Pacific Smiles stops Velocity Points for dental deal
That bites, but nothing is permanent in points.
Brace yourselves: dental chain Pacific Smiles is getting out of the points business. The service has previously allowed customers to earn Velocity Points, with 500 Velocity Points on offer for the first check-up and 250 Velocity Points for each subsequent check-up (capped at no more than 2 in any 12-month period).
However, that won't be the case for any appointments made after 9 March this year. Pacific Smiles has begun notifying customers who have claimed points in the past to explain that the partnership will be ending on that date.
Presumably Pacific Smiles has found the cost of paying for those points hasn't driven enough customers its way. It's also one of the chains which offers the ability to pay for dental services with Afterpay, so its marketing budget could well be going to pay for that instead.
500 Velocity Points is what you might earn on a cheap Virgin Australia domestic flight, so that's not to be sneezed at. And getting points certainly made going to the dentist marginally less painful.
But the change also serves as a useful reminder that there's no such thing as a permanent way to earn points. The rules change all the time, and partners come and go.
Yes, there's a cavity in the market now. But if you pay for your dentist's bills with your credit card, you can still earn points from your root canal.
So don't go mental because there are no points for dental. Focus on what you can earn, and remember to also check if your health insurance covers dental treatments.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on Finder.
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