Let’s be direct about something: dental care in Australia can be expensive. That’s a reality that many people navigate carefully, and it’s a legitimate reason why some people delay treatment or avoid the dentist altogether. We understand that, and we don’t pretend otherwise.
What Core Dental has worked hard to build over its 34 years is a way to make quality dental care genuinely accessible — not through cutting corners on clinical standards, but through transparent pricing, flexible payment options, and a commitment to working with patients rather than presenting them with a bill they weren’t expecting.
The problem with dental cost surprises
One of the most common reasons people dread dental appointments isn’t the chair or the drill — it’s the financial uncertainty. What will this cost? Will there be things they find that weren’t in the original quote? Will I leave with a bill I can’t handle?
This anxiety is completely understandable. Some dental practices do work this way: you come in for a check-up, something is found, and before you know it you’re being quoted for treatment you weren’t prepared for, with pressure to decide quickly.
At Core Dental, we’ve made it a practice principle to give patients a clear, written treatment plan and cost estimate before any work begins. Not a rough ballpark — a specific quote for the recommended treatment, itemised by procedure code, so you can see exactly what’s being proposed and what each element costs.
You can take that quote home, look it over, compare it against your health fund schedule, and come back with questions. We don’t pressure anyone to proceed immediately. Good decisions about dental care are made when people have clear information and time to think.
Interest-free payment plans
For treatments with a significant cost — complex restorative work, implants, orthodontics, or anything else that goes beyond a routine appointment — Core Dental offers interest-free payment plans.
The goal is simple: allowing patients to proceed with treatment they need, without having to pay the full amount upfront or compromise on what’s clinically recommended.
Payment plans mean you can spread the cost over a period that works for your budget, with no additional interest charges. This changes the affordability equation considerably. A restorative treatment that feels daunting as a lump sum often becomes genuinely manageable when broken into regular payments over several months.
The process for setting up a payment plan is straightforward, and our patient care team can walk you through the options at your appointment or over the phone before you even come in. We want you to feel confident about the financial side before treatment starts.
Working with your health fund
If you have private health insurance with dental cover, Core Dental works with all major health funds in Australia. We are a HICAPS-enabled practice, which means your health fund rebate is processed on the spot — you pay only your out-of-pocket gap at the time of the appointment, rather than paying the full amount and waiting for a rebate cheque.
We’ll always tell you upfront what the gap is for a given procedure based on your fund and policy, so there are no surprises when you tap your health fund card. If you’re not sure what your policy covers, we can help you understand what questions to ask your fund.
It’s also worth knowing that Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule provides eligible children with a benefit toward basic dental services up to a specific dollar limit per two-year period. If your child is eligible, we can bulk-bill or significantly reduce the out-of-pocket cost for routine preventive and restorative care. Ask our team when you book — checking your child’s eligibility takes a moment and can make a real difference.
Preventive care as a long-term investment
One of the most important things we can say about affordability is this: the least expensive dental appointment is the one you have regularly before anything goes wrong.
A routine check-up and clean costs a fraction of what restorative treatment costs once decay has progressed, a tooth has cracked, or gum disease has taken hold. Regular monitoring also means that when something is found, it’s usually caught early — and early intervention is invariably cheaper, less invasive, and produces better outcomes than treating problems that have been allowed to develop.
We encourage all our patients to think of their dental check-up not as an expense, but as maintenance that prevents far greater costs down the track. And for families on a budget, consistent preventive care for children is the single most cost-effective investment in their long-term oral health.
Clinical quality is non-negotiable
There’s a version of “affordable dentistry” that means cheaper materials, shorter appointments, and clinicians who are rushed or cutting corners. That’s not what we mean, and it’s not what we deliver.
Core Dental is a family-owned group founded by Dr Kia Pajouhesh in 1993. The practice has been built over 34 years on a commitment to clinical quality — and that reputation is something we protect. Our in-house laboratory, Smile Lab, produces crowns, veneers, bridges, and prosthetics to a clinical standard that we’re proud of. The technology we use — CEREC, 3D CBCT imaging, digital intraoral scanners — is chosen because it delivers better outcomes for patients, not because it’s cheaper to operate.
Affordability and quality are not opposites. What they require is good systems, experienced clinicians, transparent communication, and a practice culture that genuinely puts patients first. That’s what we’ve been building for over three decades.
Award-winning care that doesn’t cost more than it should
Core Dental is proud to be a Telstra Victorian Business of the Year recipient and winner of multiple Australian Business Awards — recognition that reflects not just clinical quality, but the overall patient experience, the systems we’ve built, and our commitment to the communities we serve.
These aren’t awards given to expensive boutique clinics. They’re awarded to businesses that do things right — including making their services genuinely accessible to real people.
If cost has been a barrier to dental care for you or your family, we’d encourage you to call your nearest Core Dental location and have an honest conversation. Tell us what you’re concerned about. We’ll give you a straight answer about costs, options, and what we can do to make it work. That conversation costs nothing, and it might make the difference between getting the care you need and continuing to put it off.