EasyDental subscription service aims to dull financial pain of dental treatment

Dentists hope a new subscription service will help dull the financial pain of dental treatment and get more people in the dentist’s chair before they have a problem.

Dental clinics in seven cities and regions have joined the EasyDental programme, believed to be the first of its kind in New Zealand.

The preventive oral care subscription aims to get New Zealanders back in the habit of regular dental visits by stretching out payments and standardising costs.

EasyDental spokesperson Maykon Dias said the programme was being championed by dentists who struggled with patients' lack of compliance.

“The feedback from oral health care providers is that adherence to preventative dental care from patients is low. This has worsened with the cost of living crisis as Kiwis prioritise more immediate needs such as power and food,” he said.

A subscription ensured patients knew the total cost of their oral health each year and could budget for it.

“Our research shows that people who have planned for their dental visits from a financial perspective are more likely to attend.

“This model will provide consistency of cost and care throughout the regions we operate in and across oral care providers.”

Dias said the full subscription covered a dental exam, x-rays and one hygiene treatment each year, while a basic subscription included an additional hygiene treatment (for six-monthly visits).

Under the prevention package, patients paid a fixed monthly amount to access two to four preventative dental visits during a 12-month period, with an average cost of $1.35 per day.

“This removes the financial pressure of large up-front bills at the time of their visit and also reduces the chances of having future expensive dental treatments as they are caring for their teeth throughout the year,” Dias said.

Ministry of Health data showed cost uncertainty was a major barrier to preventative oral health care, with about 40% of people, including 54% of Māori and 52% of Pasifika, unable to afford dental care.

In terms of actual dental visits, more than half of New Zealanders (54%) only sought dental care when they had a problem with their teeth. That number was higher for Māori (73%) and Pasifika (78%).

Dias said research showed regular preventive visits led to better health outcomes in patients with diabetes and chronic artery disease, which also meant savings in other healthcare costs.

“For instance, untreated gum disease has been linked to cardiovascular risks, dementia and diabetes,” he said.