01
Basic dentures plan
Roughly doubles the public subsidy or refunds 50 to 60 percent of the bill. Cheap, but a lot remains with implants.
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Dental insurance in Germany: why crowns and implants cost you more than expected
German public health insurance covers check-ups, fillings and basic treatment well. For crowns, bridges and implants it pays only a fixed subsidy based on the simplest solution, and the rest is your bill. Supplementary dental insurance closes that gap, as long as you buy it before a dentist recommends treatment.
The question almost everyone asks first
Is dental insurance worth it in Germany?
For most adults in public insurance, yes, because dentures and implants are the largest costs public cover leaves open. Your fund pays a fixed subsidy of 60 percent of a standard solution, 70 or 75 percent if you have a complete bonus booklet of annual check-ups. With an implant, you can easily be left with 2,000 euros or more. A good plan refunds 80 to 100 percent of the total bill, minus what your fund pays.
Do the maths
Implant: what you are left with
Statutory health insurance pays a fixed subsidy for the basic solution; with an implant you pay most of it. Your treatment plan shows the subsidy.
Most policies reimburse a share of the total, minus what the Krankenkasse pays.
The German fixed subsidy, explained
For every dental finding, public insurance defines a standard solution: the simplest adequate treatment, often a bridge rather than an implant. Your fund pays a fixed subsidy of 60 percent of what that standard solution costs. If you choose something better, the subsidy stays the same and you pay the entire difference.
Keep your bonus booklet (Bonusheft) stamped once a year. Five years without a gap raise the subsidy to 70 percent, ten years to 75 percent. If you have just arrived, your booklet starts at zero, and check-ups abroad are usually not recognised.
Benefit limits and treatment already recommended
Almost all plans cap benefits in the first years, for example at 1,000 euros in year one and 3,000 euros in the first three years. Accidents are usually exempt. After that period, the plan pays its full percentage.
Treatment a dentist recommended before your policy started is not covered, even if the work begins later. The best moment to sign up is right after a check-up with no findings. If you arrive in Germany with a treatment plan from home, that treatment will not be insured.
Children and orthodontics
Public insurance pays braces for children under 18 only if the misalignment reaches a certain severity, the orthodontic indication groups 3 to 5. Milder cases and better materials are paid by parents.
A children's dental plan must be in place before the first orthodontic examination. Parents who move to Germany with young children should sign up early rather than wait for the school dentist's letter.
What is covered
- Crowns, bridges, dentures and inlays above the public subsidy
- Implants, in good plans including bone grafting
- Root canal and gum disease treatment where public cover does not pay
- Tooth-coloured fillings instead of basic fillings
- Professional teeth cleaning up to an annual amount
- Orthodontics for children, in some plans also below the public threshold
- Bite splints and functional analysis
- Dental work after an accident without early-year limits
What is not covered
- Treatment recommended or started before the policy began
- Missing teeth not yet replaced when you sign up, unless included for a surcharge
- Cosmetic treatment such as whitening
- Amounts above the benefit limits in the first years
- Orthodontics for adults, except after accidents or in special plans
- Bills above the maximum rate of the dental fee scale, if the plan does not include them
Who needs it
- Adults in German public insurance, ideally before the first major dental work
- Anyone who would prefer implants over bridges or removable dentures
- Parents whose children may need braces
- Expats who used to have dental cover through an employer at home
Who can do without
- People with comprehensive private health insurance that already includes strong dental benefits
- Anyone who already has a treatment plan, since that treatment is excluded anyway
Wheel of misfortune
Spin the wheel of bad luck
Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.
Cost:
Budget policy
Strong policy
See all six cases
- Crown after biting an olive pit, roughly 600 to 1,200 €. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Basic plans double the public subsidy. Strong plans pay 90 percent or more of the whole bill.
- Professional cleaning twice a year, roughly 80 to 150 € each time. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Plans for crowns and bridges only often skip cleaning. Comfort plans include a yearly budget for it.
- Root canal on a back tooth, roughly 300 to 1,000 € out of pocket. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Public insurance pays root canals on molars only in some cases. Plans with tooth preservation pay the private part.
- Treatment on a trip home, depends on the country. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Many German plans pay abroad but only up to German fee levels. Stronger plans pay worldwide with fewer limits.
- Three crowns in the first year, roughly 2,000 to 3,500 €. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays in part. Most plans cap payouts in the early years. Even strong plans pay the full amount only after the cap ends.
- Bridge for a tooth lost years ago, roughly 1,500 to 3,000 €. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Teeth missing before the policy starts are excluded unless you pay a surcharge at the start.
What it costs
Premiums rise with age, because the likelihood of dentures does. Signing up young keeps the start cheap, although many plans move you into higher age bands later.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| 43 years old, plan rated very good | around €25 to €58 a month |
What drives the premium
- Age at signing and the plan's age bands
- Refund percentage for dentures and implants
- Inclusion of bone grafting
- Teeth cleaning and preventive care
- Benefit limits in early years and waiting period
- Missing teeth at the start
Range from the Finanztip comparison, 2026, based on Stiftung Warentest ratings. Simpler plans cost less. Your premium is fixed in the quote.
The policy levels on the market
02
Standard plan
Refunds around 80 to 90 percent including implants, plus cleaning and preservation. The usual choice.
03
Premium plan
90 to 100 percent, bone grafting, fees above the maximum rate, short early-year limits, no waiting period.
How to recognise a good policy
| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refund for dentures | double the public subsidy | 90 to 100 percent of the total bill including the public share | Only a percentage of the real bill closes the gap for implants. |
| Implants | limited number per jaw | no limit, bone grafting included | Bone grafting can add several hundred euros per implant. |
| Early-year limits | five years with tight caps | short period or generous caps, accidents exempt | In the first years, these caps decide what you actually get. |
| Fee scale | up to 3.5 times the standard rate | beyond that with fee agreements | Complex work is often billed at higher rates. |
| Teeth cleaning | not included | €150 or more a year | Regular cleaning prevents expensive work later. |
| Children's braces | only on top of public cover | also for mild cases (groups 1 and 2) | Below the public threshold, parents pay the full cost. |
| Waiting period | eight months | none | A problem shortly after signing would otherwise not be covered. |
Insurers on the German market
Dental plans are offered by many German private health insurers. This is a market overview; differences between two plans from the same insurer are often larger than differences between insurers.
| Insurer | Background |
|---|---|
| ERGO | part of Munich Re, sold online and through agents |
| DKV | health insurer of ERGO Group |
| Barmenia | part of Barmenia Gothaer group |
| Hallesche | mutual insurer, broker distribution |
| HanseMerkur | Hamburg-based group |
| Württembergische | part of W&W group |
| Bayerische Beamtenkrankenkasse | part of Versicherungskammer group, open to everyone, not only civil servants |
| Allianz | agents and brokers |
From the BaFin register
42
42 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Krankenversicherer)
Show all 42 names from the register
- Allianz Private Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- ALTE OLDENBURGER Krankenversicherung AG
- ALTE OLDENBURGER Krankenversicherung von 1927 Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- ARAG Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Augenoptiker Ausgleichskasse VVaG (AKA)
- AXA Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Barmenia Krankenversicherung AG
- Bayerische Beamtenkrankenkasse Aktiengesellschaft
- Concordia Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Continentale Krankenversicherung a.G.
- Debeka Krankenversicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
- DEVK Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ENVIVAS Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ERGO Krankenversicherung AG
- Generali Deutschland Krankenversicherung AG
- Gothaer Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Hallesche Krankenversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- HanseMerkur Krankenversicherung AG
- HanseMerkur Krankenversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- HanseMerkur Speziale Krankenversicherung AG
- HUK-COBURG-Krankenversicherung AG
- INTER Krankenversicherung AG
- Landeskrankenhilfe V.V.a.G.
- LIGA Krankenversicherung katholischer Priester Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit Regensburg
- Lohnfortzahlungskasse Leer VVaG
- LVM Krankenversicherungs-AG
- Mecklenburgische Krankenversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- MÜNCHENER VEREIN Krankenversicherung a.G.
- NÜRNBERGER Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ottonova Krankenversicherung AG
- praenatura Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- Provinzial Krankenversicherung Hannover AG
- R+V Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SIGNAL IDUNA Krankenversicherung a.G.
- SONO Krankenversicherung a.G.
- Süddeutsche Krankenversicherung a.G.
- UNION KRANKENVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- uniVersa Krankenversicherung a.G.
- Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen Krankenversicherung AG
- vigo Krankenversicherung VVaG
- Württembergische Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
Source: BaFin company database, retrieved 18 September 2026. Insurers from other EU countries selling through a branch or without a German office are not included.
Legal basis and sources
Products and add-ons
Dentures plan
Crowns, bridges, implants and dentures only. Covers the largest costs.
Preservation and prevention
Cleaning, fillings, root canal and gum treatment, often combined with dentures.
Children's plan with orthodontics
For children before their first orthodontic exam, often switching to an adult plan later.
Plan without health questions
Quick acceptance, stricter early-year limits and sometimes longer waiting periods.
Myth or truth
True or false?
Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.
Amalgam fillings are banned since 2025, yet public insurance still pays for a filling.
This is true.
True. Since the EU ban took effect on 1 January 2025, public insurance pays for fillings made of substitute materials without a co-payment. More elaborate layered composite fillings are extra.
German public insurance covers treatment of gum disease.
This is true.
True. Since July 2021, it pays for structured gum treatment with two years of follow-up care. Special laser methods remain private.
A dental plan pays its percentage on any bill, whatever the dentist charges.
This is false.
False. Most plans pay up to the maximum rate of the German dental fee scale. Above that, only some premium plans pay.
For crowns, my public insurer must approve a treatment plan first.
This is true.
True. The dentist sends a treatment and cost plan to your insurer, which fixes the subsidy. Your private plan will ask for that same approved plan.
With no waiting period, my dental plan pays everything from day one.
This is false.
False. No waiting period is not the same as no limit. Most plans still cap payouts in the first years.
Common mistakes
- Signing up after the dentist has already drawn up a treatment and cost plan
- Reading the refund percentage as a share of the subsidy instead of the full bill
- Expecting full refunds in the first year despite benefit limits
- Not declaring missing teeth in the application
- Forgetting annual check-ups and losing the bonus
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
How much does an implant cost in Germany?
Often 2,500 to 4,000 euros per implant including the crown, more with bone grafting. Public insurance pays only the subsidy for the standard solution, usually a bridge, so most of the cost stays with you without a supplementary plan.
Does public insurance pay for dental check-ups and cleaning?
Check-ups twice a year and basic tartar removal are covered. Professional teeth cleaning is not, though some funds give a small allowance. Many dental plans pay for one or two cleanings a year.
Can I get dental insurance if I need treatment now?
You can sign up, but the recommended treatment will not be covered. The policy only pays for problems that arise after it starts.
What is a bonus booklet?
A booklet in which your dentist stamps your annual check-up. After five years without a gap your public subsidy rises to 70 percent, after ten to 75 percent. Many dental plans assume the full bonus, so keep it going.
Does dental insurance cover treatment in my home country?
Many plans pay for treatment abroad at the rates of the German fee scale. Check the conditions if you plan to have work done during visits home, and keep itemised invoices.
Are braces for adults covered?
Public insurance pays adult orthodontics only in severe cases combined with jaw surgery. Most supplementary plans exclude adult orthodontics or cap it tightly.
How long is the waiting period?
Many good plans have none, others eight months. The early-year benefit limits apply regardless.
Can I cancel my dental insurance?
Usually at the end of each insurance year with three months' notice, some plans have a minimum term. Signing up again later means new health questions and new early-year limits.
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