Highly-qualified dentists and good population coverage together mean that dental care in Germany ranks as one of the best in Europe. Here’s what you need to know about dentistry in Germany, including the cost of treatment, what’s covered by health insurance, and finding a dentist.
Dentistry in Germany
Dentistry is semi-privatised in the German healthcare system. This dual system means that the type of health insurance you have determines which services you can access and what kinds of treatments are paid for.
Generally speaking, public health insurance covers only routine dental care, and so plenty of people choose to take out private dental insurance to cover the cost of additional treatments, which can quickly stack up.
Dental care & statutory health insurance
In an ongoing effort to cut costs, the number and scope of dental treatments fully covered by German statutory health insurance have been significantly cut in recent years.
As a general rule, simple, medically-necessary treatments are fully covered, while more complicated or cosmetic dentistry must be covered partially or entirely by the patient. The Federal Health Ministry explains that state health insurance covers all activities that “are sufficient and appropriate for the prevention, early detection and treatment of dental, oral and jaw diseases”.
In simple terms, statutory health insurance usually covers the following kinds of dental care:
- Dental check-ups every six months
- Tartar removal (Zahnsteinentfernung) once per year
- Periodontal screenings (PSIs) every two years
- Basic fillings
- Root canal treatments
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Periodontal services
- Treatment for mouth and gum diseases
- Orthodontics (for people up to the age of 18)
- Medically-necessary dentures (partially covered - discounts available for people who can prove that they regularly have dental checkups)
Some statutory health insurance companies also cover all or part of the costs of having your teeth professionally cleaned, but the exact amount varies from insurer to insurer.
You have the option to choose more expensive “upgrade” treatments and pay the difference. If you need more advanced treatment, you may be sent to a doctor or a hospital, or be prescribed medication such as antibiotics.
Dental care & private health insurance
If you have private health insurance, the level of reimbursement you can expect for dental care depends on your individual plan. It is possible to get 100% coverage for more major dental work, but you should always obtain approval from your insurer before commencing treatment, to make sure you are indeed covered.
It is worth noting that many private insurers have an “exclusion period” for new policyholders, meaning that you cannot claim for any dental work undertaken within the first few months of taking out private health insurance. Check your individual policy for details.
Dental insurance (Zahnzusatzverischerung)
It is possible to purchase additional dental insurance from a private provider to supplement statutory insurance plans. The price varies according to the level of treatments that are reimbursed.
The following companies offer additional dental insurance in English:
- Feather (all in English, all digital, designed especially for expats)
- Ottonova (up to 100% cost coverage & in English)
- GetSafe (get help, file claims & upload receipts completely in-app, 100% in English)
You can find out more about dental insurance in Germany in our dedicated guide.
How to find a dentist or dental clinic in Germany
As of 2023, there were more than 70.000 dentists actively working in Germany, meaning anyone looking for a dental clinic will have plenty of choices, even outside the major German cities.
A simple internet search (Zahnarzt is the German word for dentist) will bring up multiple options. You can check the KZBV website to search for a dentist. You can also check a website like Zahnartz-Arztsuche.de for dentists in your area, and filter according to options like specialisation and language.
It’s worth knowing that dentistry is also strictly regulated in Germany: to practise, dentists must be accredited by the National Dental Association of Statutory Health Insurance (KNV) and meet stringent requirements.
Can I choose my own dentist?
You can freely choose your own dentist and change to a new practice for any reason. Note that some clinics may be oversubscribed and therefore do not always accept new patients.
You should also note that while most dentists accept both public and private patients, some dentists only treat privately insured patients (Privatpraxis). Before registering, confirm whether your dentist will accept your kind of health insurance.
Registering with a dentist
To register with your chosen dentist, you’ll need to provide proof of your identity (for instance with a passport, driving licence or ID card) and health insurance, and your social security number.
Going to the dentist in Germany
Dental care is a high priority in Germany: 40 percent of the population visits the dentist once every six months, and a further 39 percent once every year, according to Dentaly.
To visit your dentist, you can make an appointment by phone or online. You should arrive a few minutes early and report to reception. You will be asked to show your health insurance card. After your appointment, you can schedule your next check-up.
Depending on the nature of your appointment and treatment, and your insurance policy, you will either pay for the appointment upfront, or let the dental clinic deal directly with your insurance company. If your treatment is only partially covered by your insurance company, you may have to pay the full amount upfront and reclaim some of the money from your insurance.
Emergency dentists
If you need dental care outside of regular working hours, you should in the first instance contact your regular dentist or dental practice. They will often provide the details of an out-of-hours option.
If this fails, you can find an emergency dentist on the Zahnärztlicher Notdienst website.
Cost of dental care in Germany
Dental care can be expensive in Germany. If you do not have dental insurance and plan to pay for your treatments out of pocket, it’s wise to ask your dentist for a cost estimate (Heil- und Kostenplan) before undertaking any extensive treatments.
Even if you do have an insurer, you should still request an estimate and submit this to your insurance provider for their approval before you commence treatment. They may only partially cover the cost of the procedures, so it’s good to be clear about this from the outset.
Dentists in Germany are bound by two kinds of fee schedules:
- The BEMA schedule applies to all treatments (partially) covered by statutory health insurance.
- The GOZ schedule applies to private treatments.
However, these schedules only determine the fee that the dentist charges. The dentist’s fee is combined with the costs of materials and laboratory work to make up the final price that you pay as a patient.
For this reason, there can be a lot of variation in the prices patients pay for the same treatments. Geography plays a big part in this. A study by Ergo found that treatments tend to be cheapest in Berlin, Hamburg and Baden-Württemberg.
Here is an indicative list of what you can expect to pay in Germany for various procedures. Depending on your policy, some of these costs may be covered by your health insurance:
- Professional teeth cleaning: 80 - 150 euros
- Composite fillings: 100 - 150 euros
- Gold fillings: 400 - 800 euros
- Ceramic fillings: 400 - 900 euros
- Root canal treatment: 200 - 1.500 euros