Dental insurance

*Pricing based on an Extras policy for a single person, living in Sydney with an income of less than $105,000.

Taking care of our teeth is one of the more "not fun" parts about being an adult. Not just because of how uncomfortable it can be, but because of the cost. According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 3 in 10 Australians delayed or avoided seeing a dentist because of the cost.

To sweeten the deal and make it easier to stay on top of your oral health, Australians have access to dental cover via their private health insurance.

What's the best dental insurance in Australia?

You have better things to do that trawl through 400+ dental insurance plans. Honestly? We do too but we get paid for it, and we get a kick out of making boring stuff quick and easy.

The policies below won 2026 Finder Awards. They came out on top for value for money – meaning they give you more bang for your buck than the other 400+ policies we analysed.

Keep in mind, everyone's needs are different, so it's worth doing some research yourself to get cover that works for you.

Extras price	Treatments
Great for dental with no waiting periods: Ahm - Super Extras
ahm health insurance - Super Extras Extras cover	From $25.44/week	General dental Major dental Optical Physiotherapy Chiropractic Psychology Remedial massage Hearing aids +5 other treatments covered	Intro offer: Get up to 8 weeks free when you join ahm by 30 Nov 2026. For new joins on eligible extras. T&Cs apply.	Go to SiteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it A strong pick for anyone who wants to get to the dentist quickly. ahm Super Extras comes with no 2 or 6-month waiting periods on included extras, which means you’re not stuck waiting months before you can claim on general dental. There are also no annual limits on routine dental, which is rare and genuinely useful if you’re a regular at the dentist. Pros & cons Pros No 2 or 6-month waiting periods on included extras Two no-gap dental check-ups per financial year at select dentists Cons No-gap check-ups exclude x-rays, extractions and fillings
Great all-rounder: HBF - Flex 50
HBF Health Limited - Flex 50 Extras cover	From $9.67/week	General dental Major dental Optical Physiotherapy Chiropractic Psychology Remedial massage Hearing aids +3 other treatments covered	Intro offer: Get 6 weeks free on eligible extras cover. For new members who join by 17 Nov 2026 and maintain eligible extras cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to SiteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Flex 50 gives you $800 to split how you like across 12 popular services, including dental. You could use all of that $800 combined annual limit on dental if you like, or you could split it up – it's totally up to you. Pros & cons Pros Finder 2024 health insurer of the year. Not-for-proft. Profits go back to members, not shareholders. 55.50% of extras treatments covered. One of the best out of 23 funds. Cons There are cheaper policies but you don't get as much. Other insurers also offer flex options.
Great for the basics: Westfund - Starter Extras
Westfund Limited - Starter Extras Extras cover	From $6.20/week	General dental Major dental Optical Physiotherapy Chiropractic Psychology Remedial massage Hearing aids +3 other treatments covered	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Consistently one of the cheapest dental insurance policies available. Westfund's Starter Extras option includes general dental cover and an optical benefit up to $180 per person. You can also choose how to spend $400 across a bunch of services including dental, optical, physio, chiro and more. Pros & cons Pros 2024 Finder Award winner in the Core Extras category. Excellent complaints record. Not-for-profit. Cons There are some cheaper options. This is a basic plan. There are more comprehensive plans.

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How does dental insurance work?

Dental insurance is available with extras health insurance, as opposed to hospital insurance. Extras covers out-of-hospital treatments...like the dentist!

Some policies will pay a percentage (eg 60%) of your dentist bill, while others will pay a set amount for specific services (eg $40 for a scale and clean). A big selling point for many policies is offering no gap dental, where you get 1 or 2 visits a year with no out of pocket costs. Which is pretty cool.

Can't I get standalone dental insurance? Yes, it's possible, but it's not for everyone. Let's walk through both options.

Standalone dental insurance vs dental through extras cover

Most of us tend to put off a trip to the dentist out of fear, while others avoid the clinic because of the cost. Depending on the treatment, dental work can range well into the thousands, which can burn a massive hole in your savings if you're not prepared.

Dental insurance can help you cover the cost of upcoming dental work. While most Aussies tend to only consider dental cover through private health insurance, there are standalone dental policies.

Dental through extras cover

The most common way Australians get dental cover is through a private health insurance extras policy. This is a product offered by registered health funds that bundles dental alongside other services like optical, physio and chiro.

• How it works: You pay a monthly premium to your health fund. When you visit a dentist, your fund pays a benefit (a percentage of the cost, or a set dollar amount), up to annual and per-item limits.
• The upside: You get one policy covering multiple health needs, and premiums can be more cost-effective than paying for dental alone. You also benefit from the Australian Government Rebate on premiums, which reduces your out-of-pocket cost.
• The downside: Waiting periods apply (commonly 2 months for general dental, 12 months for major dental and up to 36 months for orthodontics). Annual limits can sometimes be as little as $300–$500 per year for general dental.
• Standalone dental cover (dental-only policies)

Standalone dental cover is a separate product that's not offered by registered health funds, but by private companies operating outside the traditional health insurance system. These are sometimes marketed as "dental plans" or "dental payment plans" rather than insurance.

• How it works: You pay a membership or subscription fee and receive discounted rates at a network of participating dentists, or a set benefit for specific treatments.
• The upside: There are often no waiting periods, making it useful if you need dental work soon.
• The downside: These products are not regulated as health insurance, so you don't receive the Australian Government Rebate on premiums. They also don't help you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge or Lifetime Health Cover loading. You may also experience restricted benefits, like being able to choose your own dentist.

Dental extras cover categories

Dental extras cover comes in a few different varieties, with each one covering a different set of treatments.

• General Dental: This covers common procedures such as check-ups, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, X-rays and small fillings. You'll find this included on basic extras polices.
• Major Dental: Sometimes called 'complex dental', this covers more involved treatments like crowns, bridgework, veneers and implants.
• Orthodontics: Covers specialist dentistry for aligning teeth and jaws...people who had braces as a kid, sorry for the reminder! Treatments include braces, plates and retainers.
• Endodontics: This refers to stuff inside the teeth. The most common endodontic treatment you'll hear about is root canal. It sucks, it's expensive, and it's really nice to have it on your policy. Endodontics is often combined in one of the other categories, but sometimes has it's own category.
• Periodontics: This is all to do with what's around your teeth, especially your gums. Like orthodontics, periodontics can be covered by itself, or grouped in with another category.

Dental insurance waiting periods

Most dental cover through extras health insurance will have a small waiting period before you can claim. The waiting periods will generally vary based on the category:

• General Dental typically has a 2 month waiting period.
• Major and Complex Dental typically has a 12 month waiting period.
• Endodontics typically has a 12 month waiting period.
• Orthodontics typically has a 12 month waiting period, but some health funds may have their own exceptions for braces.

You can often find health insurance sign up deals that will waive 2 and 6 month waiting periods for extras, so you can claim right away. There are also a few ahm products that come with no 2 and 6 month waiting periods by default.

"I knew I had a dental appointment coming up so I took out an ahm extras policy with a no waiting period on dental and was able to claim a portion of the cost back immediately. The extras policy cost me only $16 and the savings amounted to over $100. Big win!"

Peta Taylor

Finder crew member

Common exclusions from dental insurance

Like any other extras benefit, there are some treatments that will be excluded from cover. Under dental insurance, cosmetic treatments are generally not covered. This includes things like:

• Teeth whitening or bleaching
• Veneers
• Gum contouring
• Treatments performed overseas
• Procedures that require being admitted to hospital (you'll need a hospital cover for this)
• Services exceeding your limit (we'll discuss this later)

These are just general exclusions, though, so you'll still need to read through your PDS to ensure you're clear on what is and isn't covered under your specific dental insurance policy.

Pre-existing condition exclusions

Aside from cosmetic procedures, certain pre-existing conditions may also not be covered. Health insurers exclude pre-existing conditions from their policies to keep premiums fair for customers. It also prevents new policyholders from making large, expensive claims as soon as they join and then ditching their policy. This is also the reason why health insurers impose waiting periods of up to 12 months for major dental treatments.

Some of the more common dental insurance exclusions include:

• Missing teeth
• Gum disease
• Existing crowns or bridges

Frequency and annual limits: how this can affect your rebates and cover

Every insurer models their policies differently, particularly when it comes to how much and how often you can claim certain treatments. These are often recognised as annual limits, sub-limits or frequency rules.

• Annual and sublimits

Under any extras policy, your coverage has an annual limit. Your annual limit is the maximum amount your insurer will pay every calendar year for certain services, including dental. Once you reach your annual limit for a particular service, you'll need to pay for these treatments yourself until the next year.

Depending on your policy, you may also have sublimits within your dental insurance. A sub-limit is a cap on the maximum amount you can claim for specific services or treatments.

For example, let's say your extras policy has an annual limit of $800 for all dental treatments and a $200 sublimit for major dental services. While you have the $800 to use over the year for dental treatments, you can only claim up to $200 worth for major dental services, like crowns or root canals.

• Frequency and lifetime limits

The number of times you can claim for specific treatments is also limited, though this varies from insurer to insurer. For instance, your policy may state you can only claim a teeth clean every 6 months or a new pair of glasses every 2 years. This is known as the frequency limit.

Many insurers also impose a lifetime limit. As the name suggests, if you hit your policy's lifetime limit, you will no longer be able to claim the service (even if you switch to a different insurer). Lifetime limits are often reserved for more intensive treatments, like laser eye surgery.

It's important to be aware of these limits, as it can impact how much of a return you get. If you plan to tap into your dental insurance during the year, plan ahead to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from the treatment or service.

How much does dental care cost?

To help you get an idea of dental costs, we've put together a table of costs based on information from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Dental Association, healthdirect.gov.au and more.

• Routine dental checkups
• Dental fillings
• Root canals
• Dental implants
• Tooth extractions

Is dental covered by Medicare in Australia?

Sadly no. Medicare covers most GP visits and hospital treatments, but dental has sat outside the public system since 1996, when universal dental cover was abolished.

Dental is now treated as a private expense. That means check-ups, fillings, crowns and everything in between comes straight out of your pocket unless you have private health cover. It's one of the reasons out-of-pocket dental costs in Australia are among the highest in the developed world, and why many people put off treatment until a problem becomes unavoidable.

Today, Medicare only covers dental in limited circumstances. The main one is the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), which gives eligible children aged 0–17 up to $1,158 in benefits over 2 consecutive calendar years (the 2026 cap, which is indexed each 1 January) for basic services like check-ups, cleans and fillings.

Below, you can learn more about the CDBS and what eligibility looks like in your state.

Child Dental Benefits Schedule

The Services Australia Child Dental Benefits Schedule does offer dental benefits to some children. To be eligible, your child must

• Be eligible for Medicare
• Be between 0 and 17 years old
• Receive a payment from the Australian government at least once a year

You can check if your child is eligible on the Services Australia website.

Why you can trust our insurance experts

Addicted to details - We reviewed over 400 dental policies and spent 75+ hours researching dental inclusions so you don't have to. These policies are checked daily, too. (We told you. ADDICTED.)

No extra cost - Pay the same amount going direct. Prices are verified from 40+ funds all in one place, so you don't have to check the same limits over and over again (boring!).

No BS - You won't get any annoying calls, because we don't have a call centre. We're not owned by an insurer and most of our crew have road tested one of these policies, so you get (almost) pain-free dental.

Frequently asked questions

• What's the best insurance for dental?

  The best dental insurance depends on your needs. Westfund - Starter Extras, HBF - Flex 50 and ahm - Super Extras won Finder Awards this year. There are also lots of policies that come with flexible limits so you can use most or all of it on dental. Some insurers, such as ahm, also have no waiting period options.

• Why take out dental cover?

  Oral health is really important to your overall health and wellbeing, so dental care isn't something you should neglect. Poor oral health can exacerbate existing health conditions and is associated with a number of chronic diseases.

  According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 32% of Australians over 15 years old have untreated decay. On average, we spend $253 on dental services per year. Health insurance can help reduce those costs.

• What are the waiting periods for dental?

  You will usually have a 2-month waiting period for general dental (this includes basic services such as a check-up and fillings). Usually you need to wait 12 months for orthodontics and major dental procedures done (e.g. crowns or bridges).

• What is the difference between general dental and major dental cover?

  General dental cover typically includes routine and preventative treatments like check-ups, cleans, x-rays fillings and simple extractions, while major dental cover is for more complex and expensive procedures such as crowns, bridges, dentures, root canal therapy, oral surgery and implants.

• How much does dental insurance cost in Australia?

  Cheap dental insurance starts at around $6 a week. This will typically cover you for a couple of routine check-ups a year including common procedures such as teeth cleaning and X-rays. Major dental policies start at around $7 a week while endodontics and orthodontics cost around $8 a week. However, you may still have some out of pocket expenses.

• How much does a filling or root canal cost without insurance?

  While this varies between clinics, a basic filling can range between $150–$300, while a root canal can cost $1,000–$3,000 or more. Without cover, these costs come entirely out of your pocket, which is why a single major treatment can ensure an extras policy pays for itself.

• What dental work does extras cover at 100%?

  Some health funds offer 100% back on certain general dental services, such as check-ups, cleans and X-rays. However, it usually only applies when you visit a dentist in your fund's preferred provider network, and you may face some restrictive annual limits.

• What's the annual limit on dental claims?

  This depends on your policy. Cheap extras policies may set annual dental limits as low as $300–$500, while more comprehensive policies can offer $1,000–$2,000 or more per year. Some funds also split limits between general dental and major dental, so it's worth checking the PDS before signing up to a policy.

• Can I get dental cover for orthodontics?

  Yes, but not all extras policies include it, and those that do usually come with a waiting period of up to 36 months before you can claim. Orthodontic cover is typically capped at a lifetime limit rather than an annual one, meaning once you've claimed up to that amount, you won't be able to claim orthodontic benefits again on that policy.

• Is dental insurance worth it for one filling?

  Probably not. If you're only expecting a single filling, the premiums you'd pay over a waiting period would likely outweigh what you'd get back. But if you're due for a check-up, know you'll have ongoing dental needs or want to get major work done down the track, extras cover starts to make a lot more sense.

  It's also worth remembering that dental cover usually comes bundled with other extras like optical and physio, so the overall value of an extras policy extends beyond just your teeth.

• Are teeth covered by Medicare?

  Unfortunately, Medicare doesn't cover most dental work. There are some exceptions to this – for example, some children are eligible through the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) and adults who hold a Health Care Card or Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and cannot afford medically necessary treatment can be entitled to free dental.

• Do you need dental insurance in Australia?

  You aren't legally required to have dental cover in Australia but without it, treatment can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Routine check-ups at the dentist alone can add up to over and above what you might pay for dental insurance. To make sure you get the most out of your cover, make sure you compare your provider options and get cover with benefits you'll actually use.

• When do annual dental benefits reset?

  Like all extras, the annual benefit for dental treatments reset each year. Depending on your fund, your limits with either reset on January 1, July 1 or your policy anniversary date. See the list of all extras benefit reset dates here.

• Are orthodontic treatments covered by Australian dental health insurance?

  Yes, many Australian dental health insurance policies, especially higher-level extras covers, do include benefits for orthodontic treatments such as braces and clear aligners. These treatments typically have a 12-month waiting period and are subject to annual and lifetime limits.

• What are the typical annual limits for dental insurance claims in Australia?

  Annual limits in Australian dental insurance are the maximum amounts a member can claim for dental services within a calendar year, varying significantly by policy level and health fund. These limits can be separate for general, major and orthodontic treatments or combined, and once reached, members pay the full cost for further treatments until the next year.

• How does dental insurance work for students?

  Unfortunately, there's no real difference if you're a student. In some cases, your dentist may give a concession discount for dental work but you'll still be out of pocket.

• Will health insurance cover dentures?

  Some health insurance policies cover dentures, although you'll need a medium-to-comprehensive tier extras policy.

• Can emergency dental be covered by Medicare?

  If your dental work is considered life-threatening or extremely complex, you may be treated in a hospital and covered by Medicare. However, this doesn't apply to most dental work and may also incur a fee.

• Can I get dental insurance with no waiting period?

  It depends on what kind of dental work you need done and whether or not it's done at the dentist or in a hospital. General dental work like cleans, check ups and minor fillings are covered under extras health insurance and ahm is one of the few insurers whose policies include general dental with no waiting period by default.

  For all other major dental and orthodontics work, a waiting period will apply. Likewise with dental work that requires a hospital visit - this will also carry a waiting period.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Tim Bennett as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Ceyda Erem

Senior writer

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Ceyda Erem is Finder’s senior writer for insurance and has almost 10 years of experience writing about personal finance. Formerly a copywriter for several business and finance clients, Ceyda has written hundreds of articles, guides, blogs and more to ensure Australians stay in the loop about how to best manage their money. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Writing from Macquarie University. See full bio

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