Unplanned dental treatment can be expensive, but dental cover can offer financial protection to guard against costly dental work. Here’s how dental insurance in Ireland works and how to find the right plan for your needs.
It’s insurance that helps cover the cost of dental work. Dental cover is available as part of a medical insurance plan or as a stand-alone policy.
Dental insurance covers treatment to your teeth and gums and preventative care such as check-ups and cleaning.
Some procedures are fully covered, whereas others are only partially covered or excluded entirely.
Dental insurance could help you:
You pay a monthly or annual premium to your insurer in return for help with dental costs.
You’ll have to pay the dentist for your treatment up-front, then claim back the cost from your insurer, although some dentists run a Direct Payments scheme which means they take care of the claim for you.
Dental insurers also set claim limits of between €500 to €1,000 per year known as the ‘annual maximum’. Once you reach the cap, you won’t be able to make further claims to cover treatment costs.
Your monthly premiums might increase if you have to claim for expensive treatment.
This depends on the level of cover you choose, but most dental insurance policies include full cover for:
Procedures that are not covered include cosmetic work, veneers or whitening.
For other treatments, the level of cover you choose will affect what portion of your dental cost is covered.
Here’s an example of the type of treatments covered for a basic, mid-level or premium plan and the proportion of cost reimbursement.
| Type of treatment | Basic cover | Mid Level cover | Premium cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examinations (check-ups) | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Scale & polishes | 100% | 100 % | 100% |
| Emergency treatment | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Restorations (fillings) | Not covered | 70% | 70% |
| Crowns | Not covered | 40% | 70% |
| Periodontal treatment & maintenance | Not covered | 50% | 70% |
| Tooth extractions | Not covered | 50% | 70% |
| Prosthetic services (dentures) | Not covered | 60% | 70% |
| Dental implants | Not covered | Not covered | €2000 per fixture |
| Orthodontic treatment (braces) | Not covered | Not covered | €1000 |
| Oral cancer | Not covered | Not covered | €5000 lump sum |
| ANNUAL POLICY MAXIMUM | €500 | €1000 | €2000 |
Figures are indicative; for more information visit the insurer’s website and check the schedule of benefits for each policy
There’s usually an annual limit on how much you can claim, which is also dependent on the cover you choose.
A pre-existing dental condition is an oral health problem that is already present when you take out insurance.
Most plans cover minor pre-existing conditions, such as cavities or gum disease, but won’t usually cover more serious pre-existing conditions such as:
If they do, your insurer may impose a waiting period before covering any treatment costs.
Yes, you’ll be covered immediately for investigative, preventative and emergency treatment, which includes:
However, initial waiting periods apply to other procedures. Here’s an example of typical initial waiting periods for different types of treatment.
| Type of treatment | Examples | Initial waiting period |
|---|---|---|
| Investigative | Routine check-up, x-rays | Immediate |
| Preventative | Scale and polish, cleaning | Immediate |
| Emergency | Tooth abscess | Immediate |
| Minor | Fillings, tooth extractions | 3 months |
| Major | Dentures, Crowns, Inlays | 12 months |
| Orthodontic | Teeth straightening | 18 months |
An initial waiting period is imposed by health insurers when you take out cover for the first time and means you have to wait a set period of time before you are fully covered.
Annual premiums for adult dental insurance can be as little as €195 (less than €17 per month) for basic cover or around €392 per year (€33 per month) for premium level cover.
Dental insurance prices depend on:
You only need to provide your contact details and age to get a quote, so it’s worth shopping around for the cheapest price before choosing a plan and checking carefully that the plan meets your needs.
Dental problems are often unplanned and expensive, especially if you’ve left a dental issue for so long it results in emergency treatment.
You could find yourself paying up to €200 for a white filling (composite), up to €300 for tooth extraction and between €450 and €1,200 for dentures.
Dental insurance could help you plan and budget for the cost of dental treatments and spread the costs of any emergency procedures.
Protecting your dental health with insurance can give you peace of mind and guarantee 100% cover for investigative, preventative and emergency treatment.
You can get dental cover in several different ways. Here’s who provides dental insurance in Ireland:
Dental insurance can give you peace of mind and protect you from unexpected treatment costs, but you could end up wasting your money if the plan doesn’t match your needs.
Here’s how to make sure you’re choosing the right plan:
If you have read the Schedule of Benefits, FAQs and T&Cs and still have specific questions about a plan or specific conditions or treatments, call the insurer and speak to an adviser.
You may be able to claim for an annual free check-up and subsidised scale and polish under the government Treatment Benefit Scheme.
This scheme is available to employees, the self-employed and the retired who’ve made the required number of Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, but only 1 in 4 of those eligible claim their entitlement.
Not all dentists are registered providers of the PRSI dental scheme but if they are, you could be entitled to claim an annual free check-up, as well as a payment of €42 towards either a scale and polish or periodontal treatment.
If you’d like to find out more about the Treatment Benefit Scheme, visit Citizens Information.