1. Apply for a subsidised dental voucher from the UCSA by completing the online form below. The form will open at 8:30am on Mondays during the academic year (except on public holidays).
2. The UCSA will reply with a unique voucher for you to take to your appointment, along with instructions on how to book your initial appointment.
3. Contact the dental clinic to book your combined check-up and hygiene appointment.
4. Attend the appointment (with the voucher and your student ID) and receive your treatment plan if applicable.
5. Pay $40 for the first appointment. Then pay 25% of the appointment cost at the time of each subsequent appointment, if required. 
6. If you require multiple appointments, the clinic will keep track of your subsidy. You do not need a new voucher for every appointment.
7. Vouchers will expire at the end of the semester in which you applied. (See Time Limit section below).

Please note the expiry date on your voucher. You will not be able to use your voucher past the expiry date.

You can also only receive one voucher per year. Do not apply for a second voucher in the same year.

Vouchers will be released from 19 February 2024. Vouchers will expire at the end of the semester in which they were issued. For example, Semester 1 vouchers will expire on 14 July 2024 and Semester 2 vouchers will expire on 13 December 2024.

In order to ensure those students who apply for a voucher in Semester 1 have time to book and complete their appointment before Semester 2, vouchers in Semester 1 will be issued up until 10 June 2024. This allows four weeks until Semester 2 starts on 15 July 2024.

Similarly, vouchers in Semester 2 will be issued up until 29 October 2023.

There is limited capacity for the subsidised dental service. This means we have a limited number of vouchers that we can offer each week. If you find you are not able to complete the online form below, that means the maximum number of vouchers have been issued for the week. Check the website again the following week on Monday at 8:30am sharp (except for public holidays).

Please note:

1. The UCSA will not keep a waiting list.
2. The UCSA will not make appointments on your behalf.
3. You cannot book more than one check-up and hygiene appointment per year under this subsidy.
4. You cannot apply for a second voucher in the same year.

The subsidy will not cover any treatment in the following categories:

1. ACC subsidised treatment
2. Emergency Community Services Card $40 appointments
3. Cosmetic dental treatment such as teeth whitening

If a check-up and hygiene appointment costs $120 in total (before the subsidy), the student will pay $40 at the time of the appointment. The UCSA will cover $80 from the student’s subsidy balance.

This means after a check-up and hygiene appointment, $80 will be deducted from the student’s subsidy balance (i.e. $500 - $80 = $420). 

Students will therefore have $420 worth of subsidy to apply to their treatment costs. If a student requires a filling, then 25% of the cost will be paid by the student and 75% of the cost will be deducted from their subsidy balance (i.e. $420). 

If you have subsidy remaining after all your dental appointments, the balance will be added back to the pool of money for other students.

You cannot book more than one check-up and hygiene appointment per year under this subsidy. 

Below are some examples of how the subsidy could be applied. Please note: these are examples only, and are not necessarily illustrative of the costs of treatment at the clinics in partnership with the UCSA Subsidised Dental Service. They are meant purely as examples of how the subsidy works.

1. Jane requires two fillings for a total cost of $400. The UCSA Subsidised Dental Scheme will provide a subsidy of $300, being 75% of the treatment cost. Jane must pay the remaining $100 cost of the treatment at the time of the appointment. 
2. Tom requires three fillings, for a total cost of $500. The UCSA Subsidised Dental Scheme will provide a subsidy of $375, being 75% of the treatment cost. Tom must pay the remaining $125 cost of the treatment. 
3. Jasmine requires three fillings and an extraction, for a total cost of $800. The UCSA Subsidised Dental Scheme will provide the full subsidy of $420, but Jasmine must cover the remaining $380 cost of the treatment, as 75% of the treatment cost exceeds the maximum value of $420 per student. 

After receiving a subsidised check-up/hygiene appointment you will receive a treatment plan if needed. If your treatment plan is outside what you can afford, you may be eligible to apply for the Subsidised Dental Grant from the UCSA. 

The maximum grant amount is $2000. Students must demonstrate that they are having financial difficulties and are unable to afford the treatment (i.e., they have less than $1000 across all their bank accounts) and have exhausted all other financial support options (i.e., family support, Studylink assistance, insurance). 

In order to apply for the grant, please get in contact with the UCSA Advocacy and Welfare Team by emailing dental@ucsa.org.nz. They will send you an application form and ask you to provide other supporting documents (i.e., bank statements, your treatment plan quote, and your academic transcript). 

Please note:

1. The grant will only be applicable to those who have had their check-up/hygiene appointment through the UCSA Subsidised Dental Scheme. 
2. Students who seek dental services outside of the UCSA Subsidised Dental Scheme will not be able to apply for the Subsidised Dental Grant but may be able to apply for the UCSA Hardship Grant (Terms and Conditions apply). 

1. Do I need a voucher to book an appointment?
   Yes. You cannot make an appointment and receive the subsidy without a voucher. You can request a voucher on this webpage, below the FAQ section.


2. Where can I go to get a subsidised appointment?
   Ilam Dental and Moriarty Dental. You will need to bring your voucher AND your UC Student ID card to the appointment.


3. How much will I pay?
   You will pay $40 towards the check-up and hygiene appointment (normally $120). Then you will pay 25% of the cost of your dental treatment appointments. The maximum subsidy you can receive is $500 per year, including the $80 used to subsidise the check-up and hygiene appointment.


4. When and where do I have to pay for the appointment?
   You will pay for the appointment at the clinic that you choose (either Ilam Dental or Moriarty Dental). Payment will be required at the time of the appointment.


5. Can I go to any dental clinic I want to?
   No, you must make an appointment with either Ilam Dental or Moriarty Dental once you have your voucher.


6. Who do I contact to make an appointment?
   Once you have received your voucher, please contact the dental clinic of your choice (Ilam Dental or Moriarty Dental) and book an appointment with them directly.


7. What types of dental treatment are subsidised?
   • Dental check-ups with intra-oral x-rays
   • Dental hygiene cleaning (no whitening)
   • Fissure sealants
   • Composite fillings
   • Extractions
   • Root canals
   • Crowns


8. What if I already have a treatment plan from another dentist?
   Unfortunately, you will need to have a new dental check-up appointment with either Ilam Dental or Moriarty Dental in order to access the subsidy.


9. What if I need treatment that is not covered by the subsidy?
   Unfortunately, the subsidy cannot cover everything. If you require treatment not covered by the UCSA Dental subsidy, you will need to find other funding options (e.g., Studylink, UCSA Hardship Grant, Mickle Fund Loan) or pay for the treatment yourself.


10. What if I am not currently enrolled?
    If you are not currently enrolled as a student at UC, then you cannot receive the dental subsidy. Students’ enrolment status will be checked before vouchers are issued.


11. Who can receive the dental subsidy?
    All students fully enrolled at UC are eligible. This includes international, domestic, part-time, full-time, undergraduate, postgraduate, campus and distance students. For distance students, as long as you can attend your appointment at Ilam Dental or Moriarty Dental and are fully enrolled, then you will be eligible to receive the subsidy


12. Does the voucher expire?
    Yes. Vouchers will expire at the end of the semester in which you applied. Please note that you can only receieve one voucher per year. If your voucher expires, you will not be able to use it, and you will not be able to apply for another one this year.


13. How do I know if I am eligible for the dental grant?
    Students must demonstrate that the cost of the appointment would put them in financial difficulties (i.e., have less than $1000 across all their bank accounts) and have exhausted all other financial support options (i.e., family support, Studylink assistance, insurance). 
    Contact the UCSA Advocacy and Welfare Team to find out if you are eligible to apply for the grant.


14. What do I do if I have an issue with my dental treatment?
    If you have any issues with, or complaints about, your dental treatment, then please contact the dental clinic that provided your treatment


15. What do I do if I have an issue with receiving the subsidy?
    If you have any issues or complaints about the process of receiving your subsidy, then please contact the UCSA Advocacy and Welfare Team


16. What do I do if I have a dental emergency?
    If you can wait until your scheduled appointment at Ilam Dental or Moriarty Dental, then your dentist will be able to complete a check-up to see what further treatment is required. If you do not have an appointment soon enough and are in a lot of pain, then please contact a dental clinic that offers emergency care, which will not be covered by the subsidy. There is other funding available for dental emergencies (e.g., Studylink/WINZ grants, Community Service Card discounts, international student insurance coverage).


17. I want a voucher for subsidised dental, why can’t I complete the form?
    There is limited capacity for the subsidised dental scheme. This means we have a limited number of vouchers that we can offer each week. If you are not able to complete the online form, the maximum number of vouchers will have been issued. Check the website again the following week, on Mondays at 8:30am (except for public holidays). Also check the Time Limits section of this website to see if vouchers are still available.


18. What if I don’t want a check-up appointment first?
    You must have a check-up appointment first before any treatment can be given. This is for health and safety reasons and ensures you receive the treatment you need. Your dentist will make their own clinical decision about what treatment you need and explain this to you.

If you have further questions, please email: dental@ucsa.org.nz

After you complete the online form, we will email you your individual voucher. Please allow 1-2 working days for us to issue vouchers, and do not book an appointment at either associated clinic until you have received your voucher.

Capacity Limits - We have a limited number of vouchers that can be issued each week. If you cannot see the form below, please check back next Monday at 8:30am for the next batch of vouchers (except for public holidays).