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If you’re trying to budget for a dental check-up and clean, a headline price may leave you with more questions. Does it include X-rays? What will your health fund pay? And what happens if the dentist finds something else?

The short answer

A check-up and clean quote needs to say which services it includes and what you may pay after any rebate. Healthdirect explains that private dental fees vary between clinics. At Maylands Dental Centre, our first-visit information asks you to allow at least an hour, with required X-rays and cleaning considered individually. [1] [2]

This guide helps you compare an estimate, ask about inclusions and prepare for your appointment. For the clinical purpose of cleaning, see our separate article on professional teeth cleaning.

How much will a check-up and clean cost in Maylands?

Ask for a current estimate for your own appointment rather than treating an Australian average as a Maylands fee. Healthdirect says there are no standard dental fees: each private clinic sets its charges. That makes the service description as important as the total. [1]

Our website lists check-up and clean options with and without X-rays. Before booking, ask which option the team is estimating for you, what its current conditions are, and which services would sit outside it. The existence of an option with X-rays does not decide whether you personally need an image. Maylands appointment options; ADA guidance on dental X-rays.

You can say, “I would like a check-up and clean estimate. Please tell me the total fee, the included items and anything that might be charged separately.” If you have extras cover, ask for the item numbers so your insurer can check the benefits against your actual policy. Healthdirect recommends this approach before dental care. [3]

What should the estimate say is included?

It should distinguish the examination, cleaning and any other proposed services. Our new-patient information describes a comprehensive examination, required radiographs, and cleaning and polishing as needed. These are individual care decisions, rather than a reason to assume every listed service will be needed at every visit.

Use the table as a set of questions, not a list of procedures you need. Healthdirect advises asking both what a procedure costs and what is included, with the item number in the quote. The Australian Dental Association also recommends giving relevant item numbers when charges are itemised. [3] [4, section 2.6]

If two estimates differ, place their inclusions side by side. Ask about missing or differently described lines before choosing. A smaller headline total alone does not tell you whether the appointments cover the same care.

Do X-rays automatically belong in every clean?

No. The Australian Dental Association says the type of dental X-ray depends on what the dentist is looking for. For bitewing X-rays used in check-ups, the recommended frequency takes account of current disease, your risk, home care and past treatment. A package description doesn’t replace that assessment. [5]

The ADA explains that X-rays help a dentist see beneath the surface of teeth and gums, including problems that cannot be found just by looking in your mouth. Ask what the proposed image would help identify, its benefits and risks, and whether your previous images are available for comparison. [5]

For your budget, separate that clinical conversation from the billing question: “If this image is recommended, is it within my estimate or an additional charge?” You can also ask the team how to arrange access to earlier images. Do not assume that transferring an image means a new one will be unnecessary.

Will my health fund pay the whole amount?

That depends on your policy and the services claimed. Healthdirect says extras cover may meet some or all dental costs, often subject to annual limits. A clinic accepting your fund is not enough information to calculate your own contribution. [3]

Maylands has on-site HICAPS for processing health fund claims. Our payment-options page describes the available arrangements. Ask the team about the claiming process, but confirm your cover and benefits with your insurer before treatment. Maylands scale and clean information; ADA financial-consent policy.

The ADA policy, last reviewed in June 2025, states:

“Patients are responsible for contacting their private health insurer to confirm their cover and the benefits that the insurer will pay for the dental service.”

That is from the Position Summary of Policy Statement 5.16, Informed Financial Consent. Give the fund the proposed item numbers, practice details and appointment date. Ask what it expects to pay and whether any policy limits affect that answer. Keep that response with the estimate.

Write down two separate figures: the practice fee and the insurer benefit. Ask what remains payable by you. If the plan changes, check the affected items again rather than assuming the earlier benefit estimate applies to everything.

Can a dental estimate change after the examination?

Yes. The ADA explains that fees can reflect an itemised treatment schedule or the time and complexity of care. A change in the planned procedure or unforeseen circumstances can affect the final charge, and changes should be advised at an appropriate time. [4, sections 2.4–2.5]

At Maylands, our published first-visit policy is not to begin procedures until we have thoroughly discussed your dental care treatment plan with you. Use that discussion to ask what is proposed today, what would cost extra, and whether the estimate needs updating. [2]

For example, our clinic offers dental fillings, but a cleaning appointment estimate is not a quotation for a filling. If additional treatment is recommended, ask for its reason, risks, benefits, alternatives and costs before deciding. Healthdirect says you need to agree to treatment; this is informed consent. [3]

If the total is difficult to manage, say so directly. Ask the dentist to explain clinical priorities and any appropriate alternatives. Do not decide on your own that a problem can wait simply because it falls outside your original budget. The ADA recommends discussing cost concerns with your treating practitioner. [4, section 2.8]

Does Medicare cover a routine adult check-up and clean?

Most dental care is not covered by Medicare, according to healthdirect. Do not assume that presenting a Medicare card will cover a routine private adult appointment. Some government-funded dental pathways exist, but eligibility and the service involved matter. [1]

Healthdirect describes the Child Dental Benefits Schedule as a pathway for eligible children and notes that states and territories provide public dental services. These are different from an adult private health fund claim. Ask the relevant provider or agency about eligibility before relying on funding for a particular appointment. [1]

If you are booking for several family members, request a separate estimate and funding check for each person. One family member having cover does not tell you what another person will pay.

What should I check before I book?

Keep this checklist beside you when speaking to reception. It turns a general price enquiry into a useful appointment estimate without asking the team to diagnose you over the phone.

1. Confirm whether you are booking as a new or returning patient, and describe the appointment you want.
2. Ask for the current fee, included services, relevant item numbers and any conditions that apply.
3. Ask which parts of the estimate depend on the examination, including any proposed images or additional cleaning.
4. If you have extras cover, confirm the likely benefit directly with your insurer using the proposed items.
5. Ask how any added treatment and changed costs would be explained before you agree.
6. Confirm how long to allow, the practice address and how to raise a budget or appointment concern.

You do not need to apologise for asking about money. The ADA recommends allowing patients time to consider out-of-pocket costs before treatment. If you do not understand an item or total, ask the team to explain it in everyday language. [4, sections 2.7–2.10]

What happens at your first Maylands appointment?

Please allow at least an hour. Our first-appointment information describes the following sequence, with care based on what is needed:

1. We review your medical and dental history.
2. We perform a comprehensive examination.
3. We take required radiographs, and clean and polish as needed.
4. We discuss your concerns and appropriate treatment options, with the treatment plan discussed before procedures begin.

Have your medical and dental history details ready. If you want to check health fund benefits, keep your estimate and the response from your insurer together. Bring your questions about inclusions, and ask reception what else you should bring for your particular visit.

Our Guildford Road clinic is at 185 Guildford Road, Maylands WA 6051. Published hours are Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm, and Saturday, 8am–5pm; Sunday is closed. Ask about current availability when arranging your appointment.

Call (08) 9370 5464. You can say: “I would like to book a check-up and clean. Could you explain the estimate, including X-rays and any likely health fund contribution, before I confirm?”

Sources

Sources checked on 1 November 2026. This article explains general published guidance and appointment information, not personal dental or financial advice. Your treatment needs and quote require individual discussion.

• [1] Healthdirect: Cost of dental care, reviewed October 2023.
• [2] Maylands Dental Centre: New patients.
• [3] Healthdirect: Guide to dental procedures, reviewed February 2025.
• [4] Australian Dental Association: Policy Statement 5.16, Informed Financial Consent, reviewed 27 June 2025; Position Summary and sections 2.4–2.10.
• [5] Australian Dental Association: Dental X-rays, particularly the bitewing X-ray and comparison-with-earlier-images sections; no publication date displayed.
• Maylands Dental Centre: scale and clean, dental fillings, payment options, contact details and appointment options.
• Maylands Dental Centre: professional teeth cleaning, linked for related clinical reading.

Photos in this article are AI-generated illustrations, not photos of Maylands Dental Centre, its staff or patients.