Dental Check-up
& Clean

The simplest way to budget is the ArtSmiles Club. Membership fees start at $5 a week for low-risk patients and $9 a week for the standard plan, which includes two dentist-led check-ups and cleans every year, plus emergency exams and digital X-rays. We also see patients outside the Club, in which case the visit is quoted after assessment.

Yes. We process claims on the spot via HICAPS for all major Australian health funds, including Bupa, Medibank, HCF, NIB, AHM, HBF, CBHS, and Australian Unity. Your fund pays its rebate directly and you only pay the gap. The exact rebate depends on your level of cover and your annual extras limit. Bring your fund card to your appointment.

Most adults benefit from two visits a year. Patients with a stable bite, no active decay, and healthy gums can safely stretch to twelve months. Patients with active gum disease, recurring cavities, or heavy calculus build-up usually need three-monthly cleans. Your dentist sets your interval after a structured risk assessment and reviews it at every visit.

At ArtSmiles, your check-up and clean is currently performed by a dentist. This may change in the future as our team grows, but the diagnosis itself will always be made by a dentist.

No. The ArtSmiles Club is a dental membership program, not insurance, and works alongside any private cover you already have. Your fund extras can still be claimed for treatments outside the Club inclusions, with member discounts applied first.

Allow 45 to 60 minutes for an adult visit. Children and patients on a three-month recall are usually closer to 30 minutes. New-patient first visits run a bit longer because of the more detailed records and risk assessment.

Whitening is not included in the standard inclusions, but Club members receive treatment discounts on whitening as well as on veneers, crowns, and other cosmetic work. The complimentary cosmetic consultation included with membership covers planning and shade selection.

A one-off dental check-up and clean is quoted after your assessment because the time and materials needed depend on the amount of calculus, whether X-rays are required, and whether fluoride is indicated. Most adult visits sit in the same range as similar Gold Coast practices, and we will give you a clear figure before any work begins. If you plan to come in twice a year, the ArtSmiles Club from $9 a week usually works out cheaper than two one-off visits.

A standard scale and clean is preventive maintenance carried out above and just below the gum line for patients with healthy or mildly inflamed gums. Deep cleaning (also called root planing and scaling) is a deeper periodontal treatment for patients with active gum disease and pockets that have formed below the gum line. Deep cleaning is usually quadrant-based, takes longer, and may require local anaesthetic. Your dentist will diagnose which one you need at your check-up.

A check-up is the clinical examination — teeth, gums, soft tissues, bite, and X-rays where indicated. The scale and clean is the hygiene part — removing hardened plaque (calculus), polishing, and applying fluoride. At ArtSmiles, both are bundled into a single visit so the dentist who diagnoses also performs the clean.

Yes. New patients are welcome to join the Club from their first visit. Your dentist will recommend the appropriate tier after your initial assessment, based on your risk profile and treatment history. Membership is administered by SmilePass with weekly direct debit.

Yes. Digital X-rays are included in every Club tier, taken as clinically indicated rather than at a fixed interval. Bitewings are typically taken every 12 to 24 months for adults, and an OPG every 3 to 5 years.

Your risk profile is a structured assessment of your decay risk, gum disease risk, and bite forces. We look at signs like calculus accumulation, gum bleeding on probing, recent restorations, diet, smoking, dry mouth, and grinding wear. The result places you in low, moderate, or high risk and sets your recall interval. You can read more on our risk assessment page.