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Are You Maximising Your Health Benefits?

At KR Dental, our foremost concern is providing you with exceptional dentistry that is also affordable. That’s why we are happy to accept all major health funds. Are you aware of all of the brilliant benefits that come with enrolling in a private health insurance fund? To take advantage of all of the benefits of your policy, we recommend that you take some time to review it.

Because many fund benefits will not roll over to the next calendar year, you only have a few more months to make sure that you get the most out of your health fund this year. You won’t want to miss out on significant entitlements!

Find Out What Extras You Are Entitled to

As an example, HCF members receive one entirely covered checkup per calendar year. It’s always essential, of course, to check with your health fund to verify your level of cover and entitlements. Because we are preferred providers for HCF, NIB and smile.com.au there also may be annual limits to consider for major dental.

Is Your Smile Holiday-Ready?

With a calendar full of seasonal celebrations to look forward to, you want to look your best. A stunning, confident smile can dramatically enhance your look. We encourage you to contact us straightaway to book your appointments as many of our suppliers and labs are slowing down in December in advance of the holidays.

Whether you are seeking advice on how to get the most benefit from your health fund or would like answers about services you are considering, please contact us today. It’s our desire to make sure you access all of your health fund benefits!

Smile now pay later

Are You Being Overtreated Like Marc?

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald caught the attention of people across Australia. The man in the article, Marc, went to a corporate dental clinic. He was quoted $1200 for dental treatments. As someone who is meticulous about his dental health, Marc was shocked and sought a second opinion elsewhere. This dentist informed him that only a small filling was necessary, a difference of $1100.

As a dentist, I was surprised that someone could receive such vastly different treatment plans. Dentists can have different philosophies in practice. As a consumer, you may get slightly dissimilar plans because of these differences. But it certainly shouldn’t be $1100!

So, why were Marc’s recommendations so dissimilar?

To answer this question, we must go back to the early 2000s.  Traditionally, Australian dental practices were owner-operated. The dentist who owned the practice typically worked in the practice, hired associates, mentored them and hired staff who were locals.

They had strong ties to the community, were in charge of their business, marketing, book-keeping, daily running and belonged to the Australian Dental Association. The owner/operator/dentist was governed by a body called AHPRA and had to practice dentistry and run the business within the strict guidelines of this board.

Changing Times

At the turn of the century, corporations entered the dental field. They bought up hundreds of clinics and made them into chains that would look, feel and run identically. They had a centralised hiring and firing department, centralised accounts, call centres, IT support, and marketing.

No doubt, this is a cheaper way to run multiple practices. But as a result, there was no connection with the community. The corporations aren’t governed by AHRPA, so there are no restrictions on marketing their patient care, deals with dental suppliers or patient care.

The ultimate responsibility of a corporation is to its shareholders. The ultimate aim is to raise income to keep shareholders happy. Often, an undercurrent of pressure to keep up revenues is present.

What Makes Us Different

In contrast, privately owned dental practices like [PRACTICE NAME] are not answerable to shareholders. We are a private dental practice where the principal dentist is the owner/operator. We are governed by the dental board and AHPRA. We are a member of the Australian Dental Association. We support the local community by hiring and training locals. But most importantly, all our dentists, their work and clinical capability are constantly supervised by a senior dentist. Our aim in practice is to establish lifelong relationships with patients.

The clinical philosophy at [PRACTICE NAME] is to practice dentistry and treat every patient as if we were treating our own mother or father. We want to enable our patients with accurate information with regards to the state of their oral health, offer all available options to patients and let them decide what they would like for their mouths.

Getting Back to Marc

Good on you, Marc, for seeking a second opinion from a privately owned dental practice. The sad fact is that Australia is fast heading in the footsteps of the United States of America when it comes to corporatisation of health care. But the few private dental practice owners will hang on as long and as strong as we can. We never forget why we became dentists in the first place, which is to help people and practice dentistry with patients’ best interests first and foremost.

You can reach us by phone or email to schedule your appointment.

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The Positive Impact of Dental Check-ups on Your Overall Health

At KR Dental, we are passionate about helping patients achieve and maintain the highest levels of oral health. While brushing and flossing are vital home care habits, a routine check-up and clean can help you smile brighter and enjoy better overall health. We encourage patients of all ages to come in for a regular, bi-monthly check-up and clean with our dentists.

What You Can Expect

During the check-up part of your appointment, your dentist will do the following:

  •  Assess your entire mouth, including your teeth, soft tissues, and jaw
  • Look for any concerns, including signs of tooth decay, irregular bite, and more.
  • Take oral photography or X-rays for diagnostic purposes—if necessary

Once your dentist has obtained a comprehensive overview of your oral health, they will clean your teeth. Your teeth will be cleaned and polished, and then fluoride may be applied to prevent decay.

You also will be given helpful advice about your oral health care habits and diet, so that you can enjoy optimal dental health.

Our check-up and cleans serve a critical role in detecting, treating and preventing dental disease, including gum disease. Without professional oral health care, gum disease could lead to tooth loss and the breakdown of existing dental work.

FAQ

Does a hygienist or dentist do your check-ups?

Taking good care of your teeth not only can help your mouth stay clean and healthy but it can contribute to overall better health as well. On the other hand, if you don’t take care of your oral health, inflammation can arise, resulting in many different health problems. According to some research, these conditions include Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, certain cancers, arthritis, stomach ulcers, infertility, and many others.

Should you get check-ups during pregnancy?

Yes; because hormonal changes occur during pregnancy, you can be at higher risk of developing gum disease. That could affect the health of your baby. So keep your check-up during pregnancy so we can assess your oral health and ensure that your teeth and gums are in great shape.

What insurance funds do you accept?


We are preferred providers for Smile.com.au, HCF, and NIB. Department of Veterans’ Affairs coverage and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule also are accepted.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment!