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Dental care comes under Extras Cover (not Hospital Cover) and there are 4 treatment types within Extras Cover:
The procedures covered in each treatment category varies by insurer.
Compare nowDental treatments are generally not covered by Medicare, so many Australians choose to have Extras Cover to reduce their dental costs.
To decide if you need dental cover, consider how much you spend on dental treatments each year, and compare it to the cost of a policy.
Remember, most policies don’t cover 100% of your dental bills – there will be limits.
Most policies will have waiting periods before you can claim, usually 2 months for General Dental and 12 months for more complex treatments.
Compare nowUsing the healthslips.com.au calculator, the cheapest Extras Cover for one adult in NSW was $204.48 per year, covering $400 of General Dental treatments per year (as of August 2026). A standard scale and clean with fluoride treatment generally costs between $200 and $300.
The most expensive Extras Cover policy was $2,605.20 a year, with no annual limit for General Dental, but annual caps for certain treatments.
You can save money by using dentists in your insurer’s provider network. In some cases, the insurer might cover 100% of dental check-up costs.
Compare nowExtras Cover waiting periods for dental are usually 2 months for General Dental treatments such as a standard scale and clean, or 12 months for Major Dental and Endodontic treatments, such as crowns and wisdom teeth procedures. Orthodontic waiting periods may be as long as 2 years. However, waiting periods can vary between insurers, so check the policy conditions carefully.
If you are switching from a policy at the same level, you won’t have to serve waiting periods again.
Health insurance for braces is only worth having if you’re also claiming for other Extras Cover treatments. That’s because braces cost between $7,000 and $9,000 on average, yet a policy might only allow you to claim back $1,400 for braces – and you also have to factor in the cost of premiums. However, if the total benefits you claim back on your Extras Cover policy (for example, on treatments such as physio, optical, other dental treatments and braces) in a year is more than you’ve spent on premiums, the policy is good value.
Find out more about the financial costs of braces cover here or compare policies now.
Sometimes larger insurers offer lower out-of-pocket costs if you use a dentist in that insurer’s preferred provider network. Some insurers even provide Gap-free scale and clean treatments if you use that insurer’s branded dental clinics. Check the provider network listed on the insurer’s website for details.
You’ll need both Hospital Cover and Extras Cover for dental procedures in a private hospital (or if you’re being treated as a private patient in a public hospital). Hospital Cover is for hospital cost claims, including accommodation, theatre and anaesthetist’s fees, while Extras Cover is for the dental or oral surgeon’s fees. Check with your insurer to make sure you’re covered.
No, cosmetic treatments including teeth whitening are not covered by health insurance.
An annual limit means your limits will be reset each year – usually on 1 January but some insurers renew limits at the end of the financial year or on your anniversary of taking out cover.
A lifetime limit means once you hit this limit, it will not be renewed. Generally these only apply to high-expense claims, such as braces.
No, dental treatment treatments do not roll over each year, which means any unused benefits will be lost. Benefits will, however, be reset each year.
General Dental covers basic dental care including check-ups, cleaning and simple fillings. Major Dental covers more complex treatments such as bridges, crowns, tooth extractions and complex fillings. However, some insurers cover some of the more complex treatments under General Dental, so it’s important to check your policy details.
Usually waiting periods will be around 2 months for General Dental, and around 12 months for Major Dental.
You’ll need a Family or Single Parent Extra Cover policy to cover your children’s dental treatments.
If you or your child receives payments from Services Australia, you may be eligible for Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule which will reduce the cost of dental treatments – ask your dentist for details.
