In an Australian first, eligible Bupa health insurance members will collectively save millions of dollars in dental costs, with patients to receive no out-of-pocket costs for general dental fillings at Bupa Dental clinics.
From 1 November 2023, members with eligible Extras cover who attend participating Bupa Dental clinics will also receive a no-gap experience across 15 common dental services such as twice-yearly check-ups, X-Rays and fitted mouthguards across its national network of 148 practices.
The initiative is aimed at providing relief against ongoing household budget challenges while also encouraging preventive dental care.
Today’s announcement comes amidst research from the Australian Dental Association (ADA) suggesting one in three Australian adults have untreated tooth decay along with one in nine children. Bupa Dental practices performed more than 169,000 general fillings in 2022.
Bupa Health Insurance Managing Director Chris Carroll said the initiative would save members money with the average cost of a general dental filling costing $220 in 2022, according to the ADA.
“We’re always looking at ways to help our members get more value from their private health insurance and we expect this will be a welcome offer, especially given the ongoing cost of living climate,” Mr Carroll said.
“As a healthcare partner, our focus is on supporting the health and wellbeing of our members and I’m pleased we’re able to increase member access to gap-free experiences.”
Dental is the most common extras service used with 1.66 million Bupa members making a claim so far this year.
Bupa Dental Care Managing Director, Dr Ros Blakley said Bupa’s Members First Ultimate initiative, would help Australians, who may have missed appointments or put procedures on hold, get their oral health back on track.
“By focusing on prevention and breaking down cost barriers, our aim is to help people maintain optimal oral health which we know is closely linked to general health,” Dr Blakey said.
“A visit to the dentist means a whole lot more than a simple clean and a search for cavities. We can also look for signs of oral cancer, oral infections and a range of other conditions that can have a significant impact on your health if not addressed early.”
Bupa members who access Members First or Members First Platinum providers instead, will still have access to benefits including gap-free dental for eligible kids and certainty of out-of-pocket expenses for most dental services.
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NOTE TO EDITORS:
Pic caption: Bupa Dental Dentist, Dr Kiana Kianoush and patient Tysyn Hall
For more information, please contact:
Eli Grynberg
External Communications Manager, Bupa
Email: eli.grynberg@bupa.com.au
Mob: 0412 868 933