Why Australians are travelling to Bali to cope with the cost of living crisis

A Melbourne mother has discovered it is cheaper to fly to Bali and get dental treatment while on holiday than to visit the dentist in Australia due to the cost of living crisis.

Routine dental procedures, such as cleanings, are two-thirds cheaper in Bali than in Australia.

Including airfare and resort-style accommodation, a holiday in Bali costs the same as an annual dentist visit and private health insurance in Australia.

Kirstin Edwards, 38, has been travelling to Bali for holidays every year since 2016 – with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when the borders were closed due to Covid – and has had her routine dental treatments done during these trips.

“We’ve been to Bali seven times now and on most of those trips we’ve had dental treatment,” she told Daily Mail Australia.

The businesswoman, who raises a 12-year-old stepson with her 37-year-old husband Tom Gatiss, says that by cancelling her private health insurance she can fund a one- to three-week holiday in Bali, including a visit to the dentist.

“Instead of paying that private health insurance every month, we use that money for the family vacation. It makes for great memories,” she said.

‘In a stressful environment, it is extremely important to have something to look forward to.’

A Melbourne mother has discovered it is cheaper to fly to Bali and have dental treatment there during her holiday than to have treatment in Australia during the cost of living crisis

Ms Edwards, who sells online travel diaries for children, joked that even a visit to the dentist could be fun if it involved a holiday to Bali.

Maybe you’re not looking forward to that part [dental work] “But the rest of the vacation is great. I don’t mind going to the dentist,” she said.

“It’s only one or two days out of your entire vacation.”

In Bali, a scale, cleanse, check-up and Botox to treat TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) or teeth grinding typically costs $400. That’s a third of the $1,300 Ms Edwards paid in Melbourne.

A private hospital and additional family cover typically cost $4,000 per year. This is the same amount you could spend on return airfare and resort-style accommodation for just $60 to $150 per night – a fraction of what it costs in Australia.

“If you really want luxury accommodation, it’s still significantly cheaper,” she said.

Ms Edwards, who visits the Rejuvie clinic in Sanur, said the dentists she had visited in Bali had been trained in Singapore and the United States. She added that she had not experienced any problems with her treatment.

Kirstin Edwards, 38, has been traveling to Bali for vacation annually since 2016 – with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when border closures due to Covid were in place – and during these trips she has had her routine dental care done

The businesswoman says that by cancelling her private health insurance, she can finance a one- to three-week holiday in Bali, including a visit to the dentist.

“When I first went there I was definitely a little apprehensive, but when I found out that our dentist at the time had trained in Singapore and America, I felt completely at ease,” she said.

When asked if she would trust a dentist in Bali for more complex procedures such as x-rays, wisdom teeth removal, root canal treatments or crowns, she replied, “Yes, a thousand percent.”

Her only advice is to visit a dentist in Bali early in your trip, in case a follow-up appointment is needed.

“I always encourage people, when I talk to them, to go on the first day or two of their vacation. If there’s any major work that needs to be done, you have time to get that done,” she said.

The Australian Dental Association discourages ‘dental tourism’ because patients who receive treatment overseas have no recourse or the ability to take their dentist to a health ombudsman if they are not satisfied.

In addition, complications resulting from dental treatment abroad are not always covered by travel insurance.

The ADA also warns, “Language and cultural differences may prevent the practitioner who treats you from fully understanding what you want or accurately determining what you need to resolve your dental problems.”

Families with a combined income of $186,000 must pay a Medicare surcharge of up to 1.5 percent if they do not have private health insurance.