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How long are waiting periods for dental cover in Australia?
Waiting periods for dental insurance in Australia usually range from two to 12 months, depending on the type of treatment. Health funds apply these waiting periods to prevent people from signing up only when they need expensive treatment. They typically apply if you're new to private health insurance, or if you're upgrading to a policy with higher benefits.
With Extras cover, dental falls under three categories:
- General dental – 2 months: Covers routine treatments like check-ups, scale and cleans, x-rays, fillings and simple extractions.
- Major dental – 12 months: Includes more complex and costly procedures such as bridges, crowns, dentures, periodontics, veneers and root canals.
- Orthodontic – 12 months: Covers corrective treatments like braces, retainers and other appliances used for teeth or jaw alignment.
Keep in mind that dental procedures requiring hospital treatment – such as surgery to the teeth and gums, including wisdom teeth removal – are usually covered under a Hospital policy, not Extras. A two-month waiting period typically applies to this type of dental surgery.
Can you get dental cover with no waiting period?
Yes, many funds offer no waiting periods on Extras – including dental – as part of special deals for new customers. These health insurance sign-up offers often apply when you’re switching funds and allow you to start claiming on eligible dental treatments straight away.
You also won't need to re-serve waiting periods if you're switching to a new fund with the same or lower level of cover, and you've already completed the waiting periods with your previous insurer.
If you're upgrading to a higher level of cover (for example, adding major dental or increasing limits), waiting periods may still apply to the new benefits. This rule also applies when changing from a singles policy to a couples or family policy – waiting periods generally won’t restart as long as the level of cover stays the same.
Which funds offer dental insurance with no waiting periods?
Several health funds are currently waiving the usual two-month waiting periods on Extras cover, which often includes general dental treatments. These promotions can change or expire at any time, so it’s worth comparing policies regularly.
Provider | AAMI |
|---|---|
No waiting period offer | AAMI is offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members who join an AAMI Health Insurance combined Hospital and Extras product through AAMI’s approved channels (T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 30 September 2026 |
Provider | ACA Health Benefits Fund |
No waiting period offer | Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 4-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 31 August 2026 |
Provider | Apia Health |
No waiting period offer | Apia Health is waiving 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members that sign up for a combined Hospital and Extras product (T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 30 September 2026 |
Provider | Australian Seniors Health Insurance |
No waiting period offer | Australian Seniors Health Insurance is waiving 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply) |
Offer expires | 31 August 2026 |
Provider | Bupa |
No waiting period offer | Bupa will waive the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you take out an eligible combined Hospital and Extras policy. T&Cs apply. |
Offer expires | 9 September 2026 |
Provider | CBHS (restricted membership) |
No waiting period offer | Commbank employees and their families who take out a combined Hospital and Extras policy will have the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible new customers only. T&Cs apply. |
Offer expires | 12 August 2026 |
Provider | HBF |
No waiting period offer | Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 20 October 2026 |
Provider | HIF |
No waiting period offer | Purchase combined Hospital and Extras cover and avoid the waits on most Extras with a 2-month waiting period (eligible customers only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 30 September 2026 |
Provider | Health Partners |
No waiting period offer | 2 month waiting periods will be waived on Extras when you join with a combined hospital and extras policy. (New customers only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 16 August 2026 |
Provider | Medibank |
No waiting period offer | Medibank offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 2026 |
Provider | Navy Health (restricted membership) |
No waiting period offer | Join on combined Hospital and Extras cover to get the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible ADF members and families only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 31 August 2026 |
Provider | nib |
No waiting period offer | Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2 and 6 month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 31 August 2026 |
Provider | Queensland Country Health Fund |
No waiting period offer | Queensland Country Health Fund is offering to waive 2 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply) |
Offer expires | 30 September 2026 |
Provider | Real Health Insurance |
No waiting period offer | Real Health Insurance is offering to waive 2 and 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members. T&Cs apply. |
Offer expires | 31 August 2026 |
Provider | see-u by HBF |
No waiting period offer | Skip the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you take out combined Hospital and Extras cover (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). |
Offer expires | 1 November 2026 |
Provider | Suncorp Bank |
No waiting period offer | Suncorp Bank is offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members. T&Cs apply. |
Offer expires | 30 September 2026 |
| Provider | No waiting period offer | Offer expires |
|---|---|---|
AAMI | AAMI is offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members who join an AAMI Health Insurance combined Hospital and Extras product through AAMI’s approved channels (T&Cs apply). | 30 September 2026 |
ACA Health Benefits Fund | Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 4-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). | 31 August 2026 |
Apia Health | Apia Health is waiving 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members that sign up for a combined Hospital and Extras product (T&Cs apply). | 30 September 2026 |
Australian Seniors Health Insurance | Australian Seniors Health Insurance is waiving 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply) | 31 August 2026 |
Bupa | Bupa will waive the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you take out an eligible combined Hospital and Extras policy. T&Cs apply. | 9 September 2026 |
CBHS (restricted membership) | Commbank employees and their families who take out a combined Hospital and Extras policy will have the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible new customers only. T&Cs apply. | 12 August 2026 |
HBF | Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). | 20 October 2026 |
HIF | Purchase combined Hospital and Extras cover and avoid the waits on most Extras with a 2-month waiting period (eligible customers only, T&Cs apply). | 30 September 2026 |
Health Partners | 2 month waiting periods will be waived on Extras when you join with a combined hospital and extras policy. (New customers only, T&Cs apply). | 16 August 2026 |
Medibank | Medibank offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply). | 2026 |
Navy Health (restricted membership) | Join on combined Hospital and Extras cover to get the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible ADF members and families only, T&Cs apply). | 31 August 2026 |
nib | Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2 and 6 month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). | 31 August 2026 |
Queensland Country Health Fund | Queensland Country Health Fund is offering to waive 2 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply) | 30 September 2026 |
Real Health Insurance | Real Health Insurance is offering to waive 2 and 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members. T&Cs apply. | 31 August 2026 |
see-u by HBF | Skip the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you take out combined Hospital and Extras cover (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply). | 1 November 2026 |
Suncorp Bank | Suncorp Bank is offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras for eligible new members. T&Cs apply. | 30 September 2026 |
Chris Whitelaw, General Manager - Health Insurance at Money.com.au
“We hear it all the time – people don’t want to wait months just to see a dentist, especially when they’ve got a toothache or a family to look after. Whether it’s young couples staying on top of their dental health, families covering the kids or seniors booking in for a check-up, skipping the waiting period makes a real difference. And if there’s no gap to pay? Even better as every dollar counts in a cost-of-living crisis.”
Chris Whitelaw, General Manager - Health Insurance at Money.com.au
How to get dental cover with no waiting period
Here’s how you can get dental insurance with no waiting period:
Look for sign-up offers from health funds
Some health insurers run limited-time promotions that waive the standard two- and six-month waiting periods on Extras – including general dental. These offers are typically aimed at new members switching from another fund. Keep an eye on current deals or use a comparison service like ours to find funds offering no waiting periods.
Switch to a fund with equivalent cover
If you’ve already served your dental waiting periods with one insurer, you usually won’t have to re-serve them when switching to another fund – as long as your new policy offers the same or lower level of cover. This lets you change providers without losing your ability to claim straight away.
Speak to a health insurance expert
With so many policies and exclusions to consider, it’s a good idea to speak with a health insurance expert. They can help you find an Extras policy that matches your needs and confirm whether waiting periods will be waived, especially for dental.
Some health funds, like nib, offer dental membership programs such as DentalPass that provide access to discounted rates at a wide network of dentists without waiting periods.
These programs typically involve a low annual fee and allow members to claim back on basic treatments like check-ups, cleans and x-rays, making them a convenient and affordable option for people who want quicker, more flexible dental care without signing up for full Extras cover.
However, benefits usually apply only when visiting participating dentists and don’t cover major or orthodontic treatments.
Better returns on dental with no waiting periods
Cameron Conley, Health Insurance Team Lead at Money.com.au
"We recently helped a couple from rural Queensland who were frustrated with what they were getting back from their Extras cover. One of the issues was their provider not having a preferred dentist local to them. It meant high out-of-pocket costs for general services like check-ups and cleans.
But they were concerned that switching would reset their waiting periods and impact their cover for an upcoming dental check-up. Fortunately, we explained that switching to like-for-like cover would mean the waiting periods they had already served would be recognised by their new fund.
The fund we recommended, HCF, is a preferred provider with their existing local dentist, meaning they’ll get a much better return when they visit and better overall value from their cover."
Cameron Conley, Health Insurance Team Lead at Money.com.au
Is no-waiting period dental cover more expensive?
Dental cover with no waiting periods is often offered as a limited-time promotion, not a more expensive policy by default. This means you’re getting standard Extras cover with waived waiting periods at no extra cost.
Always compare the overall value – including the benefits, annual limits and the health fund’s preferred provider network of dentists – not just the waiting period.
Can you get instant cover for major dental?
Major dental and orthodontic treatments almost always require you to serve the full 12-month waiting period. Major dental includes procedures like root canals, crowns, dentures, veneers and periodontal work, while orthodontics covers things like braces, clear aligners, and retainers. These treatments are more expensive and complex, so health insurers are much less likely to waive the waiting periods.
There are two exceptions where waiting periods may not apply:
- You’ve already served them with your previous fund and you’re switching to a policy with the same or lower level of cover. In that case, the new insurer will usually recognise your previous cover and won’t make you re-serve waiting times.
- A rare promotional deal includes major dental or orthodontics – but these are uncommon and usually come with very specific terms.
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