How not to overpay for the dentist? You can save a considerable amount of money, but there is a condition. Who will benefit?

In Poland, a large part of the population decides to have their teeth treated privately. It is quite expensive and puts a huge strain on household budgets. A visit to the dentist's office is often associated not only with pain, which many people fear, but also with a very high expense – which for some Poles is a huge obstacle to regularly visiting dental offices. However, few people know that they are entitled to special co-financing under insurance from the National Health Fund. Dental prophylaxis is extremely important in preventing caries and other oral diseases. Regular check-ups at the dentist are one of its elements. This is what the National Health Fund will pay for, among other things.

What is not covered by insurance at the dentist?

Poles are much more willing to choose dental treatment in private dental offices. It is very expensive. The same applies to oral health prevention. However, it turns out that even during private visits to the dentist you can save a lot. There is special funding from the National Health Fund, which allows you to have your teeth checked three times a year. Additionally, once a year, the patient is entitled to a free dental examination along with oral hygiene instruction.

The average cost of such a dental examination is approximately PLN 150, so over the course of a year you can save a lot by having it performed under the National Health Fund. However, the condition for using these services is to have health insurance and for the office where the visit takes place to have signed an agreement with the National Health Fund.

What other dental services are free under the National Health Fund?

Dental treatment under the National Health Fund is possible, but the scope of services is limited. Therefore, it is worth taking advantage of those that we decide to buy anyway, paying out of our own pocket. Another one is scaling, i.e. removal of tartar – once a year, each insured person can also have their teeth scaled free of charge. Private scaling prices range from PLN 100 to PLN 300, so you can save a lot on this too. Additionally, in a office that has a contract with the National Health Fund, you can take two intraoral X-rays per year.

The exception are pregnant and postpartum women, who are entitled to a larger number of visits and a wider range of services under the National Health Fund. Lists of offices that have signed contracts with the National Health Fund can be found on the websites of the NFZ provincial branches. You can also use the National Health Fund's Treatment Dates Information. Even if you do not want dental treatment covered by your insurance (or it is due to the fact that the number of services is limited), you can safely take care of oral cavity prevention in this way. However, if you decide to undergo dental treatment under the National Health Fund, remember that you are entitled to all types of anesthesia for dental procedures and you do not have to pay extra for them.