Common questions about finding a dentist and using Dental Compare.
Dental fees vary depending on the complexity of treatment, the materials used, and each patient's individual needs, so many practices prefer to give a personalised quote after an examination. We publish prices wherever clinics have shared them publicly. If a clinic doesn't show prices, we recommend calling before your appointment.
Dental care in New Zealand can be expensive, and it's surprisingly hard to compare clinics or find one that's upfront about pricing. We built Dental Compare so that New Zealanders can see prices, read real patient reviews, and find the right practice for their needs, all in one place. We think transparency is good for patients and good for the clinics that deserve to stand out.
Reviews are pulled directly from Google, so they come from real patients who visited the clinic. We don't accept reviews submitted through this site. The rating and review count you see matches what you'd find on Google Maps.
We update clinic listings regularly, including contact details, services, and pricing where available. If you spot something that looks out of date, let us know.
Some clinics haven't listed this information publicly, or their details weren't available when we last updated. Where possible we link directly to the clinic's own website so you can find current contact information.
It depends on your age. Children up to and including Year 8 are seen by Community Dental Service therapists, usually at a school dental clinic. From Year 9 until their 18th birthday, teenagers receive free dental care at private practices contracted to Health New Zealand, so the government pays the bill rather than the family. Not all clinics offer this, so you need to look for ones that do. You can filter for it on Dental Compare. At 18, dental treatment is no longer publicly funded, so costs are paid out of pocket unless you have health insurance that covers dental, or your treatment is ACC-eligible.
Correct. To offer free care for teenagers, a practice must hold an adolescent contract with Health New Zealand. Not all private dentists have one. When a teenager transitions from the school dental service at the start of Year 9, or when a family moves to a new area, they can't just walk into any practice and expect free care. It's worth calling ahead to check before booking.
ACC covers dental treatment if your injury was caused by an accident, such as a chipped or knocked-out tooth from a fall or sports injury. Routine dental work, decay, and gum disease are not covered. Your dentist can help you lodge an ACC claim if your treatment qualifies.
Many dental practices in New Zealand offer in-house payment plans or work with providers like Afterpay, Q Card, or Zip. You'll often find this on the clinic's profile page. If it's not listed, it's worth asking when you call.
A dentist diagnoses and treats dental conditions, including fillings, extractions, root canals, and cosmetic work. A dental hygienist focuses on preventive care, mainly teeth cleaning, scaling, and oral hygiene advice. Many practices have both. If you're only after a clean, booking with the hygienist is usually faster and cheaper.
Most dental practices set aside time for same-day emergency appointments. Search for clinics near you, check their profile for emergency availability, and call as early in the day as possible as slots fill quickly. Some practices also list an after-hours contact number.
Location and hours that work for you, clear pricing, and a good number of recent positive reviews are a solid starting point. If you have dental anxiety, look for practices that mention this specifically. It's also worth checking what services they offer in-house, as some treatments may need a referral elsewhere.
The ratings shown are Google reviews from real patients and can't be submitted through this site. When comparing clinics, look at the number of reviews as well as the score. A clinic with 4.8 stars from 200 reviews is generally more reliable than one with 5 stars from 3.
Newer practices or smaller clinics in less populated areas often have few or no reviews. Absence of reviews doesn't mean a clinic is poor. It may simply be new or serve a small community where patients don't tend to leave online feedback.