Transparent explanation of the costs of dental insurance: How to find the optimal protection
30 Apr 2025
11
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
The cost of dental insurance can vary greatly - from a few euros to significant monthly contributions. Understand the pricing and ensure you receive the best possible care without financial surprises. This article shows you what to look out for.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The cost of dental insurance varies greatly (from around €8 for young adults to over €80 per month), depending on age, scope of services, and dental condition.
Key benefit components include high reimbursements for dental prostheses (80-100 percent), professional teeth cleaning, and ideally short waiting periods.
Pay attention to dental scales that limit reimbursements in the first years, and choose a contribution model (with/without age reserves) that suits your financial planning.
Cost overview: What a dental supplementary insurance costs monthly
The monthly costs for dental insurance show a considerable range. Young adults under 30 can find plans starting at about eight euros per month. For more comprehensive coverage or if starting at a later age, the premiums can rise to 50 euros, 70 euros, or even over 80 euros per month. For example, there are already offers for children starting at 1.50 euros per month with good benefits. The investment in dental insurance can quickly pay off in view of potential dental costs of several thousand euros. A comparison of dental insurance policies is therefore essential. These price differences reflect the variety of offered benefits and rate designs.
Factors influencing the cost of your dental supplementary insurance
Several key factors determine how much dental insurance costs. The age of entry plays a significant role; younger policyholders often benefit from lower initial premiums. The chosen scope of coverage is equally crucial: plans that cover one hundred percent of the costs for high-quality dental prostheses like implants or inlays are naturally more expensive than basic plans. The current health condition of your teeth, such as missing teeth or known pre-existing conditions, can also influence the premium or lead to exclusions from benefits. Many insurers stagger benefits in the first few years, known as the dental scale, which initially limits reimbursement. Also consider whether the plan is tax-deductible. Selecting the right plan requires a careful consideration of these aspects.
Analyse of services offered: Which components are worth your money?
A good dental supplementary insurance should cover more than just the standard care. Pay attention to the reimbursement amount for dental prostheses, ideally between eighty and one hundred percent for crowns, bridges, and implants. The cost of a single implant can quickly exceed 3,000 euros. Professional teeth cleanings (PZR) should be covered or subsidised at least once, preferably twice a year, as a PZR often costs between 80 and 120 euros. Other important components can be:
Cover for high-quality filling materials such as composite.
Benefits for root and periodontal treatments above the standard rate.
Orthodontic services, especially relevant for children and adolescents.
Pain-relieving measures such as acupuncture or anaesthesia.
Waiver of waiting periods or as short as possible waiting periods (often three to eight months).
A plan with one hundred percent cost coverage for prophylaxis can help prevent expensive treatments in the long term. Carefully determining whether you are allowed to have two dental supplementary insurances is usually not productive, as a good policy should suffice. The balance between premium amount and depth of coverage is key here.
Practical examples: This is how much you can save with dental insurance
The question "How much does a dental supplementary insurance cost?" quickly becomes relative when considering the potential savings. A ceramic inlay, for example, can cost between 500 and 1,000 euros. Without supplementary insurance, you bear most of this cost yourself, after deducting the small fixed subsidy from the health insurance. With a good policy that reimburses, say, ninety percent, your personal contribution is significantly reduced. For example, if an implant costs 3,200 euros and your insurance covers ninety percent after deducting the health insurance contribution of around 400 euros, your personal contribution drops from 2,800 euros to just 280 euros. Even with a monthly premium of 40 euros, the insurance would have paid off after about seven months in this case. Consider how often a submission of a cost estimate might be necessary. These calculations highlight the financial benefits.
Expert tips for choosing a tariff: What to look out for
When choosing your dental insurance, don't just focus on the price. Our expert tip: Pay attention to the dental scale, which limits the maximum reimbursement amount in the first few years – for example, 500 euros in the first year, 1,000 euros cumulative in the first two years. Check whether the insurer waives its ordinary right of termination within the first three years of insurance. Another important point is the calculation of reimbursement: Does the insurer reimburse based on the total invoice or only after the statutory fund's preliminary performance? This can make a difference of several hundred euros. Some plans also offer improved conditions if you choose dentists from a partner network. Find out more about the details of dental insurance directly. Careful examination protects against later disappointments.
Understanding contribution models: Calculations with or without aging provisions
Insurers mainly use two models for premium calculation. Tariffs without age reserves often start with very low premiums for young people, which are then adjusted with increasing age or due to general cost increases in the healthcare sector. This means the monthly burden can increase significantly over the years. In contrast, there are tariffs with age reserves. Here, you pay a slightly higher premium from the outset. Part of this is set aside by the insurer to cushion the statistically increasing healthcare costs with age, thus keeping premiums as stable as possible in old age. Both models have advantages and disadvantages; the choice depends on your personal financial planning and risk tolerance. A long-term stable premium can be particularly beneficial in retirement. This structure significantly influences how much a supplementary dental insurance costs over the entire term.
The path to the right dental supplementary insurance: Explained step by step
Selecting the right dental supplemental insurance requires a systematic approach. Here’s the best way to proceed:
Needs analysis: Consider which services are important to you. Do you mainly need coverage for expensive dental prosthetics or also for prophylaxis and orthodontics (e.g., for an adult braces)?
Compare offers: Use independent comparison tools and pay attention not only to the price but also to the price-performance ratio. Often, three to five plans make it to the shortlist.
Answer health questions honestly: Incorrect information can lead to the loss of insurance coverage. Generally, questions are asked about missing teeth and ongoing or recommended treatments.
Check contract details: Pay attention to waiting periods, dental scales, cancellation periods, and exclusions. A waiting period of eight months is not uncommon.
Seek advice: If uncertain, professional advice can help you find the optimal plan.
Take your time with this process, as a good decision can save you several thousand Euros over many years. With these steps, you'll surely find the answer to how much a good dental supplemental insurance plan should cost for you.
nextsure: Your partner for worry-free dental health
More useful links
The PKV (Association of Private Health Insurance) provides information in a press release about the increase in dental supplementary insurance in Germany.
The GKV-Spitzenverband provides key figures and statistics on statutory health insurance.
The Federal Ministry of Health offers comprehensive information on dental treatment.
Also from the Federal Ministry of Health, here you can find information about preventive dental examinations.
The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists (KZBV) explains the fixed allowances for dental prostheses.
Destatis, the Federal Statistical Office, provides tables on healthcare expenditure by type of service.
FAQ
How much does a good dental insurance cost?
A good dental insurance that covers approximately 80-90 percent for dental prosthetics and prophylaxis costs about 20 to 35 euros per month for a 30-year-old person. For older individuals or more comprehensive coverage, it can be 40 to 70 euros.
What factors most influence the price of dental insurance?
The most important factors are the age of entry, the desired level of benefits (particularly the amount of reimbursement for dental prostheses), the health condition of the teeth at the time of contract conclusion, and the chosen premium model (with or without aging reserves).
Are there dental insurance policies without a waiting period and how much do they cost?
Yes, there are dental supplementary insurances without a waiting period. These are not necessarily more expensive than plans with a waiting period, but they often have strict benefit limitations (dental scales) in the first years. The costs are comparable to other plans and depend on age and benefits.
What is a tooth scale and how does it affect the costs?
The dental scale limits the maximum reimbursement amount in the initial years of insurance (e.g., 1,000 euros in the first year, 2,000 euros in the second, etc.). It does not directly affect the monthly premium but does impact the value of the insurance in the early period.
Are the contributions to the dental supplementary insurance tax deductible?
Yes, contributions for supplementary dental insurance can be claimed as special expenses in the tax return under preventive measures, provided the maximum limits have not already been exhausted by other insurance policies.
Do dental supplementary insurances also cover the costs for professional teeth cleaning?
Many good dental insurance policies cover the costs of professional dental cleanings once or twice a year, either fully or partially up to a certain maximum amount.
