The best bulk billing dentists in Canberra

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best bulk billing dentist Canberra

Find the best bulk billing dentists in Canberra. Photo: File.

Oral health is a vital aspect of our overall well being. If you need a Canberra dentist who bulk bills you’ll need to attend one of two public dental clinics run by ACT Health. This is because Medicare doesn’t cover dental treatment (exceptions are the Child Dental Benefits Scheme and Veterans Affairs, which some private dental practices facilitate).

Five public dental clinics operate in the ACT—the Phillip, Gungahlin, Tuggeranong, City and Belconnen Community Health Centres.

It’s important to note that eligibility criteria apply and there can be long wait lists, especially with COVID-19 restrictions. If you want to have your name added to the waiting list you need to complete the Waiting List Placement Form on the ACT Health website and email it to dental@act.gov.au.

The dentists who work at the Phillip Community Health Centre and the Gungahlin Community Health Centre are experienced and provide quality, caring services in clean environments.

The best bulk billing dentists in Canberra

To be listed in our Best of Canberra series, each business needs to have consistently received positive feedback on RiotACT and Facebook as well as maintaining a minimum average of 4/5 stars on Google.

Gungahlin Community Health Centre

At the Gungahlin Community Health Centre, Canberra Health Services offers dental services for children, young people and adults, including emergency treatment and denture services. preventive, restorative and emergency treatment. Those over 18 years of age can access general restorative, denture and emergency services. Conditions apply (see website).

On Google, Twilight Genna wrote, “Took my daughter to the dentist here the staff were lovely and really patient plus it was also pretty quick.”

Phillip Community Health Centre

Canberra Health Services, at the Phillip Community Health Centre, offers public dental services for children, young people and adults, including emergency treatment and denture services. Child and youth services include comprehensive assessment, individual oral health plans and general preventive, restorative and emergency treatment. Those over 18 years of age can access general restorative, denture and emergency services. Conditions apply (see website).

Tshering Dukpa wrote on Google, “My son seven years old has his teeth uprooted … two female dentists did an excellent service.”

If you’re looking for more information on dentists in Canberra, you might like our articles on the best dentists, best emergency dentists and the best cosmetic dentists Canberra has to offer. If you want to get your teeth whitened, you might like our article on the best teeth whitening services in Canberra.

Your experience with bulk billing dentists in Canberra

Thanks to our commenters who have provided insightful feedback. If you believe we have got it wrong, please let us know.

Have you had experience with any of the bulk billing dentists listed above? If so, share your feedback in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is bulk billing?

Bulk billing is when you don’t pay out-of-pocket expenses to your dentist. Your dentist is paid direct by the government.

Do all Canberra dentists offer bulk billing services?

No. The only official bulk billing dentists in Canberra are listed on the ACT Health website. They work at the Gungahlin Community Health Centre and the Phillip Community Health Centre.

Are their age restrictions for bulk billing dental work?

Check with the ACT Health centres that offer bulk billing for any age or other service restrictions.

Are all dental services eligible for bulk billing?

No, only those services provided by the two public dental clinics run by ACT Health provide bulk billing dental services.

Does using a bulk billing dentist mean lesser quality services?

No. the dentists who work at the two public dental clinics run by ACT Health (one in Phillip and one in Gunghalin) are experienced and provide quality and caring services.

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Bulk Billing under Medicare is ony available for kids under 18 for eligible families which is means tested. Northside Family Dental in Gungahlin do offer bulk billing for kids for dental treatments under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule known as CDBS. The lovely lady dentists at Northside Family Dental make the visit to the Dentist a very pleasant experience for the kids which is the most important factor for the kids to develop that level of comfort zone to periodically visit the Dentist. Northside Family Dental can be contacted on 6242 7777 and they have a fantastic instant online dental appointment booking system on their website http://www.northsidefamilydental.com.au

Dr Scott Park at Preventive Dentistry: by far the best, honest dentist I have met. He will help you out as he has helped many of my friends and families.

http://www.preventivedentistry.com.au

If you want to go for dental health checkup. Carillon City Dental is a great clinic providing services with great offers. They have more than 30 years of experience in dental services. You can book appointment online, no need of waiting over there in clinic. Top rated dentists working over there. To know more details just visit the website http://www.carilloncitydental.com.au/

I’ve always found Signature Smiles in Gungahlin very friendly and affordable. Just call and ask their price for a clean/check up: 6255 7800

I don’t like the dentists here, for a professional industry not to be able to put up a pricelist and for there to be no industry method of comparison just makes me want to go to Thailand as well.
The last one i was caught out with was a replacement filling quoted for $230. The bill was for $300.
$70 was added for “inspection”, even though i booked and said a filling had fallen out entirely and needed replacing. Surely looking at the damn thing is part of the replacement job, then if they need to do more they let you know.

Kim F said :

Medicare card no help at all. In fact, Private Health insurance and dental fees makes me wonder why I bother. Having said that , you only have one mouth that plays an important part in your general health and well being so off you go !

So, we are talking about different medicare cards?
No, that’s not possible, is it Mr Barr.

Neil Cheesman (maybe Cheeseman) in Deakin. He’s terrific.

You can call a few for quotes – be upfront that you don’t have private cover and they should explain your options. The price always seems to vary wildly between dentists, even with insurance. The public system is probably not very helpful, because services are limited and the waiting list is long.

If money is an issue, consider just a check up and not the clean (although the clean feels and looks lovely). It can feel a bit like servicing a car – some will encourage you to have lots of costly work done, where others will do a basic job to keep you going.

Pacific Smiles are open extended hours and weekends, if that’s important to you. I’ve had good experiences at the dentist at Weetangera shops – they were very patient – and at Corinna Dental.

Good on you for going – as Kim said, they’re your only set, you might as well look after them!

Southerly_views5:10 pm 12 Oct 16

Unfortunately the cost of dental services across Canberra can vary greatly as we found out last year. The very popular dental practise we had been going to in the greater Woden area for ten years began charging over $280 for a regular check and clean + persistently tried to upsell extra services as well. There was nothing wrong with the surgery or the dentists but over time the fees for all different types of procedures kept rising way beyond what could be considered reasonable.

We looked around and asked about fees at different dentists in Tuggeranong for a regular check-up and clean and this varied from about $160 to $210. Extractions were mostly around $230 which was significantly under the $380 price of the Woden dental practise. We settled on a dentist close to home in Tuggeranong and our family have had regular check-ups and an successful extraction without any problems. Big savings simply by phoning around and visiting the surgery. We also gave up extras on private health insurance years ago as it was never a good proposition for us.

Medicare card no help at all. In fact, Private Health insurance and dental fees makes me wonder why I bother. Having said that , you only have one mouth that plays an important part in your general health and well being so off you go !

David_Wedgwood said :

You could ask Chris Bourke MLA (http://www.chrisbourke.com.au/), as he was/is Australia’s first indigenous dentist. As he is now an MLA and not in active practice as a dentist, he would likely give you a frank opinion.

According to the “medicare” card that Labor dropped in my mailbox, all health services in Tuggeranong are run by Labor and bulk billed to medicare so problem solved.

Could I ask if there’s a good dentist (bulk billing) you would recommend in Tugg area? Please..

David_Wedgwood11:48 am 12 Oct 16

You could ask Chris Bourke MLA (http://www.chrisbourke.com.au/), as he was/is Australia’s first indigenous dentist. As he is now an MLA and not in active practice as a dentist, he would likely give you a frank opinion.

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