What a dental visit costs in South Africa, and how to keep costs down

There is no national price for a dental visit in South Africa. Each practice sets its own fees, and a visit can have several parts: the consultation, any X-rays, a cleaning, and any treatment found. Medical aid pays at its own rate, which may be less than the fee.

The least expensive visit is usually the one that finds a small problem before it grows. A check-up that finds early decay leads to a small filling; the same decay found years later can mean a large filling, or a tooth that cannot be saved.

What a dental visit is made up of

A first visit is often more than one item on the account. These are the parts, what each covers, and what to ask about its fee:

To book a check-up at Durban Dental Care, call 031 563 2473 or send us a WhatsApp. For what happens at the visit, see check-ups and X-rays.

Why fees differ between practices

Fees follow each practice's costs and the time each treatment takes, so one practice can charge more than another for what looks like the same treatment.

Medical aid adds a second number. Schemes pay their own rate for each treatment. If a practice's fee is higher than that rate, or your benefits for the year have run out, the difference is yours to pay. For how schemes pay, read medical aid and dental work.

Comparing fees fairly

Before you choose on price, check that you are comparing like with like:

• Talk about fees before treatment, as the South African Dental Association advises patients to do.
• Compare the same treatment: a tooth-coloured filling with a tooth-coloured filling, a routine clean with a routine clean.
• Check what is included, such as X-rays, follow-up visits or a deep clean.
• Ask whether the fee is at your scheme's rate, and what you will pay yourself.

Ways to keep your dental costs down

Most of what you spend on your teeth over the years depends on how much treatment you end up needing. These are the practical ways to need less, and to plan for the rest:

1. Keep your check-ups, at the interval set for you. UK guidance from NICE on dental recall sets the gap between check-ups by each person's risk: from 3 to 24 months for adults, and no more than 12 months for under-18s.
2. Have small problems seen early. A filling that has fallen out and is left too long can lead to the tooth breaking.
3. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth. Early gum disease (gingivitis) can be reversed with good cleaning; left alone, gum disease can go on to damage the bone that holds the teeth.
4. Ask about fissure sealants for children's back teeth. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says sealants can prevent up to 80% of cavities in the back teeth for two years. Read whether fissure sealants are worth it.
5. If you grind your teeth, ask about a night guard. Grinding can wear, chip and crack teeth, and a guard protects them while you sleep. Read more about teeth grinding.
6. Check your medical aid benefits before you book. Ask your scheme what it pays for the treatment you need, and what is left in your benefit for the year.
7. Plan a longer course of treatment. If you need more than one treatment, ask which are urgent and whether the rest can be spread over a few visits.

Paying without medical aid

You can pay us by cash or card at the time of treatment, or ask about paying in instalments before the treatment is booked.

If you work in the Durban CBD

Durban Dental Care in Durban North is at 490 Chris Hani Road, about 9 km from the CBD: roughly a 10-minute drive outside rush hour, and longer at peak times. There is secure parking. A Saturday morning check-up fits around a working week.

Common questions