If you have extras cover, your next check-up at Civic Gentle Dental Care could cost you very little, or nothing at all. This guide explains how health fund claims work at our Canberra City practice, what being an NIB First Choice and Westfund Provider of Choice practice means for you, and how to check your cover before you book.
Which health funds can I use at Civic Gentle Dental Care?
You can use any Australian health fund at Civic Gentle Dental Care. We are an NIB First Choice and Westfund Provider of Choice practice. If you are with another fund, such as Bupa, HCF, Medibank, ahm or CBHS, you can still claim on the spot. Your rebate is simply set by your own fund and level of cover.
See our health fund dentist in Canberra page for details of each fund.
What does a preferred provider mean?
Health funds run networks of dentists they have an agreement with. When you see a dentist in your fund’s network, you may receive higher benefits or set prices on some general dental services, so you pay less out of pocket. For a routine check-up and clean, eligible members may pay no gap at all.
The exact benefit always depends on your policy, your waiting periods and how much of your annual limit is left.
Claiming on the spot with HICAPS
Civic Gentle Dental Care uses HICAPS, so you do not need to lodge a claim yourself. Bring your physical or digital health fund card. At the end of your appointment, we send the claim to your fund, the benefit is paid straight away, and you only pay the gap, if there is one.
What does extras cover usually pay for?
- Preventive dental: check-ups, cleans, x-rays and fluoride. Many policies cover two of these visits a year.
- General dental: fillings and simple extractions.
- Major dental: crowns, bridges, root canal treatment and dentures, usually with longer waiting periods.
- Orthodontics: braces and Invisalign, often with a separate lifetime limit.
Every policy is different, so check the details with your fund before major treatment.
How to check your cover before you book
Call your fund or use its app and ask what you are covered for, using the item numbers on your treatment plan. For a new patient check-up and clean, the most common item numbers are 012 or 011 (examination), 037 (OPG x-ray), 022 (bitewing x-ray), 114 (scale and clean) and 121 (fluoride).
Ask three questions: how much is left in your annual limit, whether any waiting periods still apply, and when your limits reset.
What a check-up costs at Civic Gentle Dental Care
A new patient check-up and clean at Civic Gentle Dental Care is $219, or No Gap for eligible members of participating health funds. It includes an examination, a clean and polish, a fluoride treatment and two bitewing x-rays. If your fund pays the full fee for a preventive visit, there is nothing to pay on the day.
Book your next visit
Annual limits do not roll over, so unused extras are lost when your limits reset. Book online or call Civic Gentle Dental Care on (02) 6247 0224. We are at Suite 8, Level 3/161 London Circuit, Canberra City, a short walk from the Canberra Centre, the light rail and the city bus interchange.