funding on a VGDS voucher
  • Some private dental clinics will require you book with a specific dentist for the higher cost items even with a VGDS voucher as the reimbursement rates are quite low and you're getting someone who wants to fight the good fight (e.g Root Canal, discuss beforehand making sure they understand whether you're on a VEDS or VGDS voucher)
  • Stage 1 of a Root Canal - emergency pulpectomy may only be granted under a VEDS voucher but the other 2 stages (Canal Preparation and Root Canal Filling (Obturation) may be private fee since you're over the amount - some dental clinics are better then others are requesting additional funding with staff who are more acquainted with the process/have a closer relationship with health service dental personnel
  • Caseworker referrals can get you a free service (no $31.50 gap payment).
  • Shorter wait times at participating private clinics.
Health & Beauty Dental Dental Care

Related Stores

Department of Health, Victorian Government
Department of Health, Victorian Government

Comments

  • amaneight on 27/04/2025 - 16:09
    +1

    Is it for tax payers who pay 2% Medicare levy?

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 16:10
      +4

      State based funding not federal medicare funding (hence Victoria only)

      Eligibility:
      *Must hold a Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold/White Card.
      *Dependents listed on your card are eligible too.
      *Referral through a caseworker, social worker, or special program can waive standard co-payments.

    • Gavman on 27/04/2025 - 18:55

      The opposite lol

      • itshammer on 28/04/2025 - 05:35

        I assume that's the joke.

        Universal dental care for all please.

        But government to regulate what dentists can charge. No ability for gap fees and set the fees at something decent.

        Encourage dentists to be part of the scheme or mandate 50% of all bookings must be public health

        • liamisred on 28/04/2025 - 18:03
          +1

          I'm all for Universal dental care for all but if we start doing NHS style shenagains we'll get NHS results. You can either take dentist on a employees or you can have them as a private business or make a deal with them, don't try and take advantage of people by forcing them on public pay as a private contractor/business without any of the benefits of the public system (leave, job security, +super) in addition to that being unfair we'll lose all out dentists to overseas

  • HamBoi69 on 27/04/2025 - 16:11
    -1

    In b4 someone mentions debt…..

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 16:17
      +50

      I know you're joking but before any other OzB conservative commentators with little health economics literacy pop on:
      Public dental care saves the hospital system a lot of money.

      When people can’t access affordable dental care, small problems (like cavities or gum infections) get worse and eventually force them into hospital emergency departments. ED visits for dental issues are really common — and expensive ($500–$1,000+ per presentation — often just to provide pain relief or antibiotics, without fixing the dental cause.) — even though hospitals often can’t actually fix the dental problem, just manage the pain or infection temporarily.

      Worse, untreated dental infections can lead to hospital admissions, surgeries, or even ICU stays, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per case. Compare that to a public dental voucher that costs a few hundred dollars — it’s way cheaper to just fix the problem early.

      Public dental also reduces pressure on hospitals by keeping non-urgent patients out of emergency rooms, and improves overall health because poor oral health is linked to things like diabetes, heart disease, and even pregnancy complications.

      TLDR, funding public dental properly isn’t just good for people’s health, it’s smart economics. Every dollar spent saves the hospital system many more dollars down the track. Why spend $1,000 x (insert number of ED presentations here)/$10,000–$20,000+ for an inpatient hospital stay verses one hit of $939 (which often isn't fully used)

      • Creamsoda on 27/04/2025 - 16:28
        +24

        Insane you have to explain this here. I guess apathetic individuals who voted for Scomo will need it.

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 16:31
          +15

          Crazy thing is that there are a lot of people going on about debt who probably need schemes like this but vote against them while there are wealthy people out there who don't benefit from this at all but still think it's important that poor people don't get (profanity) over dental wise??
          Boggles my mind

          • cloudy on 27/04/2025 - 17:51

            @liamisred: It is indeed interesting.

            It's absolutely true stuff like this is under funded and present money well worth spending considering the factual nature of dental you described.

            The real shame is victorians are wasting money on stuff like SRL and paying for Comm Games instead of more of this or debt reduction.

      • tenpercent on 27/04/2025 - 17:51

        TLDR, funding public dental properly isn’t just good for people’s health, it’s smart economics. Every dollar spent saves the hospital system many more dollars down the track. Why spend $1,000 x (insert number of ED presentations here)/$10,000–$20,000+ for an inpatient hospital stay verses one hit of $939 (which often isn't fully used)

        I understand the logic and can agree that it would save some money. But is there any evidence that every dollar spent saves many more dollars down the track, and how many?

        • cloudy on 27/04/2025 - 17:53
          +1

          Even without the hard evidence the truth is peoples health greatly benefit from this, you cant put $$ to this sometimes.

          If you want a gripe with return on investment take a stab at the low return business case of SRL assuming on budget on time delivery which is unrealistic. Or the zero return commonwealth games fiasco.

          • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:30
            +7

            @cloudy: I'm happy to let people shit on the SRL as long as they apply the same logic to the extra roads/carparks we'd have to build which have a similar/lower ROI than Public Transport and would cost more in total

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 22:19
          +3

          @tenpercent Just for you:

          Public Dental Care: Evidence for Hospital System Savings
          The evidence overwhelmingly shows that investing in preventive public dentistry saves far more money than it costs. Every year in Australia thousands of people seek emergency or hospital care for avoidable tooth problems, burdening the health system with huge bills. For example, a recent analysis found there were 67,266 potentially preventable hospital admissions (PPH) for oral health conditions in 2015–16 – mostly for simple dental caries and related issues – with an average cost of AUD $3,041 per admission (https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-heal…). In total, these avoidable admissions cost about $205 million per year. Likewise, severe dental infections treated in hospital run at tens of thousands of dollars per patient – one Australian study reported an average hospital cost of $12,228 per patient for odontogenic (tooth-related) infections (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00206…).
          Other data reinforce the scale of the problem. In Western Australia, the poorest patients averaged $3,642 of direct hospital cost per dental admission. In short, unmet dental needs translate directly into big costs for hospitals. Emergency department (ED) visits are similarly expensive. In the United States (which has similar medical costs to Australia), ED visits for tooth pain averaged $402 in hospital cost each (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25752759/), and one study estimated >28,000 such visits in Oregon annually, totaling $11 million per year (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24009397/). (Almost all these patients were uninsured or on Medicaid – the analogue of people relying on public dental care.)
          Preventive dental care is relatively cheap but highly effective at averting these expenses. A small investment now often avoids a very large cost later. For example, the average public dental check-up or a simple filling may cost only a few hundred dollars (or be fully covered), yet it can prevent a hospital admission costing thousands. An Australian analysis modelled better use of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (a publicly funded dental voucher program for kids) and found that modest improvements in utilization could save tens of millions of dollars (https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/human-services/ref…).
          Australian data confirm these conclusions. Preventable oral health admissions alone cost Medicare $205M/year. The total national spending on oral health (mostly private) is about $9.6 billion annually. If providing a $250 dental voucher to a low-income adult prevents them later needing hospital treatment at a cost of $5,000, the net saving is enormous. International experience backs this up: restoring adult Medicaid dental benefits in the US dramatically cut ED visits, and in Canada and Europe, preventive programs have been shown to slash later hospital bills.
          In summary, strong evidence backs the claim that each dollar spent saves many more. Analysis of Australian hospital data shows hundreds of millions in avoidable costs are incurred annually from neglected teeth. Economic models consistently find multi-million-dollar savings by funding prevention. These savings are not hypothetical – they accrue directly from reducing expensive emergency and inpatient care.
          Put simply, preventive public dentistry pays for itself many times over. Investing in regular dental checks, timely fillings/extractions, fluoride programs and education prevents tooth decay and abscesses, thereby avoiding the $1000–$10,000 bills of late-stage treatment. All the evidence – Australian and international – indicates the return on that investment is large.
          References
          • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Oral health and dental care in Australia. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-heal…
          • Fitzgerald M, Tenenbaum H. Hospital costs of odontogenic infections. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00206…
          • Allareddy V et al. Hospital-based emergency department visits with dental conditions: profile and predictors of outcomes. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25752759/
          • Wall T, Vujicic M. Emergency department use for dental conditions continues to increase. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24009397/
          • Productivity Commission. Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice into Human Services: Reforms. https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/human-services/ref…

          If this isn't enough I'm also willing to engage in hand to hand combat to fight for public dental :)

      • HamBoi69 on 27/04/2025 - 18:01
        +1

        Wasn’t attacking you or anyone lol. I just know this is in vic and everyone hates the government. I don’t have an issue with it and think it’s great.

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:04
          +1

          100% get it, just getting ahead of it (Love your work btw, thanks for all the 10% Coles Mastercard deals/similar, you helped my pay my rent for a whole year)

          • HamBoi69 on 27/04/2025 - 18:20
            +2

            @liamisred: Cheers. :)

          • Mingenibbler on 27/04/2025 - 19:22
            +1

            @liamisred: Ayo, you can pay rent with a Mastercard? I’ve been doing it with bpay for years and being rawed $1750 for a studio without an oven, heating or cooling, pls teach me your rent reduction ways 🙏

            • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 21:25
              +1

              @Mingenibbler: You just send the gift cards money back to yourself at a profit as many times as possible, I netted 20 grand over the years, I'm so grateful.

              • Mingenibbler on 28/04/2025 - 09:31

                @liamisred: Hey, so my brain is the size of a peanut due to cognitive disability, but I’d be super grateful if you had the time to message me your exact method of doing this. I’ve never had a credit card or any experience in churning / gift cards and would love to learn :)

                20 grand over the years is insane!

        • Ulysses31 on 27/04/2025 - 22:12

          I don't understand the wording. Who is everyone?

      • bangiebargie on 27/04/2025 - 18:06
        +3

        And it really bums me out to see people missing teeth on the tram. So I'm happy that my taxes help avoid that.

      • amaneight on 28/04/2025 - 16:17

        I'm not an economics and public health guru, but shouldn't this also be given to people who pay tax, medicare surcharge in some form? Like how we get care plan?

        • liamisred on 01/05/2025 - 19:57

          medicare surcharge/income tax is federal funding, state govt health services are more GST based (which everyone pays), state govt is where public dental is funded from.

          I absolutely agree with you but federal funding is required and currently only the CDBS is funded federally, only party that is promising that now is the greens so the possibility of universal dental is hinging on that (not likely)

          I would argue that given the PHI rebate scheme (max 24%) with the feds that you can get pretty okay value from extras insurance (even as a single if you time it right).

          If you're smart enough to be a competent OzBargainer (from your posts you are), you're smart enough to get PHI subsidised Dental cheaper than the public dental co-pay.

        • liamisred on 01/05/2025 - 22:03

          AHM health insurance has a $26 extras w no wait period for anyone who needs instant fillings at half off for example:
          https://ahm.com.au/health-insurance/extras-cover/value-extra…

  • yojabbajabba on 27/04/2025 - 16:36
    +4

    It probably should be added to the OP’s deal description that all children aged 0-12 are eligible without the need of a health care card

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:01

      Thanks I'll add it!

    • MakkhiChoos on 27/04/2025 - 16:46
      +22

      Please go to US for pay to play capitalism.

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:07
      +3

      As I said previously if you bothered to read,
      Public dental care saves the hospital system a lot of money.

      When people can’t access affordable dental care, small problems (like cavities or gum infections) get worse and eventually force them into hospital emergency departments. ED visits for dental issues are really common — and expensive ($500–$1,000+ per presentation — often just to provide pain relief or antibiotics, without fixing the dental cause.) — even though hospitals often can’t actually fix the dental problem, just manage the pain or infection temporarily.

      Worse, untreated dental infections can lead to hospital admissions, surgeries, or even ICU stays, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per case. Compare that to a public dental voucher that costs a few hundred dollars — it’s way cheaper to just fix the problem early.

      Public dental also reduces pressure on hospitals by keeping non-urgent patients out of emergency rooms, and improves overall health because poor oral health is linked to things like diabetes, heart disease, and even pregnancy complications.

      TLDR, funding public dental properly isn’t just good for people’s health, it’s smart economics. Every dollar spent saves the hospital system many more dollars down the track. Why spend $1,000 x (insert number of ED presentations here)/$10,000–$20,000+ for an inpatient hospital stay verses one hit of $939 (which often isn't fully used)

      • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 27/04/2025 - 19:29
        -4

        It is not about this specifically, Labor in Victoria has splashed cash we do not have and now we are deep in the hole. You can never trust Labor in state government to manage the books!

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 20:06
          +8

          Look if you want to go on another post related to other projects sure but if you're posting that sh1t here you're commenting on it in this context, there's a cost for inaction and unless you want to start designating whose a second class citizen and don't get treatment like in the US (fcuk that, I don't want to deport you even if I disagree with you or let you die by denying access to healthcare), it costs way more to not have schemes like these since they just end up in hospital not getting the treatment they need.

          • lew380 on 29/04/2025 - 07:08
            -1

            @liamisred: Lots of words for the government to take tens of thousands of dollars in taxes from you then give you a voucher for some dental work. They care, I'm sure!

            • liamisred on 10/05/2025 - 14:29

              @lew380: It’s easy to make the “they take your money just to give some back” argument — but that ignores the fact that high-functioning public services aren’t free, and countries that cut taxes heavily usually cut services too.

              The reality is, the nations with the lowest taxes tend to offer far less in return:
              – Healthcare is often unaffordable or inaccessible (see the US, where even a minor hospital visit can bankrupt a working-class family - (profanity) that).
              – Infrastructure decays without investment.
              – Education becomes pay-to-play (even more than it currently is)
              – Social mobility and public safety decline (rich get richer poor get pooroer)

              It’s not about a government handing back your exact dollars — it’s about pooling resources so we don’t end up living in a society where only the wealthy get decent health, housing, and dignity. Public dental care is a textbook example: it prevents emergency hospitalisations, improves quality of life, and saves the system (and you) more in the long run.

              So yes — I’d rather live in a country that taxes fairly and invests smartly, than one that lets its citizens fall through the cracks in the name of “freedom” from taxes. A low-tax society often just means a high-risk one for anyone not born rich.

              • lew380 on 11/05/2025 - 09:20

                @liamisred: We have had the highest cost of living increases of any developed nation and have the most government bloat of any developed nation on earth. Housing is being inflated by mass immigration and we have more government employees per capita than any nation on earth. We need a functioning government, sure, but we are way past that. The US has its draw backs but they have the best QUALITY health care in the world, we have very poor quality health care. Accessible and quality are not the same thing.

        • Nom on 10/05/2025 - 22:04

          Labor in Victoria has splashed cash we do not have and now we are deep in the hole.

          So ?

          In return for this, we've got rid of 20 minutes of boom gates in peak hour all over the city.

          Are you saying you'd rather the state had no debt and we had left the level crossings as they were ?!?! I'll take the debt every time.

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:53
      +6

      You're a gronk but here's chatGPT for you:
      Alright, super simple version:

      You pay $31.50 to get a government voucher (through a public dental clinic) if you're eligible (like if you have a Health Care Card or Pension Card etc).

      That voucher covers up to around $916 worth of dental work if it’s general (VGDS) or $333 if it’s emergency (VEDS).

      You use the voucher at a private dentist, who charges according to their normal fees.

      If the dentist charges more than the voucher covers, you pay the extra yourself (out of pocket = OOP).

      So in your example:

      Dentist charges $200 for a checkup + clean.

      You have a voucher worth $333 (for emergency) or $916 (for general care).

      Since $200 < $333 or $916, the voucher should fully cover it.

      You only pay the $31.50 copayment — NOT $170 OOP unless something dodgy happens (like dentist charging crazy extra fees not included in the voucher rules).

      If the dentist tries to charge you $170 extra, that's not normal and you should run lol (the dentist should tell you first)
      (Voucher dentists are supposed to stick to a set fee schedule!)

      Bottom line:
      ✅ Pay $31.50.
      ✅ Get dental work covered up to the voucher limit.
      ✅ No huge extra bills unless you need major work like root canals or crowns (which might need an extension or more money).

      Want me to also break down a quick "best way to use it" tip if you want to save even more? 🎯

      You said:
      Yes please
      ChatGPT said:
      Alright, here’s the super simple explanation:

      If you're eligible (you have a Health Care Card, Pension Card, or similar) and you live in Victoria, you can get a public dental voucher by paying $31.50.

      The voucher is worth up to $916 for normal care (like check-ups, fillings) or up to $333 for emergencies (like toothaches, broken teeth).

      You use this voucher at a private dentist that accepts it, instead of waiting months at a public clinic.

      If your dentist charges more than the voucher amount, you pay the difference.
      Example:

      Dentist charges $200 for a checkup and clean.

      Voucher covers $916, so you're fully covered, and only pay the $31.50 (not $200).

      BUT if the dentist charges more than your voucher covers overall (like for extra treatments, multiple fillings), then yes, you might have extra out-of-pocket (OOP) costs (but the dentist should tell you first)

      In short:
      You pay $31.50, get up to $916 worth of basic dental work, maybe nothing extra OOP if you keep it simple.

      Your confusion was probably because you thought the $30 was a "voucher" you buy and still have to pay full dentist fees. Nope, it's like a small admin fee to get a big chunk of your dental bill paid for you.

      Want me to show you a quick flowchart of how it works? 🎯 (it’ll take like 30 seconds to sketch)

      • Mingenibbler on 27/04/2025 - 19:02
        +2

        Yours lovingly, ChatGPT 4o ❤️

      • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 19:13
        +1

        ChatGPT doesn't have all the details, for VGDS it is $31.50 co-payment for EACH VISIT, up to 4x ($126) for a course of treatment. If you need additional visits to complete the treatment, they will be FOC.

        • Mingenibbler on 27/04/2025 - 19:16
          +1

          So it’s better to get all your treatments done at once then? ( I need like 4 fillings and certainly can’t afford them all haha)

          • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 19:26
            +2

            @Mingenibbler: Yes, if your dentist agrees. You will need to call and book a long appointment. They still get the same amount from the government regardless of number of visits but you will pay slightly less.
            However your dentist most certainly may not want to take your words for it and block a 2-hour slot just based on what you said, especially if you are a new patient. So YMMV.
            Most likely they would ask you to come in for a checkup and clean then book your fillings accordingly. That's the time to tell them about the co-payment issue and your desire to save on those co-payments, and they may agree to do all your fillings in 1 go.

            • Mingenibbler on 27/04/2025 - 19:27
              +1

              @truetypezk: Sounds good, ty heaps for laying it out so clearly! I hope my preferred private dentist accepts these vouchers 😅 haven’t been since 2020 lmao

              • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 19:31
                +1

                @Mingenibbler: You definitely need to call and ask if they do. Usually big chains do (like Pacific Smiles) but small clinics may not as they pay peanuts :)
                If you are already a patient they may be willing to accept it as a gesture of goodwill, it completely depends on if your dentist is happy to take the schedule fees (a bit like bulk billing GPs)

            • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:34
              +2

              @truetypezk: Yeah they just threw the new grad dentist at me in the second appointment and got like 6-7 done in a row (ouch but also thank god).

              You can also get the co-pay waived if you're on a bit of a thin rope budgetarially with a letter from a social worker (source - I'm a vinnies volunteer and write letters all the time asking for the co-pay to be waived).

              • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 19:38

                @liamisred: Interesting, do you need to know them personally or professionally to do that? Or you can just write a letter based on what they told you in a minute?

                • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:57

                  @truetypezk: Just when we do our runs we see people (vinnies are one of the few welfare organisations that still do home visits) and I often throw on a few health questions to have a more wholistic view of the person and how we can help them (e.g dental, do they have GP, Mental health ect)

                  No point in giving them a food parcel/voucher if they're in pain eating.

                  Generally I take peoples word for it (pain is what the patient tells you it is) but I'll take a quick look to see if there's anything concerning along with the pain apart from the history, they're going to see the dentist anyway but if they've got signs of infection, fractured teeth, blackened teeth they might get in earlier (still emergency appointment but an earlier one) in addition to it being potentially free.

                  It's unfortunate but honestly there are so many people who a component of them not working is dental related especially people in front facing roles, with co-morbidities, who are in cycle of poverty (even a $25 electric tooth brush is too much with some of the financial margins some of the people I see are on)

                • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:58

                  @truetypezk: I can do personally but usually I try to get someone else to see people I know given there's a potential conflict of interest/confidentiality even with the best of intentions.

  • Mingenibbler on 27/04/2025 - 17:20

    AHM health insurance has a $26 extras w no wait period for anyone who needs instant fillings at half off btw

    • tenpercent on 27/04/2025 - 17:53

      link?

      • Mingenibbler on 27/04/2025 - 17:55
        +1

        https://ahm.com.au/health-insurance/extras-cover/value-extra…

        For a single person under 30
        Enjoy and take care to read the fine print

        • Gavman on 28/04/2025 - 12:02

          Can you sign up use, and cancel? is there penalty signing up next time if you do that?

          • Mingenibbler on 28/04/2025 - 12:04
            +1

            @Gavman: I’m not sure, but there shouldn’t be any problems with cancelling :)

            I think it’s a good idea to get this insurance right before you have a bunch of dental work done, and once the claim is processed, cancel it. Should be able to pick it up in July again if you need more work done, as the limits reset per financial year.

            I know a dude who uses the $50 month package with ahm and he basically goes all out with optical, psychology, physio and stuff saving a ton of money. I figured I might try to do it too :)

            • Gavman on 28/04/2025 - 12:08
              +1

              @Mingenibbler: I was thinking it would be worth it just to get $180 glasses and cancel it for $6 after a week Im guessing is min. terms

              • Mingenibbler on 28/04/2025 - 12:11
                +1

                @Gavman: Make sure you check out the product info for waiting periods - most of the weeklies are 2 months and up

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:06
      +1

      "Add hospital cover and you can get 6 weeks free after 60 days. New joins only. See terms"
      Hospital cover is a scam (unless you get the tax rebate but it's still a scam but on a national level)

      • Melburnian on 27/04/2025 - 18:31
        +1

        That offer is separate from the actual extras policy linked.

        I'm surprised to see you criticise hospital cover but not extras cover.
        Most people (especially those who have extras cover continuously rather than only having it in short bursts or churning promos) don't manage to claim back as much in extras rebates as they pay in premiums.
        The way I make extras cover work for me is to only be a member for the minimum duration it takes to go on an allied health binge (e.g. get new glasses, get dental procedures, etc) and then cancel once all the claims are paid. Then do it again next year. This is usually 2 months of waiting period (unless waived) followed by 1 month with lots of appointments.

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:38
          +1

          Fair enough, am a silly man who needs to learn to read properly.

          I do the same as you but private hospital cover feels like double paying given the public system often does the same with no excess (not including rarer conditions/people who need specialists)

          • Melburnian on 27/04/2025 - 18:46
            +1

            @liamisred: I can understand why you think hospital cover is a scam on a national level (we should better fund public hospitals), but on an individual level the main benefit is to skip lengthy public hospital elective surgery waiting lists, and it does deliver on that, buying you access (albeit with large out of pocket costs) if you know you're going to need surgery.

            • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:35

              @Melburnian: Yeah I suppose my opinions are a bit coloured by being younger and not needing it, I'm from a regional area that has a pretty okay public wait list time for the surgeries we are able to get done.

      • Manny Calavera on 27/04/2025 - 20:14

        I understand that they are legally limited to offering no greater than a 12.5% discount to someone over a year.

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 20:17

          Makes sense, hence the churning similar to NBN

    • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 18:12

      I am pretty familiar with both public dental and PHI and can share some ideas.
      For Ozbargainers, the VGDS only make sense if you need root canal or dentures. For all other treatments you would be better off with a carefully planned extra policy.
      That said, obviously the main target of the public dental isn't Ozbargainers. Most people who would need/be eligible for public dental arent going to think about how to exploit insurance policies for their dental care.
      It is also important to note that the Royal Dental Hospital runs a separate crowns waiting list and has additional eligibility criteria. Although you can have root canal done on public dental as part of a "general course of treatment", it does not include the crowns which should be done soon after the root canals.
      Finally several public dental clinics are teaching clinics and completely waive the co-payment for anyone eligible for public dental. If the students consider the procedures outside their ability, you will be referred to a fully accredited dentist with no waiting list and no co-payment. That would be another option to consider as it also supports the training of next gen dentists.

      • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:31

        Would love to know more about the RDH, what are their waitlists/refereral processes like?

        • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 18:38
          +1

          RDH do emergency dental, general dental and specialist dental.
          For emergency, you can just pop in directly without a referral nor appt on the day and try your luck. However if it is not that urgent (like a knock out tooth) I would definitely recommend calling and making an appt.
          For general, it is same as community dental clinics. Unless you live in the area it won't be a good idea.
          For specialist (like complex endodontics/crown), it is referred by another general dentist. They should give you the information if you need it.

          • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:47

            @truetypezk: Wish I was given this information earlier by my dentist, thank you

            • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 18:54
              +1

              @liamisred: The specialist dental clinic also charges a separate copayment, up to abt ~400 if you have a HCC. However it is an excellent deal if you can get it as those procedures are 12m wait on PHI policies. You can only economically exploit PHIs on 2/6m procedures.

              • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:59

                @truetypezk: I'll look into the wait time, I generally have advised people to go to VDC/ADC in Melbourne for a $899/999 crown (after a root canal for example) and wait the 12 months on AHM 50%/equivalent cheap cover somewhere else for EOFY/EOY extras reset combo so they can get the $500 back and even a check and clean if it's the right timing

                • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 19:15

                  @liamisred: Yeah I would definitely recommend having the crown done privately if you have the slimmest chance of affording it. Will save you heaps of money down the road. Not sure if that cheap cover worths it though, ideally you should not even consider waiting 12m to do the crown after root canal =)

                  • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:44

                    @truetypezk: I know what you mean but with choosable 50 it's $156.25 for the year for 50% off up to $999 with EOFY resets and occasional churn/6weeks free deals so you could:

                    Sign up now (presumably after a deep filling for example)
                    Free No gap Preventative appointment 1
                    EOFY Reset
                    Free No gap Preventative appointment 2 later in the year
                    Change to another cover that resets end of year that does 50% as well
                    End of year reset
                    Get to 12 month mark and get your $999 crown with $500 back so $499 (sure you had to pay for cover but you got 2x no gap appointments and after you do this the EOFY is coming up next year and you get one more no gap appointment and you've served your waiting periods for other teeth that need crowning)

                    Not ideal to wait fair but I usually pair this with some free fluoride mouth wash, neutraflor 5000 toothpaste (obviously with the read the box don't swallow this shit talk), tooth mouse, electric tooth brush and cheap water flosser which extends the life somewhat in addition to the preventative dental appointments where the dentist can tell the patient whether they need to get a crown before that 12 months post PHI insurance mark or not)

                    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 20:50

                      @liamisred: And if at and of the follow up check and cleans the dentist is too sus, you can always just use a NILS loan to get the crown

                    • truetypezk on 29/04/2025 - 00:21

                      @liamisred: Ah, I don't know about the ahm choosable 50, never even thought of getting that. It does seem like a good deal, given the price is so low. This feels like a "real" insurance policy (unlike most extras that are more like entertainment books)

                      I might get it alongside my high-claims back policies so I can get something back if I need crowns, but not sure if it is going to work with Medibank. It would be even better if it came with orthodontics, but unfortunately, it does not, lol.

                • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 19:43
                  +1

                  @liamisred: Oh are you referring to Value Dental Centres and Australian Dentists Clinic? Indeed they have some very competitive crown pricing.

                  • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:46

                    @truetypezk: Yeah $899 for ADC but across 2 appointments and $999 for VDC same day (you have to wait for a few hours while they mill the tooth but apart from that no problem. (lovely experience too, dentists are great, free coffee/tea, nice chairs, close to Hawthorn station and literally 15 steps from a tram stop)

                    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:48

                      @liamisred: I'd personally pick VDC if you had the option but $100 is $100, personally prefer my VDC crown over my ADC one (though both turned out good according to the dentist).

                      Only reason I went with ADC for the second one was VDC was booked out for the rest of the year and I had more limit left than I thought I would.

  • M00Cow on 27/04/2025 - 18:29
    +1

    ^Collingwood supporters only

    • King Tightarse on 27/04/2025 - 20:03
      +1

      Collingwood supporters go to the dentist?

      • M00Cow on 27/04/2025 - 20:52
        +1

        that's the beauty of this scheme. it looks like they're helping the less fortunate, but it cost them nothing

  • Melburnian on 27/04/2025 - 18:38
    +1

    Thanks! I didn't know about this.
    So my children 12 and under are eligible for free (aside from $31.50 co payment) general dental care without anyone in our family needing to hold any kind of card or government payment?
    What's the catch? Is it a very long wait?

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 18:45

      I was surprised too!

      Wait times vary based on health service, from my experience (Barwon Health), they just give you a VEDS voucher instantly if you're in pain otherwise you're on the General waitlist (took about a year) for either general care at a public dental clinic or a VGDS voucher which varies (you get a letter once it's you complete the wait)

    • truetypezk on 27/04/2025 - 18:48
      +2

      There is no waiting list for children. Only catch is you may get a crappy dentist :)
      Btw some PHI policies have no gap kids dental. They might work out to be a better deal than the $30 copayment.

  • Atomik17 on 27/04/2025 - 19:40
    -1

    Public hospitals don't have dentists 🤣

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 19:47
      +1

      Some of them do
      Source - I'm in a public hospital, they're in the opposite building and often use our theatres for any wacky cases

      • Atomik17 on 27/04/2025 - 20:10

        That's ENT surgeons! I have never seen a dentist in any hospital I have worked. Only dental free hospitals is the public one in CBD that operates like a normal buisness Hours.

        • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 23:03
          +1

          Maybe it's just a rural thing but we have dentists going here (literally don't have an ENT surgeon on staff, maybe we had a locum?)

        • n4rut0 on 28/04/2025 - 12:42

          No there are definitely dentists, not all hospitals have them though. Am dentist and work in Frankston hospital

    • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 20:13

      Victorians who are eligible for public dental care

      The following people are eligible for public dental care:
      all children aged 0–12 years
      young people aged 13–17 years who hold a healthcare or pensioner concession card, or who are dependants of concession card holders
      people aged 18 years and over, who are health care or pensioner concession card holders or dependants of concession card holders
      all children and young people in out-of-home care provided by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), up to 18 years of age (including kinship and foster care)
      all people in youth justice custodial care
      all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
      all refugees and asylum seekers.

      • liamisred on 27/04/2025 - 20:16

        If you're a pensioner who doesn't have a concession card, use the head on your shoulders and get PHI (as per OzB's extensive PHI deals list) or vote someone in who'll make dental universal (as it should be)

  • Nutribun on 28/04/2025 - 11:22

    Has anyone tried this? I tried calling western health at sunshine and told the reception that I am calling for the dental voucher.

    She didn't know what it was and has no idea about it.

    • liamisred on 28/04/2025 - 11:27

      You need to specifically call the dental clinic/s in western health and some areas specifically give you clinic time instead of a voucher (info is from 2022) and can depend on time and whether they're busy. Voucher scheme is generally used for clinics that don't have public dental capacity and if they've upped their capacity they might just be doing public clinics. Additionally, It's a better idea that you need to ask for dental are and explain your situation and not specifically ask for a voucher directly.

      https://bmm.wh.org.au/specialist-services/dental

  • 5secondrule on 28/04/2025 - 11:46
    +1

    I work at one of these public dental clinics.

    Before everyone excitedly contacts their local public clinic asking for one of these vouchers, keep in mind there are waitlists and eligibility requirements. It is not as simple as, call clinic, get voucher. Waitlists are as long as 2 years at some health services.

    Please don't harrass the poor staff at the clinic or on the phones. It's not their fault that the Victorian public dental system is underfunded and under resources. Screaming at them does not help your situation.

    • liamisred on 28/04/2025 - 12:16

      Thank you for this comment, you're 100% right and I've probably written this wrong, I apologise if that's happened too you. If there's anything else you'd like changed in the above, happy to change it.

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