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Ken graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (Honours) from Sydney University in 1997 and joined the Australian Regular Army where he worked as a Dental Officer for 8 years. During his tenure with the military he was also posted to East Timor in 1999 as part of INTERFET where he was the first Australian Army dental officer posted on Active Duty since the Vietnam War.
Ken completed his Masters of Periodontics from the University of Sydney in 2008 and was awarded a High Distinction in his final examinations for the whole course. He has spent the last 13 years working in North Queensland, an area he first became enamoured with during his time in the military. Ken firmly believe that he was made for tropical life.
Ken has been a clinical tutor for dental students at the University of Sydney as well as James Cook University. As a dental professional, Ken stays up to date on the latest advancements in Periodontics in order to provide the most current treatment options for his patients. He is a firm believer in continuing education and regularly attend conferences in order to keep himself abreast of the latest developments in the fields of Periodontics and Implant Dentistry. Ken has presented at several conferences in the past, both at a local and national level.
Ken has extensive experience in the field of Periodontics and has a particular interest in aesthetic implant dentistry as well as the links between periodontal health and systemic health. He firmly believes that by helping people establish healthy dentitions that not only is he helping them retain their teeth for life but also helping them improve their general health. Ken understands that a visit to the periodontist can be a time of anxiety for most patients but patients often comment on how much at ease they feel in his presence. As a doctor, Ken recognise that his patients are unique individuals who have placed a great deal of trust in him and his team.
Ken counts travel and hiking amongst his foremost passions and can usually be located galivanting around some remote corner of the world during his holiday breaks. He enjoys staying fit, although he finds himself being increasingly overtaken with alarming regularity on his evening jogs with the passing of every year.
Dr Ken Crasta is a member of the following organisations:
Georgia is our dedicated dental hygienist and oral health therapist here at Townsville Periodontics. She completed her Bachelor of Oral Health at LaTrobe University in Bendigo. Growing up in her hometown of Bowen, Georgia loved the beach and would happily spend all day there sipping cocktails if she could.
She also loves exploring the outdoors. Georgia spends most weekends riding her horse west in the Reid River area training and practicing for upcoming campdrafts and stockman’s challenges. If she’s not riding her horse or at the beach she is away camping with her partner Jesse, always having fun and soaking up our amazing Aussie backyard.
Georgia likes to keep things down to earth and make her patients feel as comfortable as they can be in the dental chair. Her ultimate goal is to help everyone maintain their best oral health possible in order to have less dental issues in the future and therefore have happier, smoother dental visits.
We have a 48-hour cancellation policy. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend your next appointment then we request that you provide us with 48 hours’ notice for your non-attendance. Cancellation with less than 48 hours’ notice or failure to attend for your appointment will result in a cancellation fee of $100 being charged. You will also be required to pre-pay for your next appointment and this pre-payment will be forfeited if you do not subsequently attend.
Payment for treatment performed is due on the day of the appointment. We have EFTPOS facilities which accept cards linked to your Savings account as well as Visa and MasterCard credit cards. We also accept cash. Should you wish, you can also transfer funds online to our bank account prior to your appointment with us. If you are with a health fund, we have HICAPS facilities for your convenience so you can claim back any rebate for treatment that you may be entitled to.
A periodontist is a specialist dentist who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal disease and in the placement of dental implants to replace missing teeth. Periodontists receive extensive training in these areas, including three additional years of education beyond their training as a dentist. They are familiar with the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, and are also trained in performing cosmetic periodontal procedures.
Dr. Ken Crasta is a registered specialist periodontist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
During the first visit the patient’s complete medical and dental histories will be reviewed. It is extremely important for the periodontist to know if any medications are being taken or if the patient is being treated for any medical condition that can affect periodontal care, such as heart disease, diabetes, or pregnancy.The periodontist will then perform a thorough examination of the gums. This assessment will involve checking to see if there is any gum recession, assessing how the teeth bite together and checking if any teeth are loose. The periodontist will also take a small measuring instrument called a probe and determine the depth of the gap between the teeth and gums, known as a periodontal pocket. This examination is performed at little or no discomfort to the patient. Any bleeding that may be present during these measurements will also be recorded. X-rays may be taken to observe the health of the bone below the gum line. All this information will help the periodontist assess the health of the gums and then put together a treatment plan.
Following the clinical assessment, the periodontist will have a detailed discussion with the patient explaining their specific diagnosis or condition to them before formulating and explaining their individualized treatment plan in detail. Following this, the timings and costings of the patient’s treatment plan will be discussed with the patient at reception before appointments for appropriate treatment are booked in.
Payment is accepted at the practice in the form of cash, cheque, EFTPOS and credit (VISA and MasterCard). HICAPS facilities are also available for your convenience. All payment is due on the day of the appointment.
Following your consultation appointment, you will be provided with an appointment card with the dates of your future treatment appointments written on it. At Townsville Periodontics and Dental Implants, we also provide a courtesy reminder phone call 1-2 business days prior to your appointment, on the phone number that you have provided us, to make sure you do not forget your appointment and to ensure your appointment schedules are maintained. However, if you do not receive your reminder call, your scheduled appointment remains your responsibility.
We understand that sometimes unplanned issues can come up and you may need to cancel an appointment. If this is the case then we respectfully ask that you notify us as soon as possible and certainly more than 2 business days before your scheduled appointment. You can notify us by ringing us on 07 4728 2332 or by sending us an Email at [email protected].
A penalty applies if an appointment is missed or cancelled without 2 business day’s notice. This penalty is as follows:
Unfortunately, we have had to implement this policy due to appointments being cancelled with little or no notice. Many health care practices operate with similar cancellation policies. When patients do not attend (no show) or cancel appointments without adequate notice we are unable to fill our vacancies or offer available times to other patients on our waiting list, many of who need urgent specialist periodontal care. We thank you for being a valued patient and for your understanding and cooperation in our institution of this policy. It will enable us to utilize otherwise unused appointments to better serve the needs of all our patients.
The cost for a consultation appointment will be quoted to you at the time of making your appointment. This cost includes a full periodontal charting followed by a thorough, extended discussion about the findings and their implications. Additional costs may be borne if further information such as clinical photographs or radiographs are required. A treatment plan will then be formulated and explained to you. The cost of the consultation also includes a written report to your dentist. Fees for the consultation are required to be paid at the time of the consultation appointment.
Private health insurance with dental extras often covers a proportion of the cost of periodontal or implant treatment. This varies from policy to policy. It is important to bring your private health insurance card with you to all your appointments as we have HICAPS terminals to directly process your claim at the time of your visit.
Following your consultation appointment, you will be provided with an itemised treatment plan with treatment item numbers for any planned treatment. This can be used to determine your out of pocket expenses after you contact your health insurance provider, should you desire.
Yes. The costs for a consultation are covered without need for prior approval. Treatment for periodontal disease is also covered without the need for prior approval. However, treatment for dental implants will need prior approval from DVA once a treatment plan has been formulated.
At Townsville Periodontics and Dental Implant we regularly see patients from remote locality, country or even internal localities. These patients have different requirements for their periodontal treatment as long travel distances mean that it is often unreasonable or impossible for them to attend for multiple appointments.
Yes, provided a current OPG radiograph and some relevant clinical information can be emailed or mailed to us by you or your referring dentist. However, it is on the condition that it is not always possible to diagnose the extent and severity of periodontal disease based on radiographs alone and that clinical findings on presentation can sometimes cause modifications to be made to the treatment plan.
Absolutely. This is often important for country patients in order to make the logistics of transport easier. Generally, for patients in remote localities who seek treatment for periodontal disease, a visit to Townsville Periodontics and Dental Implants would involve a 2-hour appointment for a consult, oral hygiene instructions and periodontal debridement of all the teeth, enabling the patient to attend and leave the same day without having to spend the night in Townsville. Any appointments required can be organised by our reception over the phone.
In the case of referral for implant surgery, it is important that any active infection in the mouth is first treated and eliminated. If the tooth has been missing for over 3 months then a CBCT scan of the area can be taken at the appointment so that the bone volume in the area can be assessed thoroughly. If the scan shows adequate bone for implant placement then a dental implant can be placed at the same appointment. If the scan reveals inadequate bone then a bone graft may have to be placed in the area followed by dental implant placement at a subsequent date.
Thorough oral and written post-op instructions will be provided after treatment. If periodontal or implant surgery is required then dissolvable stitches will be utilised and antibiotic coverage provided so that the patient does not have to return for a post-operative review. If required, the periodontist can provide any advice or instructions required over the phone.
If travelling from a distant location, you may find the following interactive Google Map to be of use in locating us.
Shop 2, Woolcock Centre,
238-262 Woolcock St.
Currajong, Townsville QLD 4812