Health & Fitness

Dental Hospital

Health & Fitness

Posted by: Al

27th Feb 2009 11:47pm

I was on the waiting list for the Sydney Dental Hospital for 3 years and never got a phone call. I called them to find out if they'd lost my number and they told me no, i still had a year to wait in the queue! So i ended up spending an absolute fortune at a Private Dental surgery. I'm worried that my children won't get enough dental care due to the unbelievable cost per half hour we get charged...$180! I hope the government has enough money to afford Denticare - much better idea than roof insulation!!!!


Comments 13

stretch
  • 25th Mar 2011 12:40pm

i ended up in the armidale hospital after being checked by a private dentist and was told i had three fillings that needed to be fixed and my wisdome teeth needed to be removed
i go to a dentist at the armidale hospital to be told after an exray that there was nothing she could do as there were no problems and left the hospital knowing that hell with teeth came in the form of a dentist with little experience
one tooth was blue it is know brown and pain medication is daily
dont trust your kids helth to people who you dont know also dont be scared to get a second opinion

bronzzeAngel
  • 15th Feb 2011 11:29pm

Never ever again will I go to a subsidised dentist.
Waiting list for general repairs but you have to be in agony to be seen now. ( this was 20 years ago)
I had a tooth crack and had to still wait while the healthy tooth next to it grew over what was left of the first one.
I ended up losing both teeth as they had to remove the healthy one to take out the broken one.

I now pay top dollar for my health insurance and I rather that than have my kids end up with teeth like mine.
I used so much of my health insurance and hardly ever pay a gap. Crowns 100% covered for one. First $500 paid by my insurance and then 80 to 90% unlimited for general dental.

that isnt including the physio chiro and podiatrist I see too and have barely anything out of pocket.

Also as far as I know here in SA, once a child has a tooth it can be seen by the school dentist for free or for low cost

arneis
  • 20th Dec 2010 07:17pm

If you were an illegal immigrant you would get dental or medical treatment within days or weeks, certainly not years. If you were born in Australia, paid taxes, and now are on a pension or low income, our government doesn't rank you as high as the queue-jumpers from overseas - shame on our governments (state & federal). I hope Denticare gets off the ground and solves some of the problems.

Huskydog
  • 18th Dec 2010 03:31am

I live in the Blue Mountains and only waited 12 months for my first visit to our local dental hospital where they did some extractions, fillings and a partial plate (all free). The second time I made an appointment I told them I had a terrible toothache and they gave me a choice of 4 hospitals with appointments available at all of them within a month! I chose Nepean where I got in within 2 weeks. So I suppose it depends on where you live and if you say you have a bad toothache?

owl-hollow
  • 8th Dec 2010 08:30pm

I waited over 8 years on the hospital dental list. In that time, I had teeth pulled out as they were too far gone to fix and consequently I only have 7 bottom teeth left. It is a shame that the waiting list is so long - it is now 8 and a half years at my local hospital. There is no way we could afford private treatment, as I am on a disabled pension. I think the government should be doing more towards dental care, as many health problems stem from your mouth or are made worse because of the state of your teeth and gums.

medusa
  • 17th Nov 2010 03:36pm

i was on the waiting list in ballarat for 11 years and finally went into the clinic and asked why i hadn't been sent a letter. they had taken me off the list!! so, they made an appointment straight away and kept going till all work necessary had been done. you have to keep on their backs or they will conveniently 'lose' you off their list.

ali
  • 5th Nov 2010 08:01am

I have struggled over the years to pay for extras cover under Private Health Care. That is my choice, and also to pay for Private Hospital care cover.. And I have gone without a lot of other luxuries in my life to pay for them, including expensive holidays and entertainment, and also other basics in life. But, I have always been able to go to the dentist and straight to a hospital for an operation, even if elective, at any time. Your health is the most important part of your life, and I don't think it is realistic to wait for the government to fix this problem. Yes, Denticare is probably a much better idea than roof insulation, but Private Health Cover is also a much better idea than a lot of other luxuries we have in our lives.

PukPuk
  • 26th Oct 2010 08:10am

Being on a very low income the only way I could get reasonably prompt dental was to takeout bottom level private health cover plus dental as an extra. Sure it costs, but a lot less painful than putting up with a problem with the fangs. Strange how some people think nothing about the cash they spend on killing themselvres with smokes, yet for less than that they can get health cover.

kezza
  • 11th Mar 2010 01:03pm

It would be great for low income, and just about everyone, to get Denti-care. I am in Qld, and though I have waited for dental care, I only waited about six months, and now when I go for my appt, I get a new one after, which is only ever 6 weeks away max. I feel very lucky. Having said that, I really hope the quality of care is better with Denti-care, as at the moment, they choose the cheapest way out. I have had teeth pulled that I am sure could of been saved, if it was the cheaper option. I have also had new fillings fall out, only weeks after they have been done. I know they use trainee dentist, and that fine- they have to get experience somehow. I just think that all work should be checked or at least re-viewed if problems from a particular trainee occurr!

heeleen
  • 16th Feb 2010 12:22pm

I think its about time the government started paying some of the cost of dental care, I have paid my medicare for years and years and have hardly ever been to the doctors, and never to hospital, so why should some of it not be used for dental, I would probably even pay a bit more for that, although with the state of the healthcare system at the moment not sure it will ever happen. And yes if you have a chronic health condition, eg asthma, arthritis, anything chronic , you go to your doctor and get a dental health care plan done, they will let you know which dentist does it in your area, it is about 3,000 or 4,000 per every two years I think.

Jinja
  • 16th Oct 2009 05:46pm

Some people qualify for a government subsidy for dental treatment if they have a chronic illness that contributes to their overall decline in health, perhaps check with your dentist to see if you do. I agree "Denticare" is a better option than roof insultation.

solstice
  • 12th Jun 2009 03:05pm

You can ask the Dental Hospital to be seen by students as they are supervised and usually love to have lots of work and they usually see people everyday

peterv
  • 15th Oct 2009 01:06pm
You can ask the Dental Hospital to be seen by students as they are supervised and usually love to have lots of work and they usually see people everyday

My girlfriend had work done by the students and was very happy with them.The procedure was was done very soon after her enquiry and was finalised in two visits.

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