If you live in Dundas or Telopea and are looking for a dentist, Lumi Dental at Melrose Central in Melrose Park is a short drive south, down to Victoria Road and across into Melrose Park, and most people allow about 10 minutes by car outside peak. The two suburbs sit side by side in the City of Parramatta, about 21 to 23 kilometres north-west of the Sydney CBD according to Wikipedia, and share the 2117 postcode with Dundas Valley. A search for a dentist near Dundas and Telopea mostly returns directory listings, so this guide covers the routes, the first visit, children, Saturdays and emergencies.
Written by Dr James Tran, BDent (University of Sydney), MICOI, GradDip (Oral Implants), general dentist at Lumi Dental in Melrose Park.
The short version
- Dundas (around 5,000 residents) and Telopea (around 5,400) are small, leafy suburbs in the City of Parramatta, according to Wikipedia, with Dundas Valley (around 5,900) beside them.
- Both have a stop on the Parramatta Light Rail L4 line, but Melrose Park has no stop, so the options are car, buses via West Ryde, or light rail plus a short taxi ride.
- By car it is a short drive south via Kissing Point Road and Victoria Road; most people allow about 10 minutes outside peak. Check a maps app.
- There is on-site parking at Melrose Central.
- A first visit is an examination by a dentist, X-rays where needed, a clean with the hygiene team and a written quote; our guide to an adult first dental visit walks through each step.
- Eligible children can use the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, and the practice keeps time for emergencies and offers Saturday appointments.
The single rule: choose the dentist you will still be getting to in a few years
A search for a dentist near Telopea or Dundas returns the practices around the Waratah shops and Kissing Point Road. The catch is that the dentist who helps most is the one you keep seeing, and in my experience that comes down to whether the trip is easy on a Saturday morning with children in the car. Dundas and Telopea sit directly north of Rydalmere and Ermington, and Melrose Park is the next riverside suburb along, so for many families Lumi Dental is on the way rather than a detour.
Where the suburbs sit
Dundas is the older of the two, 21 kilometres north-west of the CBD, and Wikipedia describes it as a leafy green suburb centred on The Ponds Walk along the Ponds Subiaco Creek. The district was once known as The Ponds, and some of Sydney's earliest private land grants were made along its creeks. Wikipedia records 4,959 residents at the most recent census in 1.3 square kilometres, about half born in Australia, with China and South Korea the most common other countries of birth.
Telopea sits just to the north, between Kissing Point Road and Pennant Hills Road, 23 kilometres from the CBD. The name comes from Telopea speciosissima, the New South Wales waratah, which Wikipedia says grew abundantly here before settlement. The suburb covers 1.5 square kilometres with 5,356 residents and a median age of 40, and its shops cluster at the Waratah Shopping Centre on Benaud Place. Dundas Valley, to the east, is the largest of the three at 5,875 residents.
Melrose Park is the small suburb between Victoria Road and the Parramatta River, and Lumi Dental is at Melrose Central there. Our companion guide to a dentist near Ermington and Rydalmere covers the suburbs in between.
Getting to Melrose Central
By car
From the Waratah shops or Adderton Road in Telopea, head down to Kissing Point Road, then south to Victoria Road. From Dundas you are already on Kissing Point Road or a street or two off it. Once on Victoria Road, Melrose Park is a short way east, and Wharf Road takes you down to Melrose Central. Most people allow about 10 minutes outside peak, but Victoria Road slows at school and commuter times, so check a maps app. There is on-site parking at Melrose Central.
By light rail and bus
Dundas and Telopea each have a stop on the Parramatta Light Rail L4 Westmead & Carlingford line, which Wikipedia describes as running from Westmead through Parramatta, Camellia, Rydalmere, Dundas and Telopea to Carlingford along the old Carlingford rail corridor. The Dundas stop keeps the heritage-listed former station building on Station Street, and the Telopea stop runs parallel to Adderton Road. The catch is that neither Melrose Park nor Ermington has a stop; Wikipedia notes that a planned second stage would run through Ermington and Melrose Park towards Sydney Olympic Park, but it is not open. A light rail trip therefore means riding towards Parramatta and finishing with a short taxi. Buses are the other option: Transport for NSW's route list shows the 513 between Carlingford and West Ryde via Dundas Valley, the 545 from Parramatta to Macquarie Park via Telopea, and the 524 between Ryde, West Ryde and Parramatta via Melrose Park, so one combination is the 513 to West Ryde and the 524 from there. Routes change, so check the trip planner.
| Where you live | Nearest light rail stop | Usual way to Lumi Dental | Allow about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telopea, Waratah shops and Adderton Road | Telopea (L4) | Car via Kissing Point Road, Victoria Road and Wharf Road | About 10 minutes by car outside peak |
| Dundas, Kissing Point Road and Station Street | Dundas (L4) | Car south to Victoria Road, then Wharf Road | About 10 minutes by car outside peak |
| Dundas Valley | Dundas or Telopea (L4) | Car via Kissing Point Road, or the 513 bus to West Ryde and the 524 to Melrose Park | A little longer than from Dundas |
These are planning estimates outside peak, not timetable facts.
What a first visit involves
healthdirect describes a dental check-up as a thorough examination of the teeth, gums, lips, tongue, mouth and saliva, carried out by a dentist, dental hygienist or oral health therapist, and suggests one every 6 to 12 months even when nothing hurts, because problems found early are less painful and less costly to treat. At Lumi Dental a dentist does the examination and diagnosis, the hygiene team of oral health therapists looks after cleans and gum therapy, and 3D X-rays and intraoral scans are taken in house when needed. You leave with a written quote before any treatment starts. If you are nervous, say so when you book; it changes how I pace the first appointment.
New to the area, or new to the dentist in Australia
About half of Dundas residents were born in Australia, according to Wikipedia's census summary, so many households here are choosing a dentist in Australia for the first time or booking for a parent. Bring a list of your medicines, your Medicare card and any health fund card, and mention any crowns, implants or bridges placed overseas. If English is not your first language, our article on interpreters and language support at the dentist explains what to ask for. Patients I see from Telopea and Dundas often come as a household, grandparents included, and parking makes that easier.
Children and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule
Families in Dundas and Telopea are often eligible for the CDBS without realising it. Services Australia sets three conditions: the child is eligible for Medicare, is aged 0 to 17 for at least one day of the calendar year, and the child or a parent, carer or guardian receives an eligible payment at least once that year. There is no application; Services Australia sends a letter when a child qualifies. The whole practice at Lumi Dental accepts the CDBS, and our CDBS explainer covers what the scheme does and does not pay for.
Emergencies, Saturdays and fitting a visit around work
A cracked tooth, a knocked-out tooth at Saturday sport or a swelling does not wait for a convenient day. Lumi Dental keeps time in the day for emergency appointments, so ring first and describe the problem. Commuters from Dundas and Telopea fill the early, late and Saturday slots first. The practice is open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday by appointment; check current hours on the contact page.
How we approach this at Lumi Dental
Lumi Dental is a general and cosmetic dental practice at Melrose Central in Melrose Park, and patients come from Dundas, Telopea, Dundas Valley, Ryde, Parramatta, Ermington, Rydalmere and nearby. A dentist does the examination and diagnosis; the hygiene team of oral health therapists does cleans and gum therapy. Intraoral 3D scanning, 3D X-ray and 3D printing are in house, the practice is mercury-free, IV sedation is available for anxious adults, and specialist cases are referred to registered specialists. Read more about general dentistry at Lumi Dental.
Questions patients ask
How far is Melrose Park from Dundas and Telopea?
Close. Melrose Park is the riverside suburb south-east of Dundas, across Victoria Road, and most people allow about 10 minutes by car outside peak. Check a maps app at school and commuter times.
Can I get to Lumi Dental from the Telopea or Dundas light rail stop?
Not directly, because Melrose Park has no stop. Ride the L4 towards Parramatta and finish with a short taxi, or take the 513 bus to West Ryde and the 524 from there. Check the trip planner for current connections.
Is there a dentist near Dundas that sees emergencies?
Lumi Dental keeps time each day for emergencies and is a short drive south. Ring first and describe what has happened; our article on how a dental practice triages emergency calls explains what the team asks and why.
Can my child use the CDBS at Lumi Dental?
Yes, for eligible children. Eligibility depends on Medicare status and family payments, which Services Australia confirms by letter; bring the child's Medicare card and ask the team to check the balance first.
Can I see a dentist near Telopea on a Saturday?
Yes, Lumi Dental offers Saturday appointments, with Sunday by appointment; check current hours on the contact page. Saturdays go first, so book ahead; our guide to a Saturday dentist near Ryde and Parramatta explains how to secure one.
Looking for a dentist close to Dundas or Telopea? Book at Lumi Dental in Melrose Park
If you live in Dundas, Telopea or Dundas Valley and want a general dentist a short drive south, the team at Lumi Dental can see you for a check-up, a clean, a child's CDBS visit or an emergency. See the current offers or contact the practice for hours, directions and parking. Patients also visit from Ryde, Parramatta, Ermington, Rydalmere and nearby suburbs.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dundas, New South Wales
- Wikipedia: Telopea, New South Wales
- healthdirect: Dental check-up
- Services Australia: Who can get the Child Dental Benefits Schedule
About the author
Dr James Tran is a general dentist at Lumi Dental in Melrose Park. He holds a BDent from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Diploma in Oral Implants, and is a Member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (MICOI).
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for an examination and individual advice from a registered dental practitioner. Suitability for any treatment varies from person to person.
