sweetseven
12-11-2010, 19:58
I had a filling fall out. I tried to get into the public dental hospital and was given an appointment for two weeks time.
I've recently taken out extras cover which covers dental and thought that waiting two weeks was not a good idea.
Therefore I looked up the funds preferred dentists and went to get quotes. I determined it would likely cost me approx $40 out of pocket and I could get an appointment for two days time - seemed like a good idea to me.
When I went, the dentist confirmed that I had made the right move as a further two weeks would've resulted in additional damage.
She says the tooth needs a root canal and did the initial cleanup and a patch which she said should last a few weeks, but advised me to ensure the public dentist did do a root canal and didn't simply remove the tooth.
Whilst the total fee was similar to what I had been quoted, the rebate was much less, leaving me $63.30 out of pocket. This included two Xrays which I got the expected 80% off on, and the procedure itself where I got something like $56 back from $105 fee (much less than the expected 80%).
I went to the health fund to query this, and they told me it was because the procedure that was done was major dental not general dental, and the 80% only applies to general dental. (This confused me because I've only been a member for three or four months and major dental is supposed to have a twelve month waiting period.) And yes the lady said that I still had some of the waiting period to serve and didn't understand why it went through.
I'm not sure what to do now. If the public dentist refuses to do a root canal, I really dont think I can wait nine months before having it done - and the quoted total fee was $500 for three procedures to complete the job.
I've recently taken out extras cover which covers dental and thought that waiting two weeks was not a good idea.
Therefore I looked up the funds preferred dentists and went to get quotes. I determined it would likely cost me approx $40 out of pocket and I could get an appointment for two days time - seemed like a good idea to me.
When I went, the dentist confirmed that I had made the right move as a further two weeks would've resulted in additional damage.
She says the tooth needs a root canal and did the initial cleanup and a patch which she said should last a few weeks, but advised me to ensure the public dentist did do a root canal and didn't simply remove the tooth.
Whilst the total fee was similar to what I had been quoted, the rebate was much less, leaving me $63.30 out of pocket. This included two Xrays which I got the expected 80% off on, and the procedure itself where I got something like $56 back from $105 fee (much less than the expected 80%).
I went to the health fund to query this, and they told me it was because the procedure that was done was major dental not general dental, and the 80% only applies to general dental. (This confused me because I've only been a member for three or four months and major dental is supposed to have a twelve month waiting period.) And yes the lady said that I still had some of the waiting period to serve and didn't understand why it went through.
I'm not sure what to do now. If the public dentist refuses to do a root canal, I really dont think I can wait nine months before having it done - and the quoted total fee was $500 for three procedures to complete the job.