Can I Get Teeth Whitening with My Health Insurance?
The short answer: often, yes — you may be able to use your health insurance to help with professional teeth whitening. It all depends on your fund and your level of extras cover, so it always pays to check before you book. Luckily, that check takes just one quick phone call.
How health fund cover works for whitening
If you hold extras (general dental) cover, your policy may include a rebate that you can put toward professional teeth whitening. The amount varies a lot from policy to policy. As a result, some clients receive a meaningful contribution, while others find whitening isn’t covered under their particular level of cover.
Because whitening is a cosmetic treatment, not every policy includes it, and you can’t claim it on hospital cover alone. That’s exactly why one quick phone call to your fund helps so much. To make it even easier, simply quote ADA item code 118 — the code for professional whitening — and ask whether your plan pays a rebate on it.
The one question to ask your fund: “Does my extras cover include a rebate for teeth whitening or dental bleaching under ADA item code 118, and how much can I claim?” It takes two minutes, and it tells you exactly where you stand.
Funds we’ve seen clients claim with
Over the years, plenty of our clients have received rebates toward their whitening through a range of health funds, including:
- ADF Family Health
- ahm
- Bupa
This isn’t an exhaustive list, however, and it isn’t a guarantee. Your cover and rebate amount depend entirely on your individual policy and level of extras. In fact, even within the same fund, two members can have very different cover. So please confirm your own eligibility directly with your fund.
Before you book, check:
- That you hold extras / general dental cover
- Whether whitening or “bleaching” (ADA code 118) is included
- Your annual limit and how much you’ve already used
- HICAPS on site — claim your rebate on the spot
- Any waiting periods that may apply
Claim on the spot with HICAPS
Here’s the good news: we have HICAPS on site. So if your fund offers a rebate toward whitening, you can simply swipe your health fund card with us and claim on the spot. As a result, you only pay the gap — with no paperwork to chase and no receipts to submit yourself. If you’d prefer, of course, we can also provide an itemised receipt so you can claim manually. And if whitening isn’t covered under your policy, you still have great options. We offer interest-free payment plans through Afterpay and Zip (subject to approval), so a brighter smile can fit comfortably within your budget.
Frequently asked questions
Will my health fund definitely cover whitening?
Not necessarily. Some funds and extras policies provide a rebate toward whitening, while others don’t cover cosmetic treatments. To know for certain, simply check with your fund using your membership details and quote ADA item code 118.
How much could I get back?
It varies widely, because it depends on your policy, your level of cover and your remaining annual limit. Your fund can tell you the exact rebate that applies to you.
What if I’m not covered?
No problem — you can still spread the cost with our interest-free payment plans through Afterpay and Zip, subject to approval.
This article is general information only and does not constitute financial, insurance or dental advice. Health fund rebates depend entirely on your individual policy, level of cover and provider, and cosmetic teeth whitening may not be claimable under your plan. Fund names are mentioned only as examples of providers some clients have claimed with and do not imply any endorsement, affiliation or guarantee of cover. Always confirm your eligibility directly with your health fund. Teeth whitening may not be suitable for everyone; a suitability assessment is carried out before any treatment. Results vary from person to person. All treatments are performed by AHPRA-registered Dental Practitioners.