Dental Fees

Each dentist you talk to will have a different fee schedule for the treatment you need.  This is because dental fees are not regulated by a Government body so each dentist is free to set their fees as they choose.  At Gerber Dental Group we aim to keep our fees within industry standards and our fees reflect the skills and experience of our dentists and hygienists as well as the technology we have available for your diagnosis and treatment.  Even the things you don’t see such as sterilization, infection control and materials are all quite costly, so be careful that a “cheap” dentist isn’t cutting corners with things that can put your health at risk. 

When you compare the fees at different dental practices, make sure you are comparing exactly the same thing because the types of treatment vary, as do the materials, labs and equipment.  Be careful about getting “over the phone” quotes because they may change once another dentist assesses your situation.  What may appear cheaper in the short term can actually end up costing you more money down the track.

Following your initial examination, we will always provide you with a treatment plan and fee estimate before we start any treatment.  This means there are no hidden costs or nasty surprises for you to deal with.  You can choose the treatment option that best suits your needs and your budget.

Health Funds
We are currently preferred dental providers for the following health funds:-

As a participating dental practice, we will only charge you the fees set by each health fund for some specific treatments and while you may still have a small out of pocket or “gap” fee, this will be much lower than normal.  The gap fee will be determined by your level of cover and as a general rule, the higher your level of cover, the lower the gap fee.  Each health fund has different treatment codes included in their program and if you require any other dental treatment outside this program, we will provide you with a treatment plan and you can check your rebates with your health fund before you start your treatment.  Please keep in mind that your rebates will be determined by your level of cover and your yearly maximum benefit limits.

If you have any questions about the health fund oral health programs or you need to schedule an appointment please call the practice on 07 5576 4923.  Due to privacy laws, we are unable to access specific information about your membership or your claims.  If you have specific concerns, you will need to deal directly with your health fund.

Care Credit

Care Credit is a product from GE finance and offers interest free and extended payment plans for dental treatment.  The application process can be done on-line and can provide funds up to $20,000 for emergency, orthodontic, implant, general and cosmetic dental treatments.  Patients who have an existing GE Money card don’t need to re-apply for a new care credit card.  Care credit allows patients to have treatment done sooner, even if they don’t have the funds available immediately.  (please insert GE care credit logo) 

Veteran Affairs
If you hold a Veteran Affairs Gold card, you are entitled to receive dental treatment free of charge.  There are some restrictions in this program, however we are happy to accept DVA Gold card holders at our practice.

Medicare EPC Dental Program
Patients with a chronic medical condition may be eligible for dental treatment under the EPC scheme if they have a referral and care plan from their GP.  It is up to the GP to determine whether a patient is eligible for this program and patients must ensure that all the relevant paperwork has been completed before their first dental visit.  Fees are billed directly to Medicare and in many cases there are no “out of pocket” fees for general dental care.  Fee limits and specific rules apply to this program and the aim of the dental treatment is to improve general oral health for high risk patients.  Cosmetic dental treatment is not available as part of the EPC program.  For further information about the EPC program, talk to your GP or call the practice on 07 5576 4923 to schedule your new patient appointment.

Over the phone quotes
In some cases we can give you fee estimates over the phone, but they will only be a rough guide and may change once your specific situation has been assessed.  You will be provided with an exact fee quote for your initial visit and following this, we will give you treatment plan options with more accurate fees.  We prefer not to give over the phone quotes to compare with other practices because it can be misleading and the treatment options may not be the same from practice to practice.  We are more than happy to schedule a new patient visit to provide you with an assessment or second opinion if you are unsure about treatment options already recommended.

Payment Options
For your convenience, we accept cash, mastercard, visa, bankcard, hicaps, care credit and AMEX (surcharge applies).  We are also pleased to offer a discount for treatment paid in full prior to your appointments.  We accept personal cheques for treatment but not for new patient visits.  Payment is made on the day of the appointment as we do not send accounts.