Dental care

Under the New Zealand public health system, children receive free basic care, and some specialised or emergency dentistry is available for adults.

Children receive free dental care until their 18th birthday.  The free services include: dental examinations, fillings, extraction of primary teeth, placement of fissure sealants and applications of fluorides.

For regular dental care and treatment, people are treated by private dental practitioners at their own expense.

Also, many regional or local councils in New Zealand add flourine to the water supply to improve the community’s oral health – however this is a regional decision and depends on where exactly you live.

• Costs
  Dental practices set their own fees, and there is no fixed or recommended fee structure. As a guide, you can expect to pay around $85 for an examination, $150 for a simple amalgam filling, and $1,200 for a ceramic crown. Some medical insurance plans provide cover for dental care.

Along with regular dental treatments, most dentists also offer dental hygienist services and many offer cosmetic services such as tooth whitening. Specialist dentists offer orthodontics, implants and dental surgery.

For more information about dental care in New Zealand see www.healthysmiles.org.nz.

For more information about health insurance in New Zealand see www.healthfunds.org.nz.