While dental care in Germany is high quality, the coverage provided by statutory health insurance is somewhat limited. For this reason, some people choose to take out dental insurance to avoid having to pay for dental treatments out of pocket.
This page explains how dental insurance in Germany works, what’s covered, and how you take out a policy.
Dental insurance plans in Germany
The following companies all offer expat-friendly dental insurance plans in Germany, with all claims and documentation 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)
Types of dental insurance in Germany
Like health insurance, dental care in Germany falls under a dual system, meaning that the coverage you have varies depending on whether you have public or private health insurance.
- If you have public health insurance, your dental coverage is quite limited, so you might choose to take out supplementary insurance to cover some or all of your dental treatment costs.
- If you have private health insurance, your dental coverage is broader, depending on your plan. You can tailor your individual policy to provide more dental coverage, if you wish.
Private dental insurance
If you have private health insurance, you don’t need to take out a separate dental insurance plan. Most private health insurance policies cover the costs of checkups, teeth cleanings, dentures, orthodontics and more advanced dental treatments.
Most policies come with a deductible for dental treatments - meaning you pay a portion of the costs upfront, before the health insurance company steps in to cover the rest - but you can also opt for a policy with comprehensive dental coverage, covering 100% of the costs of dental treatments.
You should speak to your private health insurer if you want to add additional dental coverage to your insurance plan.
Supplementary dental insurance
In contrast to private health insurance, public or statutory health insurance in Germany generally only covers basic, medically-necessary dental treatments like check-ups, fillings, root canal treatments and dentures. Sometimes only a portion of the costs are covered.
You can see exactly what is covered in our guide to dental care in Germany.
To avoid having to pay money out of pocket, some people therefore take out a separate or supplementary dental insurance plan with a private insurance company, to “top up” the dental care coverage provided by their public health insurance.
What is covered by supplementary dental insurance in Germany?
There are a whole range of different companies offering different kinds of supplementary dental insurance in Germany. There is therefore no fixed answer as to what is covered by a dental insurance policy.
Most providers offer different tariffs that cover varying proportions of dental treatment costs, meaning you can tailor your policy to suit your budget and requirements.
Typically, a supplementary dental insurance policy would cover some or all of the cost of the following treatments:
- Professional teeth cleaning
- Fillings
- Root canal treatments
- Mouth guards
- Pain relief
- Tooth replacements like implants, veneers, bridges, crowns and inlays
- Preventative treatments
- Orthodontics
- Teeth whitening
Whenever you are considering a dental treatment, it’s wise to ask your dentist for a cost plan (Heil- und Kostenplan). You should submit this to your dental insurance provider to get their approval before commencing treatment. This way, you know exactly what will and will not be covered by your insurance policy.
Waiting periods
It’s worth bearing in mind that some dental insurance policies in Germany include waiting periods (Wartezeiten). This is a period after taking out your insurance plan during which you are barred from making claims.
Some insurers also limit the amount of money you can claim on your policy during the first one or two years. Check your policy details to be sure you know exactly what is covered and when.
How much does German dental insurance cost?
Dental insurance in Germany is not a huge expense, with the simplest tariffs starting at less than 10 euros per month. The exact premium will vary depending on:
- The conditions and scope of the policy: You will pay a higher premium for more comprehensive coverage.
- Your age: Dental insurance is more expensive for older people.
- Your dental health: You can expect to pay more if you have preexisting dental or oral health concerns, for instance, if you have already had teeth extracted or have active periodontal disease.
How to take out a dental insurance plan
Most insurance providers in Germany allow you to take out dental insurance plans online. Simply compare offers and then contact your insurer of choice to register.
Cancelling your dental insurance
Dental insurance policies in Germany normally have a minimum contract duration of one year. After the year is up, your policy will automatically renew unless you cancel.
Typically, you need to give your insurance provider at least one month’s notice to cancel your dental insurance policy. This normally needs to be done in writing.
There are some exceptions:
- If you took out your insurance policy fewer than 14 days ago, you have a special right to terminate immediately and receive a refund.
- If you are still in your first 12-month policy period, and you have received a claim payout, you may not be able to cancel your plan until the end of the contract.
- If you are leaving Germany permanently, you have a special right of termination. You should provide proof of your move, such as a deregistration certificate or notice of termination of your health insurance.