Types of dental services

We’ve broken all kinds of services into four easy-to-understand categories so you can make sense of different dental treatments.

Preventative dental

Covers essentials like everyday check-ups that care for your teeth and keep them healthier for longer. Includes services like:

Examinations
An evaluation of the current status of your teeth and mouth.
Scale and cleans
Remove plaque and tartar that can't be removed with everyday brushing and flossing.
Custom mouthguards
Protect teeth during sport.

Restorative dental

Covers minor treatments that fix common dental issues. These treatments can prevent more extensive procedures down the track. Includes services like:

Simple fillings
Prevent tooth decay from continuing to damage teeth.
Extractions
Remove teeth, including surgical removal of wisdom teeth.

Major dental & Implants

Covers complex treatments that involve repairing or replacing teeth. Includes services like:

Crowns
A cover or “cap” that is placed over a damaged tooth. May also be used to improve a tooth's appearance, shape or alignment.
Bridges
Used to replace a missing tooth with a false tooth. The bridge is attached to the teeth or implants on either side of the missing tooth.
Endodontics
Treats the pulp tissue in the tooth and the tissue surrounding the roots of a tooth. Treatment may include a root canal.
Implants
Replace a missing tooth by placing an implant into the jawbone. A crown is attached to make the implant look like your other teeth.

Orthodontics

Covers treatments that straighten teeth and correct problems with biting, chewing, and jaw alignment. Includes services like:

Braces
Bands and brackets that align and straighten teeth.
Palatal expanders
An appliance that widens the upper or lower jaw to prevent crowding of teeth and cross bites.

For more information on Orthodontics, visit our simple guide to Orthodontics and how it works.

Orthodontic treatment has a lifetime limit. This is the maximum amount you can claim over the course of your life. In determining if you have reached the lifetime limit for your product, we consider the amount you have claimed from HBF and any other health funds.

What am I covered for?

If you’re ever unsure of what you’re covered for, or are expecting treatment, make sure you check out your limits and how much you can claim.

MyHBF and the HBF app are super useful for checking what you’re covered for and how much you’ve already claimed this year.

I want to be treated under the Access Gap Cover scheme. Does my GP have to refer me to a certain specialist, or can I choose my own?