An Irish Independent survey found huge variations in the price of routine dental treatment across the country.
It shows that some patients pay nearly five times more than others for routine procedures such as fillings.
We looked at the prices charged by 220 dentists and found that they vary greatly, even between surgeries in the same province.
Dublin was the most expensive and Donegal the cheapest.
In one dental practice in Kilkenny, a filling costs €60, while in another just 300 meters away, patients are charged €120.
In North Dublin, a filling at a Sutton clinic starts at $60, while a Malahide dentist is a short drive away asking $150.
In Blackrock, South Dublin, Seapoint Clinic charges patients €170 for a filling, while a clinic in nearby Dundrum offers the procedure from €70.
Of the 220 dentists surveyed, Seapoint was the most expensive for a filling, almost five times more expensive than the cheapest, which is located in Donegal and charges €35.
A spokesperson for Seapoint said the reason it charges more than others is that it “takes a holistic view of dental care as an essential part of overall health rather than trying to be a cheap supplier”.
“Seapoint Clinic is a privately owned, high-tech specialist center and our prices reflect the quality of dentistry we provide.
“Not all ‘fillings’ are the same. We perform full cosmetic reconstructions of teeth rather than just ‘filling’ them in the traditional sense.”
The cost of a routine check in Ireland ranges from €30 to €120.
A dentist in Cork city is the most expensive for a check-up at €120, promising patients “a private clinic focused on delivering the highest level of care and a unique customer service experience”.
Of all the dentists surveyed, more than 30 offer a check-up for €30. The national average rate is € 45.20.
The price of a scale and polish ranges from €20 to €120, with a national average of €70.61.
Western counties, including Clare, Mayo and Donegal, tended to be cheaper than Kildare, Meath and Wicklow.
Counties with fewer clinics, such as Sligo and Roscommon, tended to be more expensive than other rural areas with more dentists, such as Cavan and Monaghan.
Fintan Hourihan, CEO of the Irish Dental Association, said the price is usually “far below the list” of why patients choose a dental office.
“We don’t believe that people make decisions, in terms of a long-term relationship with a dentist, based on reimbursement, but even more so based on the quality of care provided to them,” he said.
“In the last study we did, we found that a person spent an average of 11 years with the same dentist.
“While people have the right to shop around, and this is facilitated by dentists who publish their rates, we found that when people find the right dentist, they tend to stay with them.
“When questions are asked – ‘Why did you choose a particular dentist?’ – they usually base it on different criteria, but usually price is way down their list.
“That’s not to say people aren’t aware of cost, but it’s about halfway down the list of criteria when choosing a dentist.”
Mr Hourihan said dentists are transparent about their rates but until a patient is in their chair they are not sure what work needs to be done.
He added that costs will vary from county to county, as the costs of labour, property and utility bills in cities are “much higher” than in rural Ireland.
A survey conducted by researchers from Trinity College Dublin also found notable price variations by region and type of services, as well as an uneven supply of dentists across the country.
The study, led by a team from the Center for Health Policy and Management, surveyed 100 dentists across the country in 2020 and found that the cost of teeth whitening ranged from $150 to $450.
The largest variations in real terms were found in the cost of more complex treatments such as root canal treatments, priced between €400 and €975.
One of the authors of the Trinity report, Samantha Smith, said the study found that the average price for most services, excluding small fillings and periodontal care, was cheaper in rural dental offices than in their urban counterparts.
“Lower overheads in rural areas compared to urban areas may contribute to these patterns,” said Dr. Smith.
Likewise, the average prices for dentists in counties along the border are also cheaper for most services than in other parts of Ireland.
“These patterns suggest that dental practices can compete with practices in nearby areas across the border in Northern Ireland,” said Dr. Smith.
While the Dental Council of Ireland specifies a list of services for which prices must be displayed in a dental practice, the report said it was “interesting” that the same level of information was not available in online price lists.
For some treatments, up to 51 percent of the prices were missing, while the costs of procedures for children and students were also very limited.