A check-up and clean at a Melbourne dentist typically costs $200–$465 in 2026, from a $238 new-patient package in Abbotsford to a $465 comprehensive first visit on Collins Street. Published CBD fee lists put a one-surface white filling at about $155, a crown at $1,200–$2,650 and a simple extraction at $165–$350. Concession-card holders can access public care through Dental Health Services Victoria.
Melbourne has some of the widest dental price spreads in Australia. A no-frills CBD clinic publishes an oral examination at $68 and a scale and clean from $155, while a Collins Street practice lists a comprehensive new-patient examination and clean at $465. Both are registered dentists doing broadly the same items; the difference is time, technology and overheads.
Nationally, CHOICE’s summary of the Australian Dental Association’s fee survey put an exam, scale and clean and fluoride at an average of $219, and Canstar’s more recent reading of the survey put a routine check-up at $233. Melbourne’s mid-range sits a little above that. The table shows what is typical across the city.
| Treatment | Typical Melbourne fee | What the range is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Check-up and clean (exam, scale and clean, two X-rays) | $200–$465 | Australian Dentists Clinic, Melbourne CBD (exam $68, scale $155–$200, X-rays $45 each); Melbourne Dental Studio, Abbotsford ($238 new patient, $272 standard); Core Dental guide ($250–$400); Smile Solutions, Collins Street ($465 new-patient exam and clean; $245 clean only) |
| Composite (white) filling, one surface | $155–$305 | Australian Dentists Clinic CBD fee list ($155 for one surface rising to $305 for five); Core Dental guide ($150–$300 for an early filling) |
| Porcelain or ceramic crown | $1,200–$2,650 | Australian Dentists Clinic ($1,200–$2,000 by type); Melbourne Dental Studio ($2,059); Smile Solutions ($1,795–$2,650 same-day ceramic) |
| Simple tooth extraction | $165–$350 | Australian Dentists Clinic ($165–$250); Melbourne Dental Studio ($259–$624 across simple and difficult cases) |
| Surgical extraction | $325–$625 | Australian Dentists Clinic ($325–$545 by complexity); Melbourne Dental Studio (up to $624) |
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Several Melbourne practices publish fees by ADA item number, which makes comparison unusually easy here. If a quote does not show item numbers, ask for them; our national dental cost guide explains what each one covers.
Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) runs the state’s public dental system through the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne in Carlton and a network of community health services across the suburbs. Adults are eligible if they hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are dependants of someone who does. Most adults pay a small co-payment per visit, capped per course of care; check the current amount with the clinic.
All children aged 0–12, and young people aged 13–17 who hold or are dependants on a concession card, can be seen free. Eligible children are bulk-billed under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), a Medicare benefit capped over two calendar years; our CDBS guide has the current cap.
To find your nearest community dental clinic, call DHSV on 1300 360 054. Waiting lists for general care vary widely between local areas; emergency relief of pain is triaged and seen sooner. The Royal Dental Hospital also runs an emergency service for eligible patients and a student clinic through the University of Melbourne where supervised treatment is lower cost.
Check registration first. Every dentist practising in Australia must be registered with the Dental Board of Australia through AHPRA, and the public AHPRA register shows registration status, any specialist title and any conditions on practice. It is a two-minute search.
Then weigh the factors that make the biggest difference in a city with this much choice:
We do not rank practices by reviews or stars, and no dentist is described as a specialist on this site unless AHPRA lists them as one.
With such a wide spread of fees, the most useful question is simply: what are your fees for items 011, 114, 121 and 022? A budget CBD clinic will answer with figures under $300 in total; a Collins Street practice may be closer to $465 for a comprehensive first visit. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you are booking. Also ask whether the practice uses oral health therapists or hygienists for cleans (often cheaper and perfectly appropriate) and whether it is a preferred provider for your fund.
For facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding or a knocked-out tooth after a serious injury, call 000 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. For severe toothache or a broken tooth, most private practices keep same-day slots; one CBD fee list prices an emergency pulp treatment to relieve pain (item 419) at $240, before any follow-up work.
Eligible concession-card holders can attend the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne’s emergency service in Carlton, which triages on the day. Our emergency dentist guide covers first aid while you wait.
A check-up and clean at a Melbourne private dentist typically costs $200–$465 in 2026. Budget CBD clinics list an examination at $68 and a scale and clean from $155, inner-suburban practices advertise new-patient packages around $238–$272 including X-rays, and premium Collins Street practices charge up to $465 for a comprehensive first visit. Figures are indicative.
Adults with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, and their dependants, can use Victoria's public dental system, run by Dental Health Services Victoria through the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne and community health clinics. A small co-payment usually applies. All children aged 0–12 and eligible teenagers are treated free. Call 1300 360 054 to find your nearest clinic.
Medicare does not fund routine adult dental care in Victoria or any other state. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule bulk-bills basic dental services for eligible children aged 0–17 up to a capped amount over two calendar years, and can be used at public clinics or participating private practices. Adults rely on extras cover, public dental or paying privately.
Published Melbourne fee lists put a one-surface white composite filling at about $155, rising to around $305 for a large five-surface filling, in 2026. The Australian Dental Association's survey, summarised by CHOICE, gives a national average of $167–$220 for one- and two-surface fillings. See our filling cost guide for item-by-item detail.
Search the AHPRA Register of practitioners online by name or registration number. Every dentist practising in Australia must be listed, and the register shows specialist registration and any conditions or undertakings. A practitioner who does not appear on the register is not permitted to practise.
It is a public hospital for eligible patients, not a free service for everyone. Adults need a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card and usually pay a small co-payment; eligible children are treated free. The hospital runs an emergency service that triages on the day and a supervised student clinic that offers lower-cost treatment to eligible patients.
General information, not personal advice. Prices are indicative and change; always get a written quote. Editorial policy · Disclaimer