Financial support for our low income patients

Mount Barker Dental Centre has joined the community based Dental No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) which offers interest free loans between $300 and $1200 to fund your dental treatment. If you have a Health Care Card or your income (after tax) is less than $45000 per year you may be eligible. Call Uniting Communities on 8202 5180 to let them know that you are interested in applying for a Dental NILS loan.

Happy Chomper, happy kids, happy parents

Our Happy Chomper Kids Club, which is open to all our junior patients (from ages 0 to 17 years), makes a visit to the dentist more enjoyable for kids, while at the same time supporting parents in their quest to develop good oral hygiene habits. We have a Kids’ Zone, in the waiting room, with interesting activities (including an iPad with lots of games) to fill in those (possibly anxious) minutes before treatment. We have also installed a TV on the ceiling in the dental therapists’ surgery, once again to help our junior patients relax. Our dental therapists ensure that both kids and their parents (or carers) are provided with simple clear advice on caring for teeth, backed up by email reminders of important dental advice every so often. We now have more than 500 Happy Chomper Kids Club members hopefully building a strong foundation for their lifelong oral health.

For more information please see our Kids’ Club page.

Dental tourism – do your research

Are you considering dental treatment overseas because it is likely to cost less than at home? Have you heard from friends who have ‘had their teeth fixed’ in a developing country ‘for a song’ and had a great holiday at the same time?  Before making this choice, you need to understand the risks of having your dental work done in a developing country.

These risks include:

• Things can go wrong in the dental chair and if this happens overseas you may not have access to expert emergency care. Australian dentists are trained to deal with dental emergencies.
• The materials used, such as crowns, bridges or implants, may be cheap or faulty. You may return to Australia delighted with your new crown only to have it disintegrate within the first few years. In Australia the quality of therapeutic goods including dental materials is regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
• The dentist you see overseas may not be appropriately trained and qualified to perform the treatment they have offered you. Some countries accept a standard of dental education that would be considered sub-standard here. In Australia dentists undergo extensive training at university, are registered to practice under the federal Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and meet strict continuing professional development requirements.
• Infection and the spread of disease in hospitals and dental practices is a real concern in some other countries. In Australia dental practices are required to adhere to strict infection control protocols.

If you are seriously considering dental treatment overseas, do your research carefully and consult with your local dentist to help you weigh up the options.

For further information visit www.ada.org.au/oralhealth/dentaltourism.aspx