General dentistry is the everyday care that keeps your teeth and gums healthy: check-ups, cleans, fillings, crowns and treatment when something goes wrong. The Smile Spot on Marrickville Road, Dulwich Hill, we look after patients of every age across Sydney’s Inner West.
General dentistry is the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of everyday dental problems. Your general dentist is the one you see first for almost everything. They examine your teeth and gums, clean them, repair decay and damage, treat infection and pain, and refer you to a specialist when a problem calls for one.
Cosmetic work, such as teeth whitening or veneers, changes how a tooth looks. General dentistry covers the health and function underneath, and it is where most problems are caught early, while they are still small and cheap to fix.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found adults who visit a dentist only when they have a problem were nearly twice as likely to have untreated decay as those who go for regular check-ups: 44 per cent compared with 24 per cent.
A full examination covers every tooth, your gums, your bite and the soft tissues. X-rays show what the eye cannot: decay between teeth, infection at the root, and unerupted teeth.
Brushing won’t shift hardened plaque, known as calculus. A scale and clean removes it from above and below the gum line, and fluoride afterwards helps strengthen enamel.
When decay breaks through the enamel, a filling removes it and rebuilds the tooth. We place tooth-coloured composite fillings shaded to match.
A crown caps a cracked, heavily filled or root-treated tooth. A bridge replaces a missing tooth using the teeth either side; a dental implant replaces it without touching them.
When decay reaches the nerve, root canal treatment clears the infection and seals the canal, usually letting the tooth be kept rather than removed.
Some teeth cannot be saved, and some wisdom teeth cause crowding, infection or pain. We remove both, and always discuss replacement options first.
Gum disease is common, usually painless early on, and a leading cause of adult tooth loss. We treat it at every stage, including gum surgery.
Children should see a dentist from an early age, even when nothing hurts. We keep first visits short, and our care package is cheaper for under 17s.
A mouthguard moulded from your own teeth protects during sport far better than a boil-and-bite guard, because it fits and stays put.
Your first appointment is an assessment. We examine your teeth, gums and bite, take X-rays where needed, then talk through what we found, including anything that can safely be watched rather than treated. You leave with a written treatment plan and its cost.
For an opinion on one specific issue, we offer a complimentary consultation for problems taking under ten minutes to assess. A full 30-minute examination is $60.
Healthdirect advises a check-up every 6 to 12 months, with the interval set by your own risk rather than a fixed rule. Your dentist will recommend a schedule based on your gum health, your history of decay and how quickly plaque builds up.
Some people need to come more often: heavy plaque builders, anyone with active gum disease, smokers, and people with dry mouth from medication. It’s about catching the small problem before it turns into the expensive one.
Our Biolase WaterLase laser is used to treat gum conditions, reshape soft tissue, and remove decayed areas. It is minimally invasive and precise, so treatment tends to involve less bleeding and swelling, a shorter healing time, and some procedures require minimal or no anaesthesia.
We also offer sedation if you’re anxious. If the dental chair is something you’ve been putting off, just tell us when you book.
| Comparison | General Dentistry | Cosmetic Dentistry | Specialist Dentistry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Purpose | Health and function | Appearance | Complex or unusual cases |
| Typical Treatments | Check-ups, cleans, fillings, crowns, root canals | Veneers, teeth whitening | Orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery |
| Who Provides It | A general dentist | Usually a general dentist | A registered specialist |
| How You Get There | Book directly | Book directly | Usually by referral |
We publish our fees, which not many practices around here do, because cost is the main reason people put dental work off. The AIHW found around 4 in 10 Australian adults, 39 per cent, have delayed or avoided dental care because of cost.
Our comprehensive care package is $240 for adults and $180 for under 17s, and includes a full examination, X-rays, a scale and clean, and fluoride. Fillings are $180 to $300, root canal therapy is approximately $600 plus the permanent filling, and zirconium crowns $1,600 per unit. The full list is on our fees and charges.
We accept most major health funds and will help you get the most from your rebate. Interest-free payment plans are available for larger treatment plans.
General dentistry is the everyday diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental problems. It covers examinations, cleanings, fillings, crowns, root canal treatment, extractions and gum care, and is provided by a general dentist rather than a registered specialist.
The Smile Spot covers check-ups and X-rays, scale and clean, fluoride, tooth-coloured fillings, crowns and bridges, root canal treatment, extractions and wisdom teeth, gum treatment, children’s dentistry, mouthguards and emergency appointments.
Yes. Extractions, including many wisdom teeth, are routine general dentistry. A general dentist refers you to an oral surgeon if a tooth is unusually positioned, deeply impacted or close to a nerve, or if your medical history makes surgery more complicated.
Both hold a dental degree. An orthodontist has completed several additional years of specialist training in aligning teeth and jaws, and holds specialist registration. A general dentist provides your everyday care and refers you on when alignment is the main issue.
No. There is no official two-year rule in Australia. Healthdirect advises a check-up every 6 to 12 months, set by your individual risk. Leaving two years between visits gives decay and gum disease time to progress unnoticed.
For some people, yes. Three-monthly visits are usually recommended for patients with active gum disease, heavy calculus build-up, repeated decay, or dry mouth caused by medication. Most healthy adults do not need to come in that often.
The Smile Spot is at 504 Marrickville Road, Dulwich Hill NSW 2203, and we see patients from Marrickville, Hurlstone Park, Lewisham, Petersham and Summer Hill. Call (02) 9569 0199 or book online. If you are in pain or something has broken, say so, and we will arrange an emergency appointment.
The Smile Spot – Affordable Family Dentist, providing dental services at Dulwich Hill, Marrickville, Canterbury, Sydenham, Petersham, Lewisham, Summer Hill, Enmore, New Town, Earlwood, Wolli Creek, Bardwell Park, Arncliffe, Kogarah, Rockdale, Banksia, Bexley, Bexley North, Tempe, St. Peters, Erskineville, Sydney, Leichardt, Inner West.
Mon - Tue : 9 am -8 pm
Thu : 9 am -8 pm
Fri - Sat : 9 am -3 pm
Closed on Wednesdays and Sundays
Comprehensive Care Package includes examination, X-rays (as many as required), scale/clean and Fluoride treatment at $240 , For children under the age of 17 years $180.
