All about this insurance: Dental insurance
Is dental insurance worth it in Germany?
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Is supplementary dental insurance worth it in Germany?
In short
Usually yes if you are in public health insurance, in your mid 30s or older and want high quality dental work such as implants. Public insurance only pays a fixed subsidy towards the basic solution, so an implant often leaves you paying EUR 2,000 or more. If treatment is already planned or you only want basic care, it is better to skip it.
What it costs
Guide figures from publicly quoted tariff examples, monthly premium.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Entry tariff, age 30 to 40 | from about EUR 8 to 15 |
| Good tariff with 90 percent refund, around 40 | about EUR 20 to 40 |
| Implant, your share without supplementary insurance | about EUR 2,000 to 3,000 per tooth |
| Public subsidy with ten years of bonus booklet | 75 percent of the standard treatment |
Guide values as of September 2026. Your share for an implant is a guide value from our quoting practice. Your premium depends on age and tariff; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Implant in a back tooth, age 42, ten year bonus booklet
How the bill is split with a tariff that refunds 90 percent.
| Bill for implant with crown | about EUR 3,200 |
| Fixed subsidy from public insurance | about EUR 500 |
| Refund from supplementary insurance up to 90 percent | about EUR 2,380 |
| Your share | about EUR 320 |
Without a policy you pay about EUR 2,700 yourself. That equals premiums of about EUR 25 a month for around nine years. Without a bonus booklet the public subsidy is lower and your share higher.
What public health insurance pays and what not
Public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) pays a fixed subsidy (Festzuschuss) based on the simplest adequate solution, the standard treatment (Regelversorgung). If you choose an implant or ceramics, you pay the difference yourself.
With a complete bonus booklet (Bonusheft) over five or ten years the subsidy goes up, but it stays linked to the standard treatment.
What is different if you come from abroad
Supplementary dental insurance (Zahnzusatzversicherung) is aimed at people in public health insurance. If you have private health insurance in Germany or a special policy for newcomers, dental cover is often part of it already, so check that first.
The bonus booklet only records check-ups at German dentists. When you arrive you start at zero, so for the first five years you get the basic 60 percent. Ask your dentist to start the booklet at your first visit.
If you plan to leave Germany in a few years, the insurance only helps with treatment done here before you go. Many tariffs can be cancelled yearly, but check the minimum term and what happens to treatment that has already begun.
When it is worth it
When you care about implants, inlays or ceramics and no treatment is due yet. From your mid 30s the need for replacement teeth rises noticeably.
| Situation | Worth it? |
|---|---|
| Mid 30s to 50, healthy teeth, implant wanted | usually yes |
| Treatment already recommended | no, cannot be insured |
| Only standard treatment wanted | rather no |
| Children likely to need braces | only if taken out early |
| Over 65, many missing teeth | rarely, high premiums and exclusions |
The limits you should know
In the first four to five years almost all tariffs only pay up to a maximum sum. After an accident this limit often does not apply.
Missing teeth at the start are often excluded or cost a surcharge.
The honest calculation
If you put aside EUR 25 a month, you have EUR 3,000 after ten years. The insurance is worth it if more than one larger treatment comes up in that time, or if you do not want to carry the risk yourself.
Step by step
- Ask your dentist whether any treatment is already recommended.
- Check whether your health insurance already includes dental cover.
- Start or check your bonus booklet.
- Decide on the refund level for implants and inlays.
- Compare the maximum payouts in the first years and answer questions about missing teeth carefully.
Checklist
- No ongoing or recommended treatment
- Refund including public subsidy of at least 80 to 90 percent
- Implants and bone grafting included
- Maximum payouts in the first years known
- Missing teeth declared
Common mistakes
- Signing after the dentist has already drawn up a treatment plan
- Looking only at the premium and missing the maximum payouts
- Not keeping the bonus booklet up to date
- Buying it although your private health insurance already covers dental work
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
At what age is supplementary dental insurance worth it?
Often from your mid 30s, when more dental work comes up and premiums are still moderate.
Does it pay for treatment already under way?
No. Anything recommended or started before you signed is not covered.
Do I need it for professional teeth cleaning?
Not necessarily. Cleaning usually costs EUR 80 to 150 a year, which you can also pay yourself.
Does my dental history from abroad count for the bonus booklet?
No, only check-ups at German dentists are entered. Start the booklet at your first visit.
Is there a waiting period?
Many tariffs have none, but limit the payout in the first years.
Is it still worth it at 60?
Sometimes, if your teeth are good. The premiums are much higher then.
Sources
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Related questions
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