Dental costs may seem very expensive when compared with other health services, such as a consultation with your regular doctor. The routine care and maintenance of your teeth, mouth and gums is essential to your oral health. Dentistry is a specialised area of healthcare and there are a number of reasons why a trip to the dentist may seem more expensive than other healthcare professionals.

Training and qualifications

In order to practice dentistry, tertiary education at a university level must be completed. A degree in dental science or the equivalent requires five years of study. As dentistry is a long degree, the education costs can be high. The length of time it takes to qualify and begin practicing also means it is quite some time before a dentist can start earning a good salary. The number of universities in Australia offering courses in dentistry is low when compared to general medicine courses. This can mean those studying dentistry may incur the expense of relocating to complete their study. Once qualified, the dental board in the state where they intend to practice must also recognise a dentist’s qualifications. This must be renewed each year so continued professional development is often required.

Modern dental equipment

Setting up a dental surgery can be a costly process. A modern dental surgery requires much more equipment than the surgeries of other healthcare providers. This equipment is highly specific, even to perform routine checkups. At a most basic level, the chair a patient sits in for treatment is a specialty chair, able to be raised and tilted to allow a dentist access to a patient’s mouth. X-ray machines, water dispensers and suction systems, and sometimes nitrous oxide must all be set up for each treatment room. Many surgeries will also have a variety of new technologies to improve the experience of having a routine dental check-up.

Other surgery overheads

A dental surgery will have all the overheads of other businesses in addition to an investment in highly specific equipment. Insurance, rent, general upkeep of the premises, basic administration overheads as well as employment costs must all be paid by the owner of the surgery, usually the dentist themselves. The nature of even routine dental work requires a surgery to have on staff dental assistants and sometimes a specialised dental hygienist. These specialised staff members are in addition to the administration staff found in other healthcare premises.

Treatments provided during visits

General dentistry involves the care of soft tissue as well as bone and tooth structure. This is a specialised area of the body and an examination is always necessary, even in a routine appointment. It is unlikely that a routine visit to the dentist will require no treatment at all. Even if your oral health is exceptional, a dental checkup will involve the removal of plaque build up and a thorough clean. A checkup with the dentist can be time consuming and involve specialised staff as well as some expensive dental supplies.

Summary

• A fundamental part of our healthcare system, dentistry is a highly specialised area.
• To become a dentist and run a surgery is a costly investment.
• The nature of a dentist’s work involves specialised equipment and supplies.
• A dentist requires the assistance of specialised staff and on-going training.

All these factors contribute to the cost of visiting the dentist. Make sure you are getting the best possible dental care and find a professional and well-staffed dental surgery in your area.