With good population coverage and highly-qualified professionals, dental care in the Netherlands is excellent. However, since the dental care industry is privatised in the Dutch healthcare system, the extent to which you need to pay for your own treatments is determined by the level of health insurance coverage you have.
Dentistry in the Netherlands is privatised, meaning there are no public dental practices. Many dentists operate small solo practices where they work alone with one assistant, but increasingly larger clinics are becoming the norm, where several dentists work together in a practice along with hygienists and dental care assistants. There are more than 4.000 dental clinics in the Netherlands.
Dentists in the Netherlands are licensed by the government and have to be reexamined every five years to prove their knowledge and skills are up-to-date. This way, you can be confident that your dentist is a highly trained professional.
You can check our listing of dentists and dental care providers in the Netherlands to find an expat-friendly dental practice in your area.
There is high demand for dental care in the Netherlands, so be aware that some clinics may have a waiting list for new patients. If this happens to you, it’s worth knowing that it is common practice to put yourself on multiple waiting lists at once to help you find a dentist sooner.
Once you have found a dentist and registered with the practice, you can make an appointment with them, either over the phone or via the practice’s website. It’s usually possible to get an appointment within a week, and most practices will hold appointment slots for emergencies, so you can be seen quickly if you have an urgent need to visit the dentist, such as a broken tooth or severe pain.
Most people in the Netherlands pay regular visits to their dentist for check-ups - usually once or twice per year. During a checkup, your dentist will examine your teeth for cavities, tartar and gum disease and ensure your oral health remains good. If there are any issues with your teeth or gums, your dentist can recommend treatments.
Dental cleaning is not generally considered a routine part of dental checkups in the Netherlands. If you would like your teeth to be cleaned, you will normally need to book an appointment with a hygienist (mondhygienist). You can do this directly without a referral.
However, if you need to see a specialist like a periodontist, endodontologist or implantologist, your regular dentist will refer you.
The amount you pay for dental treatments in the Netherlands depends on your age and the coverage provided by your health insurance.
If you (or your children) are under the age of 18, basic health insurance covers the costs of common treatments, including:
Basic insurance does not usually cover things like:
If you are over the age of 18, your basic health insurance does not cover the cost of dental care. Generally only procedures done in hospitals, like dental surgery, are covered by insurance companies.
Since the costs of dental work can quickly add up - particularly if you require any complicated treatments - many people in the Netherlands choose to add dental insurance to their health insurance plan via supplementary health insurance. Around 80 percent of people in the Netherlands have additional dental insurance.
Your exact coverage will depend on your insurer, so it’s a good idea to check your policy documents to see what’s included before proceeding with any expensive dental treatments.
If you do have a dental insurance add-on, most insurers will reimburse somewhere between 75 and 100 percent of the cost of your dental treatments. Many will also set an annual maximum reimbursement limit (for instance, they will pay for the first 1.000 euros’ worth of treatments, then you will be asked to cover any additional costs). Note that almost all costs you pay towards dental care do not count towards your deductible excess (eigen risico).
Note that some insurers might operate a waiting period, meaning that a certain amount of time must lapse between you taking out the policy and being able to claim for any dental procedures.
Before they will agree to insure you, some companies might also ask you to fill out a questionnaire about your oral health, or alternatively ask you to visit the dentist for a check-up so they can determine the condition of your teeth and submit a statement (tandartsverklaring). This is more likely if your policy has a large reimbursement limit.
If you don’t have dental insurance, or you have a maximum limit set by your insurance company, it’s good to know that each year the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) sets standard rates for different types of treatments that all dentists in the Netherlands must stick to.
For example, the standard costs for 2025 are:
Before proceeding with any dental work, it’s a good idea to ask your dentist for an estimate or quote. If you have insurance, you can forward this to your insurance company so they can let you know how much of the treatment will be covered, and how much you will have to pay yourself.
After your appointment, the dental surgery receptionist will settle the bill with you. If your insurance covers 100 percent of the costs, they will forward the invoice directly to them. Otherwise, you may be asked to pay upfront and then have your insurer reimburse (some of) the costs.
If you have an emergency outside normal opening hours, you can still call your regular dentist. They will usually provide the name and number of an emergency dentist on call in your area. Alternatively, visit our medical emergencies in the Netherlands page to find out how to find general emergency care.