Direct Debit Payment Option

An interest free payment plan may be available for certain dental treatments conducted at the Dental Centre with participating dentists. Interest free payment plans have been introduced to provide patients with another option to access and afford their choice of dental treatment.

Patients who are at least 18 years old may enter into an interest free payment plan for dental treatments with an out-of-pocket cost (that is, after any private health insurance rebates or other third-party funding) over $1,000.

A deposit of at least 25% of the total cost is required up front. Payment of the remaining balance will be made via regular instalments over a period up to 6 months, or 18 months for orthodontics.

Direct Debit is the method of payment required to participate in an interest free payment plan.

Direct Debit is a means of payment where you give permission to a company to collect an agreed amount of funds from your Bank Account or Credit Card. Your payments happen automatically once the timing, amount, and frequency for paying bills is established and once the direct debit form has been signed. Direct Debit is not a loan or a form of finance. It is simply a method of payment according to agreed terms.

Pacific Smiles offers Direct Debit as a payment method via the services of a specialist firm in this field called Ezidebit. Ezidebit is a leading direct debit billing company in Australia, and they have been reliably debiting accounts for over 10 years. We rely on their service to give patients peace of mind:

• Ezidebit is fully sponsored with Westpac.
• Ezidebit is a licensed commercial agent and is one of the only debiting companies in Australia with an Australian Financial Services Licence.
• Funds collected are held in a secure trust control account.
• Ezidebit is audited by ASIC annually.
• Ezidebit is OCS Compliant, maintaining the gold standard in data security

ACT Patients

The Dental Centre will charge a Payment Plan Application Fee to cover some of the administrative costs of establishing, monitoring and maintaining the plan. The fee is $47.00 (incl GST) for dental treatment with an out-of-pocket cost of up to $5,000, or $68.00 (incl GST) for treatment plans with an out-of-pocket cost over $5,000. This Application Fee must be paid to the Dental Centre at the time of application.

• Patients will also incur Transaction Fees which are charged directly by Ezidebit. These fees are currently as follows:
• Bank account transaction fee is $1.73 per payment.
• Credit card transaction fee for VISA/Mastercard is 2.70% of the payment amount per payment (minimum fee of $1.58).
• Credit card transaction fee for AMEX/Diners is 4.4% of the payment amount per payment (minimum fee of $1.58).
• If a patient elects to be reminded via SMS when payments are due, an SMS fee of $0.28 will be charged by Ezidebit per transaction.
• If a payment fails, Ezidebit will charge a fee of $21.90.

NSW, VIC, QLD Patients

The Dental Centre will charge a Payment Plan Application Fee to cover some of the administrative costs of establishing, monitoring and maintaining the plan. The fee is $42.00 (incl GST) for dental treatment with an out-of-pocket cost of up to $5,000, or $67.00 (incl GST) for treatment plans with an out-of-pocket cost over $5,000. This Application Fee must be paid to the Dental Centre at the time of application.

• Patients will also incur Transaction Fees which are charged directly by Ezidebit. These fees are currently as follows:
• Bank account transaction fee is $1.73 per payment.
• Credit card transaction fee for VISA/Mastercard is 2.70% of the payment amount per payment (minimum fee of $1.58).
• Credit card transaction fee for AMEX/Diners is 4.4% of the payment amount per payment (minimum fee of $1.58).
• If a patient elects to be reminded via SMS when payments are due, an SMS fee of $0.28 will be charged by Ezidebit per transaction.
• If a payment fails, Ezidebit will charge a fee of $21.90.

Please fill out the Ezidebit Direct Debit Request form provided by the Dental Centre. Nominate where you would like payments to be debited, either bank account or credit card, and how frequently you would like the debits to occur. Check and sign the completed direct debit form and return it to the Dental Centre.

You will also be asked to bring along photo ID (such as a driver’s licence) for verification at the Dental Centre. A copy will be taken and held on file.

Patients may choose for debits to occur either monthly or fortnightly on any regular day of the week or month.

Yes – payment reminders can be sent automatically via SMS to the Mobile Phone number you supply, if requested. You will be charged a fee per SMS, currently $0.28.

Simply advise the Dental Centre, and we will provide a “Change of Account Details” form for you to advise your new account details.

If you have any questions on your account, you should call the Dental Centre to discuss in the first instance.

No, Direct Debit does not give anyone access to your account. Direct Debit merely authorises Ezidebit to request and process payments from your bank as agreed.

If you do not have enough funds, the transaction will fail which requires additional administration and yields additional bank and other costs. Unfortunately, Ezidebit is unable to absorb these costs and applies an $21.90 fee per failed transaction. This fee is debited 7 days after the failed payment.

If you have provided a valid mobile phone number, you will be notified of this dishonour via SMS. Should this situation occur, you will need to contact the Dental Centre to provide an alternative for payment to avoid exclusion.

Please contact the Dental Centre if you wish to cancel Direct Debit as a form of payment. Interest free payment plans offered by participating dentists at the Dental Centre are conditional upon Direct Debit as the method of payment. Should you wish to discuss cancelling your Direct Debit agreement, the unpaid amount of any dental treatment completed or in progress is a debt which will become immediately payable.

Issues with Direct Debit are quite rare and are usually able to be resolved quickly. Just contact the Dental Centre and we will review and rectify the problem.