The biggest difference between seeing a dentist in Germany and in China is this: basic treatments are fully covered by public health insurance (GKV), but anything related to comfort or aesthetics usually comes out of your own pocket. Knowing the boundary helps you avoid surprises when the bill arrives.
What GKV Covers for Dental Care
- Two routine check-ups per year (Kontrolluntersuchung): Free. Strongly recommended every year — you need the stamp in your Bonusheft (bonus booklet).
- Basic fillings (Füllung): Silver amalgam fillings for back teeth are free. For front teeth and some back teeth, composite fillings receive a subsidy; the rest is self-paid.
- X-rays: Free when necessary.
- Tooth extraction (Extraktion): Free.
Main Self-Paid Items
- Professional teeth cleaning (Prophylaxe): Around €80–130 per session, not covered by GKV at all. But it's well worth doing once or twice a year. Good dental clinics in Berlin require appointments 1–2 months in advance.
- Dental crowns (Zahnkrone): GKV provides a fixed subsidy (about €200–300). The extra cost for ceramic crowns is self-paid, typically €300–800 per crown. If you have a continuous 5-year Bonusheft record, the subsidy increases from 60% to 75%.
- Orthodontics (Zahnspange): For adults over 18, braces are fully self-paid. Fixed braces cost about €3,000–6,000; invisible aligners are more expensive.
- Dental implants (Implantat): Fully self-paid, €1,500–3,000 per implant.
The Bonusheft — This Booklet Matters
When you join GKV, you receive a Bonusheft (bonus booklet). Every time you go for a routine check-up, have the dentist stamp it. If you have a continuous 5-year record, GKV's subsidy for dental crowns increases from 60% to 75%; with 10 years, it reaches 80%. Even if you don't need major work soon, stick to the annual check-ups and get the stamp — it saves you a lot of money in the long run.
Finding a Dentist and Waiting Times
Search for "Zahnarzt" plus your city on jameda.de to see ratings and book online appointments. Waiting times for dentists are usually shorter than for general practitioners — typically 1–4 weeks. For acute tooth pain, you can request an emergency same-day appointment (Notfalltermin).
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