Fees and payment

You will always know what your treatment is expected to cost before it starts. This policy explains how this dental practice (the Practice, we, us, our), operated by Averra Dental Pty Ltd, sets fees, obtains your informed financial consent, and handles payment, health fund claims, Medicare and refunds.

1. How our fees are set

We are a private dental practice and set our own fees. Fees reflect the practitioner's time and expertise, the materials and equipment used, laboratory costs, infection control, and the overheads of running a modern practice. Fees are itemised using the Australian Dental Association's Schedule of Dental Services and Glossary item numbers, which is the same coding your health fund uses. Our fees are reviewed annually. Any fee quoted on this website is a guide only; your actual fee depends on your clinical needs and will be confirmed in your written estimate.

2. Informed financial consent

Before any treatment beyond an examination, radiographs and routine hygiene, we will give you a written treatment plan that lists each item of treatment, its item number, the fee, and the estimated total, and we will ask you to confirm you understand and accept it. For a single-visit treatment identified during an examination, your practitioner will tell you the fee verbally before proceeding and it will appear on your invoice. If the treatment required changes once it has started (for example, a tooth needs root canal treatment rather than a filling), your practitioner will stop and explain the change and the new cost before continuing, unless stopping would be unsafe. Where that is not possible, we will tell you as soon as treatment is complete. You can ask for a written estimate at any time, and you are welcome to take a treatment plan away to consider or to seek a second opinion.

3. Estimates are not fixed quotes

A treatment plan is an estimate based on the clinical situation at the time of examination. It remains valid for the period stated on the plan. Unforeseen findings, changes in your oral health, or delays in completing treatment may change the fee, and we will explain any change before you incur it.

4. When payment is due

Payment is due in full on the day of treatment, at the end of each appointment, unless we have agreed a different arrangement in writing. For treatment involving laboratory work (crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures, implants, aligners and similar), a deposit is payable when the impression or scan is taken, with the balance due at the fitting appointment; the deposit amount is stated in your treatment plan. For orthodontic treatment, surgical procedures and other extended treatment, a deposit and a payment schedule will be set out in your treatment plan.

5. How you can pay

We accept cash, EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard. American Express is accepted at some clinics; please check with reception. We do not accept cheques. A surcharge may apply to some card payments; where it does, the surcharge is no more than our cost of acceptance and is displayed at reception before you pay. Third-party payment plan providers may be available for larger treatment plans; these are separate credit arrangements between you and the provider, subject to the provider's own terms, fees and approval, and we recommend you read them carefully.

6. Health fund claims

If you have private health insurance with extras cover, we can usually claim your rebate electronically on the spot through the health fund claiming terminal. You pay the gap between our fee and your fund's rebate. Rebates are set by your health fund, not by us; they vary between funds and levels of cover, and we cannot tell you in advance exactly what your fund will pay. We encourage you to ask your fund for a benefit estimate using the item numbers on your treatment plan before you commit to treatment. Where a claim cannot be processed on the spot, you pay the full fee and we give you an itemised receipt to claim directly from your fund. We do not participate in preferred provider arrangements unless stated on this website.

7. Medicare and government schemes

Most dental treatment is not covered by Medicare. We provide treatment under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) for eligible children; where we bulk bill a CDBS service there is no cost to you, and where a service is not covered or the child's cap has been reached we will tell you before proceeding. We treat eligible Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) card holders in accordance with DVA fee arrangements. NDIS participants may use plan funding for dental services where permitted by their plan; please tell us before your appointment. Some clinics also offer treatment under state public dental voucher schemes; ask reception.

8. Overdue accounts

If an account is not paid when due, we will send a reminder. Accounts that remain unpaid after reminders may be referred to a debt collection agency, and you will be liable for reasonable collection costs and any legal costs we incur. We may also decline to provide further non-emergency treatment until the account is settled. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please talk to us before the due date; we would rather agree a payment arrangement than refer an account.

9. Refunds

If you pay for treatment in advance and decide not to proceed before it begins, we will refund the amount paid less any laboratory or materials costs already incurred on your behalf. If treatment has begun, the fee for the work completed is payable. Where a service has not been delivered with due care and skill, you are entitled to a remedy under the Australian Consumer Law, which may include a refund, remedial treatment or a reduction in fee; our Feedback and Complaints Policy explains how to raise this. Refunds are made by the same method as the original payment where possible, promptly. Health fund rebates already claimed will be reversed with the fund as required.

10. Receipts and records

You will receive an itemised receipt for every payment, showing the item numbers, fees, health fund rebate and amount paid, which you can use for tax, insurance or claiming purposes. Copies of receipts can be provided on request at no charge.

11. Questions about your account

Account questions: speak to reception or email privacy@averradental.com.au. If you believe you have been charged incorrectly, tell us as soon as possible and we will review the account and respond promptly.