Dental Costs And How To Save As A Pensioner

There’s no age limit when it comes to taking care of your oral health. However, pensioners’ oral and dental health issues are a bit more complex than those of younger persons. Old age, lifestyle, eating habits, and other factors can weaken the teeth and gums. This results in issues such as teeth loss, tooth decay, and gum diseases. This also means incurring denture cost for pensioners, relining, or replacement costs.

To deal with all these dental costs, this article can help you figure that out.

Cost Of Dentures For Pensioners

The cost of dentures depends on various factors such as the following:

• If you require complete or partial dentures
• Whether the dentures are immediate or custom 
• The type of denture material used
• The technique used to make the denture and its design
• The complexity of procedure in your particular case

The average cost of complete dentures is AUD$4,000, according to data available for the 2019 dental fee survey. 

Saving Dental Costs As A Pensioner

There are a few ways you can lower the costs of getting your dentures as a pensioner. This all depends on your pension status. In some cases, you may even be eligible to get your dentures fixed at no cost at all.

Below are some of the possible options you can explore:

• Concession Card For Pensioners

Do pensioners pay for dentures? The answer can be yes and no. If you have a pensioner’s concession card, you’re eligible to get services from your state’s dental health service providers through Medicare. However, the allowable services can differ depending on the state you live in. It’s advisable to check first to confirm what your concession card can or can’t do for you. 

If you attend your local public dental health facility, you’ll be guided and directed further about your options. Sometimes, these health facilities can have a long waiting list. Another alternative is you can get a treatment voucher and be advised to visit any state-approved dental clinic. The public dental clinic will provide a list of accredited dentists to choose from.

•  DVA Gold Card

If you are a gold cardholder of the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), your dental care is covered under the DVA program. You can be treated by presenting the card in a dental facility. You also need to check the procedures covered under the card or you can use Dentium Australia teeth products. However, you may need prior approval before undergoing some dental treatments.

• Healthcare Card

If you don’t have a pension concession card but you receive other forms of government assistance, you may opt to use your healthcare card instead. The government assistance, in this case, includes widow allowance, care payments, or Newstart. 

If you plan to avail of this option, you need to check your annual treatment limit first. In addition, you need to present a valid healthcare or Medicare card before you start dental treatment. This is regardless of the type of treatment you need. 

• Treatment From Teaching Facilities

If the options above are not available or applicable to your situation, another alternative for getting cheaper dentures is to seek treatment from teaching facilities. Most Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions with dental clinics are a good option. Besides having the best dental clinics, they also have some of the best and latest dental technologies. 

If you conduct an online search, chances are you’ll find a teaching clinic that offers such services at a lower cost. And since they are educational institutions, you’ll find qualified professionals you can consult as well. However, your treatment might take longer than if you have visited a private dental clinic. 

• Dental Insurance Covers

Some dental or health insurance providers may cover dentures while others don’t. This is because most insurance providers take it as cosmetic surgery. In addition, some home insurance providers cover loss dentures under your home items. While the insurance cover may not cater to the initial cost of fixing dentures, it can sure come in handy if you need a replacement.

However, you need to check with your insurance provider to know if that’s the case with you. Besides, you might need to add on your regular premium to cover the dentures and other valuables. 

•  Shop Around For The Best Deal

As you do with other services, don’t be afraid to look around for a better deal. Prices vary quite considerably between dental clinics. For example, you might find clinics with free consultations or teeth extraction services. For those who need false teeth for pensioners, however, it’s best to ask around multiple dental clinics before making any decision.

Conclusion To put it simply, it’s entirely possible to save on dental costs as a pensioner. But you only need to take time and look around and find the alternatives you have.