Thank you all for your helpful replies.

I am going to arrange an appointment with the mortgage broker that got us our original home loan to look at refinancing or getting a second mortgage.  Thanks for the advice Richard and will let you know how I fare or if I need furher assistance.  

I have had a second medical opinion and the cost was almost identical.  I basically need to have crowns put on all my teeth due to the rapid erosion of them caused by reflux from my stomach.  Have got the reflux problem fixed, so now just onto the teeth. 

I am actually considering going to Thailand and getting the work done Tracey.  Have done quite a bit of research over the weekend and the cost of a crown is around $500 per tooth there compared to nearly $2000 in Oz.  I certainly won't be going to any  backstreet clinics, I hate going to the dentist as it is. 
 
I will let you know how I go and if anyone is after some dental advice I should be able to help you out with all the reading I have done of late