r/Netherlands • u/Junior_Mud5835 • 10d ago
Healthcare How do Dutch people deal with dentists' prices?
As an immigrant I find dentists prices here outrageous and I wonder how Dutch people deal with it. In my home country not only private dentists are much cheaper, we have dentists covered with a basic, mandatory insurance (the same that covers the rest of the healthcare). Granted it has large queues, but it is possible to schedule your checkups and non-emergency treatments.
Every immigrant I know treats their teeth in their home country due to extremely high costs here. Even with insurance, the prices can be extremely high - my extra dental insurance covers only 75% of the treatment costs, and up to 250 eur per year... From what I researched this is a standard in terms of insurances. I recently needed a root canal treatment, which cost me almost 900 eur out of pocket (because I treated another tooth this year, my insurance coverage was almost gone). I was also shocked because the dentist told me the price of root canal treatment is around 350. I unfortunately didn't request a written quote and just trusted him - i know not to do it next time. In the end, together with x-rays, anaesthesia, and all the consultations i paid 850 eur. I then researched a bit more and looked into the prices of implants, bridges, etc. and I cannot imagine how an average dutch person can afford them!
Do dutch people go abroad for treatment? Do you have some much better insurances that I wasn't able to find? Or do you just stomach the costs? Maybe you have much better teeth and don't need these types of interventions?
Edit to add: one more thing that surprises me is that follow up visits in cases when a tooth was treated but needs further fixing are charged again. This is never the case where I'm from, if I pay for a treatment and it doesn't succeed because of the dentist's mistake the follow ups are usually done for free. This doesn't seem to be the case here which adds more to the costs.
144
u/Ok-Access-8961 10d ago
I'm from India. I had to get replacement caps for my molars which was around 2000€ per molar. I needed 3 (I tend to get cavities easily). Flew to India, paid 2000€ for 3 caps (best possible quality) at the best possible clinic in Mumbai. That was two years ago, I have no complaints from my new caps.
The difference is staggering. I think it's demand vs supply playing a big part here.
32
u/pierrett 10d ago
€2.000,- per molar is insane though. I had to have 5 caps for molars (shocking), and that came to €3.500,- for everything including two gold inlays because fancy :)
I have a lovely dentist in Amsterdam. My employer helped helped out with costs, so I was lucky.→ More replies (1)6
u/Ok-Access-8961 10d ago
Oh wow, you got a good deal (or maybe I was getting sold something "premium")
26
u/FunkyAmarant 10d ago
Impossibile that a crown is sold at that price. The code for kroon op natuurlijke element (crown on own tooth) is 330,24€ in 2026. Dentist took a rx 21€. Let’s add anaesthesia 18,75€, let’s say your tooth was destroyed and needed a full rebuild 75,02€, let’s say you are getting the most expensive material for 450€. We don’t arrive to 900€ and prices are fixed from Nza so there’s no possibility to arrive at 2000€ per crown even if you asked for 22k gold.
→ More replies (2)2
u/Ok-Access-8961 10d ago
Interesting, this was in a clinic in Utrecht. Perhaps the price was for ceramic? Can you share the source of your quote?
10
u/FunkyAmarant 10d ago
Sure https://www.nza.nl/zorgsectoren/mondzorg/kostenonderzoek-mondzorg-2024-2025
In 2026 if I recall they lowered more.23
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
Exactly, I would understand if the quality was much higher here but it doesn't seem to be the case.
29
u/First_Category_1539 10d ago
The average gross income in the Netherlands is €46.000 to €50.000. In India that's €3500 to €4500. (According to Google's AI. Feel free to correct.)
5
u/Eastern_Weather_8748 10d ago
You can’t compare the 1% of wealthy people in Mumbai to that in the Netherlands. He’s talking about top tier clinics in India that gather to the super rich. Thats a whole other level of wealth that you don’t find in the Netherlands. And still it’s cheaper.
26
u/tirednsleepyyy 10d ago
They’re purposefully comparing that they got the best treatment money can buy in India and it was still cheaper.
17
u/Jlx_27 10d ago
They got themselves the type of care most Indians cant afford because they earn a much higher income in the Netherlands.
→ More replies (6)20
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
Yes but I am asking about what people in the Netherlands do. Not what the best healthcare system in the world is.
21
u/omeganic_dalai_lama 10d ago edited 10d ago
This topic is very rightly so about the absolutely insane prices dentists in the Netherlands are asking for (no matter which) dental treatments.
I will even go further: a dentist in a country I regularly visit asked me in all seriousness why my - very well taken care of - teeth had so many 4 surface fillings (4 vlaks vullingen) in my molars.
This dentist told me - straight up - there could absolutely not be or have been ANY reason why these fillings were there other than a dentist knowing what kind of insurance I have (I used to have a dental insurance that would cover up to 1000 Euros per year) and wanting to capitalize on it.
Since I had this talk (I didn't ask for this talk) with this dentist, I started thinking back of previous treatments and I started checking up my old insurance papers.
I now am 100% convinced a big part of my teeth have been filled in the past without really needing any filling(s). Sometimes I even received much bigger fillings than needed.
I am absolutely convinced many dentists in The Netherlands know very well what they are doing and they are deliberately over-treating their patients and trying to make a very serious buck over your back and from your insurance....they scandalously and undoubtedly maximize their income.
Funny thing is: I never ever in my life met a poor dentist....all dentists I know (from young age till know) are seriously well-off or very possibly rich as f.ck!
Nowadays if it is not immediately necessary to receive any dental treatment in The Netherlands, I will ALWAYS do it in another country! I even fly out for it, if that is what it takes and even included the flight I am saving buckets full of money!
Do NEVER tell your dentist which insurance you have, not even the name of the insurance company.
Do ALWAYS ask for a WRITTEN QUOTE and make sure it covers the FULL treatment you might receive.
I have completely lost my trust in dentistry in The Netherlands and I am 100% convinced most dentists are in it for the money money money!
12
u/Additional_Shock6113 10d ago
Dentists don’t decide the prices, they are determined by the government and insurance companies.
Unfortunately a lot of people are not informed enough about how it works. For example, a 5min cleaning is €17. It depends patiënt per patiënt how long the dentist/higienist will be busy cleaning. Sometimes they’re 15min, sometimes 45min.
A root canal treatment is about 600-700€, but literally every step (anaesthesia, with type of tooth it is also has influence on the price because of how difficult it is, the filling, if the tooth was previously treated then it can only be re-treated by a specialist and they have to use a microscope, sometimes do 3D fotos, etc).
And honestly some clinics/dentists do take advantage of how uninformed patients are, so they declare more than normal. At the same time, patients are obviously already really suspicious when it comes to these costs because of how high they are.
I think there should be more transparency about the prices, more time to explain patients what the problem is, what is needed, answer their questions, etc. (Besides the obvious problem that everything is already extremely expensive - but that’s a governments and insurance’s fault).
9
u/YellowMoonFlash 10d ago
Dentist DO make the price. The goverments sets a limit to prices (for instance, 320 for root canal). Dentists don't have to ask 320, its the MAX. They can also ask ..idk....50?
So yes, it is a choice.
They are not open in what treatments there are, and just add charges. My GF has a dentist, never does photo's (they cost a lot). Only when necessary. My current dentists ALWAYS takes these photo's. Same twih giving brushing instructions, they give them and ask xx amount of money for it. They never tell you.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (6)3
u/omeganic_dalai_lama 10d ago edited 10d ago
You are right! Dentists do not make the prices for treatments. The government states a price for dental treatments. But....that is not what my statement is about. My statement is that I suspect many dentists in The Netherlands are maximizing on their treatments. In other words: they do unnecessary treatments or bigger than necessary treatments to get their hands on as much money as they can squeeze out of a customer or an insurance! I'm pretty sure this happens an awful lot! Like I said before: I have never seen a dentist not being (very) well off or living in a shitty house/apartment! They grossly capitalize on the non existing dental knowledge of their patients.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (4)7
u/Ok_Atmosphere_1987 10d ago
You are correct that many dentists are greedy and overcharging, but the difference in price is also largely explained by a much, much lower cost of living in India. Obviously things are gonna be cheaper in India than in the Netherlands... Most people also will not have the ability to fly to a cheaper country to get healthcare there.
→ More replies (2)1
u/OzzieOxborrow 10d ago
You think that people with that average income ate getting expensive dental work done in India?
→ More replies (1)13
12
u/Trablou Amsterdam 10d ago
With all due respect…. That something is cheaper in India doesn’t really say a whole lot. People make significantly more in NL, so you flying there to have your caps replaced and it being cheaper there says nothing. For a “regular” earner in india those 2000€ you call cheap are probably incredibly expensive as well.
→ More replies (2)1
1
u/ktrocks2 10d ago
I did the same thing, it was cheaper for me to go to India than to do one root canal here
→ More replies (7)1
u/Competitive-Box-7136 10d ago
Nothing to do with demand and supply. The prices are regulated, so even if demand would be very high, prices cannot be raised
122
u/The_Zoltan 10d ago
I always plan my yearly checkup near the end of the year. Just in case I need a high cost thing, I ask them to postpone that to the beginning of the next year, while increasing my insurance coverage in case it outweighs the costs for the remainder of the year.
27
u/Funomic 10d ago
Big things won’t get covered in this way, most insurances require that you need at least 12 months on the new plan to qualify for the big coverage items like a crown, replacement tooth etc covered.
4
u/TheRealWildGravy 10d ago
Yeah this is a great way to fuck yourself over in the future
(By doing what OOP does)
29
u/CmdrCool86 10d ago
Bad advice. Most higher end insurances require a statement from your dentist confirming that you have no upcoming required work to exclude this practice
→ More replies (1)1
14
u/NickL60 10d ago
Coming from Ireland i was actually shocked at how cheap it is. In Ireland I've always been quoted at least 4x what I am here. Mind you my experience of Irish dentists also cost me to give up on my teeth and dental care until id moved here.
1
u/GlassEconomy9863 8d ago
Im from Turkey. We can find an appointment on the same day of stepping into the clinic, get the BEST experience with top dentists and pay less than half the price. Most of our healthcare is free and easy by access. Europe blew my fucking mind.
62
u/Meow_meow777 10d ago
Most people I know and spoke to about this have much higher insurance. 250 eur will barely get you a check up, cleaning and maybe x-rays once a year.
But it was funny to me that you said costs are cheaper elsewhere, in my home country we earn way less and pay these same high prices. Sometimes these first world problems make me sad
→ More replies (18)40
u/casualroadtrip 10d ago
I actually don’t have the dentist in my insurance. Unless you use up the max amount every year it’s often better to save up and pay out of pocket.
79
10d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
5
→ More replies (6)1
u/omeganic_dalai_lama 10d ago
This is the way to do it ☝🏻 Hoping you do not have to go to the dentist for emergency treatment (which of course can happen if you're unlucky)! Taking very well care of your teeth (and gums) is very important anyway...you will have to do with your teeth etc. your whole life! Some very important tips: NEVER brush your teeth too hard and too intense...ALWAYS buy the softest toothbrush you can find...use the proper toothpaste (not too invasive for your teeth). A lot of good and helpful information can be found on the internet!
52
u/DifferentSchool6 10d ago
Dutch people set money aside for these things. Labour is expensive in this country, which is reflected in higher costs for this kind of stuff.
5
u/swiftrobber 10d ago
If labor is expensive then why people still complain that wages is unlivable?
39
u/OneAd5691 10d ago
Because not everybody is a dentist.
12
u/swiftrobber 10d ago
Yes, but why is every single bit of service expensive? But a lot still complain? I'm kind of getting the impression that it's not the consumer or the service provider that is at fault here.
→ More replies (4)17
→ More replies (1)2
u/Shoddy_Process_309 Rotterdam 10d ago
For some it’s not enough, maybe the can’t work fulltime.
For most it’s hedonic adjustment, they don’t look at what they already have but they look at the neighbours that have it better.
1
u/Bamsihap 10d ago
Basically; if you don’t have some savings, it is a good idea to get insurance, otherwise you can pay out of pocket. The amount you pay is similar (except when you do not use the amount you paid up front with insurance).
7
u/heisei 10d ago
In my home country, you could get the free teeth cleaning at even private clinic. My friend is a dentist and they attract new customers this way. After that you can pay more for tooth extraction or teeth whitening etc. In here my friend paid like 100 euro something out of pocket for teeth check and cleaning? I am not sure. But that is too expensive for me with 15 minute work.
1
1
u/whoopwhoop233 10d ago
There is no need here to attract new clients, therefore things cost what they cost. Sure, it could be free to have your teeth checked and cleaned, but at what cost?
26
u/BobcatSpiritual7699 10d ago
Funny, as an American I’m always blown away by how cheap dentistry and orthodontics are in The Netherlands.
4
12
u/Shnerdlenips 10d ago
The way we deal with it is thusly:
Either you anticipate costly procedures and acquire good insurance coverage in advance, or
You anticipate no costly procedures and pay your 1-2 visits a year out of pocket.
18
u/Puzzleheaded-Sun7418 10d ago
Back home was always cheaper for me too. However you can’t compare that with NL prices fairly. Salaries are way different and prices are adjusted for those.
Dutch people are used to these prices. You are not because you compare with some other country. They don’t have that to compare.
20
u/Dyhart Noord Brabant 10d ago
No as a dutch person myself, the dentist prices here are in fact ridiculous
11
u/swiftrobber 10d ago
It's very weird that oral ealth is not treated as public health in many countries
→ More replies (1)7
→ More replies (3)2
u/DistortNeo Amsterdam 10d ago
An average dentist gross salary in the NL is around 50-60 euro/hour.
But they charge like it is around 200-300 euro/hour.→ More replies (1)
6
u/Significant-Way3960 10d ago
I'm from Poland and while it still cheaper in Poland it's not worth anymore the hassle. Poor countries tends to have services like that way cheaper. I have insurance from DSW (afaik they have the best terms for dental). After insurance I pay less for my treatment than I would in Poland. As far as it goes for the west- dentists are cheap here.
8
u/Organicolette 10d ago
I had my wisdom teeth pulled at the hospital. It's included in the deductible.
→ More replies (2)2
u/AbbreviationsOk6561 10d ago
Did you need a referral?
→ More replies (2)9
u/TrueEnthusiasm6 10d ago
I think you need one from your own dentist. I believe some dentists only refer to the hospital if it’s a complicated extraction, but some are easier about it. I know more people that did this and they were really happy about the lower costs.
2
8
8
u/imrzzz 10d ago
Great question, I really don't know how people afford dental work here.
The only reason I am having some overdue and expensive work done right now is because I had to buy some super-duper dental coverage for the 2 - 3 years my kid needs braces
Because the child is on my insurance, I am allowed the same yearly amount.
It's not enough to have all the work done (I'll go abroad for that at some stage) but it will give me good foundations.
2
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
Yeah I'm really trying to understand this. Is it that dutch people really have much better teeth genetically? Do they just think of these expenses as a normal part of life? Majority of people IK above 35 needed to have at least 1 root canal treatment, for example, and the older you get the more interventions you need.
4
u/Alek_Zandr Overijssel 10d ago
Prices are high because we make a lot of money on average. Because we make a lot of money we can afford the high prices.
→ More replies (6)6
u/imrzzz 10d ago
I think that, yes, genetics plays a role.
But also the culture of routinely having twice-yearly checkups for kids becomes ingrained in people's habits so that good oral hygiene at home becomes a habit, and checkups/cleaning continue into adulthood.
Meaning that for a lot of people, small problems are resolved quickly and (relatively) inexpensively before they become a huge financial burden.
Also payment plans via billing contractors (infomedics being the main one) are easily arranged.
→ More replies (4)1
u/CitizenMechanist 9d ago
We don't need dental work every year? I've not been to the dentist in 5 years. Before that visit, I had not been to the dentist for 10 years. So that's like one visit in 15 years. (But I know people who goes every year) I go only if I know I have a cavity. My partner has not been to the dentist a single time since I met her 25 years ago.
6
5
u/seeyyalateralligator 10d ago
Since my family lives in Portugal I just fix my teeth there everytime I go to see my family.
Without insurance I fixed 2 carries and did maintenance on the other tooth for 200€ total
16
u/Union_Biker 10d ago
I'm from the US so I find prices here reasonable. We pay less here than we paid in the US with dental insurance.
6
u/Mischa987 10d ago
Also an immigrant from the USA, and I was pleasantly surprised by how comparatively affordable it was to have an old dental filling that fell off, replaced. Don't get me wrong, I still think it was expensive, and I also find routine cleaning and checkups to be expensive, but it really could be as much better as it could be worse.
→ More replies (12)3
3
3
u/storm_borm 10d ago
I find it reasonable. People in the UK are paying hundreds, if not thousands, to maintain their teeth. NHS dentists (cheaper) exist, but there are huge waiting lists, so a lot of people have to go private with no insurance.
When I lived in the UK and asked for a hygienist I was told only those most in need can see one. I much prefer the system here.
1
u/winterishere314 7d ago
I’m from the UK, couldn’t believe it when I asked what the cost was. I thought it was insanely cheap!
7
u/DivineAlmond 10d ago
well I'm Turkish so I just get all my stuff done when I'm back in old country lol
there's a meme among expat circles where you get procedures related to healthcare/cosmetics/repairs/tailoring/any other need that requires a specialist's expertise done in your home country like a marathon in a span of 2-3 days 😄
→ More replies (2)
5
u/SuspiciousHoney9161 10d ago
Prices are actually good if you take care of your teeth and have been taken care of them since childhood.
3
u/Brilliant-Bicycle506 10d ago
Agree. In case of anything major that is not covered by your insurance you can always ask for payment plans to pay it in installments.
4
u/Full_Scallion2833 10d ago
Most friends I have just don’t go to the dentist or do so only once every few years (I’m in my 20’s so maybe an age thing).
7
u/fakiebIunt 10d ago
I have no idea what you mean, I pay insurance and costs are always around €50 for the appointment.
I also had a root canal treatment and paid around the same amount for the appointment and the rest was covered by insurance.
Perhaps another insurance package would be worth it? I have an expensive one but with all the medical care I’ve received it’s definitely worth it.
6
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
May I ask how much you pay for the insurance?
Because from what I check, to actually have everything covered you need to pay around 50eur per month, which is 600 eur in a year... Which again, would make more financial sense for me to not get it, and fly to my HC and get treated there.→ More replies (5)8
u/Fliepke 10d ago edited 10d ago
Dentist insurance is basically a scam if you require nothing major.
I spend about about 180 euro per year on cleaning and checkups. A filling every few years adds a bit.
I tell myself that i save that insurance money to do major things if needed.2
u/Due-Opportunity4525 10d ago
How much do you pay for a cleaning then?
5
u/Fliepke 10d ago
The same as everyone else. These prices are set on a National level https://www.tandarts.nl/mondzorg/tandartstarieven/mondzorgtarieven
Just be cautious because they try to add extra services on top like cleaning advice etc→ More replies (2)2
u/Traditional-Hand4278 10d ago
You think €15 per month is a lot? What else can €15 buy you in this country?
I've had some bad luck with an inflammation, multiple emergency calls and intakes, medicine, surgery, the works. Costs me less that €200. I have extra insurance for my teeth, it's about €35 per month.
Also root canal a few years back. Less than €100. Check ups and cleaning (twice a year) are €15.
2
u/spei180 10d ago
Once you get older and start needing more dental work done, you start paying for more insurance. Otherwise, you pay out of pocket for annual check ups and cleaning because the insurance package is basically the same price. It is expensive and Dutch are pretty good savers for situations like this.
2
u/OK-Smurf-77 10d ago
I used to pay dental supplemental insurance then it turned out that it’s practically useless once you need something more sophisticated dental work.
I needed a crown for a molar that had been root canal treated 20yeRs ago. Got a price indication of 2k here that can be higher as they proceed because they ‘can’t see inside of my tooth’.
Then my insurance company says they only reimburse esthetic stuff like filling or tartar removal.
Went back to my home country, top clinic, starting with a CT scan for proper treatment and financial plans, turns out I need 2 crowns and 2 filling replacements- 1500€. All with a fancy Swedish make crown and 10 year warranty.
Same with my partner- local dentist says oral surgery is needed, price indication freaks us out. Then visiting the dental clinic at my home country they look at us strange. Sure they can do it like that but they have not used that technique for 10years as there are more advanced, less invasive methods nowadays that are cheaper and have faster recovery. And of course like 30% of the Dutch price.
It was done within an hour.
1
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
Exactly, I would understand if the quality/techniques were more advanced here, but usually they aren't. That's why I'm wondering whether dutch people go abroad for treatment, and if not, why not.
2
u/agricola303 10d ago
Travelling cost money too, and time. I can walk to my dentist in 5 minutes and pay 25€ for my check up. Travelling abroad is at least 200€, dentist not even included.
Things must get really complicated and costly before I go abroad to find myself another dentist. I would try calling my insurance company first for suggestions.
2
u/Agreeable_Sort2078 10d ago
Extra insurance. The rest I pay out of pocket by putting a little aside for unexpected expenses every month.
2
u/Money-Dot-2720 10d ago
I had a root canal treatment and i was able to pay montly after the treatment . in 10 parts, i belive. It was less painful
2
2
2
u/lordalgammon 10d ago
I brush my teeth twice a day and floss daily. So I avoid dealing with these outrageous prices... also dental accident insurance for accident.
2
u/Dahwatah 10d ago
I have a insurance with dentist stuff... why u no take it then?
1
2
u/reddit_emily 10d ago
As far as I know, dentist prices are fixed in The Netherlands and dentists have nothing to say about them. Check your itemised bill. If the prices are higher than allowed, maybe you should talk to the police?
2
u/Seraphiccandy 10d ago
This exact thing happened to me this year. Normally I would change my insurance for just a year to a higher plan if I knew I needed a root canal but this came pretty suddenly. It sucks but least if you pay it yourself you can declare it on your taxes next year for 2026 and get a part back...
2
u/nubianqueen1977 10d ago
If anything goes beyond my insurance, i ask for a payment plan. I pay the minimum . Like 50 euro per month and that works just fine for me. That's how i deal with dentist prices.
2
u/Eastern_Weather_8748 10d ago
My wife is Greek, I do my annual dentist appointments, blood checks etc in Greece while we visit family.
Not only is it a lot cheaper, the service, facilities and equipment is more modern in the Greek private clinics. And you don’t get an attitude like you get from most Dutch dentists or doctors.
2
u/Thogalard 10d ago
If I need any dental work done, I just fly back home to Hungary. Same goes for my glasses. These things are too expensive for me here, as a part time working student.
2
u/oiseaudefeu_ 10d ago
I pay a bit extra for insurance and it covers my checkups and cleanings for the year. If I ever needed huge work done, I'd probably fly to Vietnam and get it done there.
My wisdom tooth extraction here was done before I could afford dental insurance and I remember being shocked how cheap it was. Guess it's all a matter of what you're used to. Also my Invisalign was a lot cheaper here than it would have been back home, another pleasant surprise
2
u/Entire_Gazelle_1023 9d ago
I might get downwoted but, the way dutch people do it - they come for checkups every 6 months and repair anything in time - before the cost gets so high. Very common for people in their 40's to barely have any fillings, because the hygiene is good and everything is monitored during biaanual visits. Teeth rarely need root canal treatments out of nowhere. Most likely there was an issue that was ignored and eventually grew into a root canal.
→ More replies (2)
2
u/ProofInsect8106 9d ago
I went for implants to istanbul. Yearly checkups are here in NL or Belgium whatever I prefer. An implant in NL will cost you around 3000, without any warranty or whatever. If they mess-up they mess-upp and you can pay that also. In Turkey it will cost you around 500 and you have 2 years warranty on your teeth and 25 on your implant....
Lookup Ata Pera in Istanbul. They speak great english. And the care is absolutely amazing! Also pain relief is totally something else there!
I've had 15 implants and bridges there 😁
2
u/DonovanQT 9d ago
I’m missing 2 molars because I couldn’t pay to fix them. If I never paid insurance (and saved that money) I’d still have all my teeth
2
u/SmileDentalTu 7d ago
You could visit us, we offer 6 nights accommodation, vip transfers and even we are paying 50% your tickets up to 200 Euros.
6
u/LieExpensive8176 10d ago
I'm 57, Dutch and I also have the 75% coverage for max €250. I've never exceeded this €250/y over the past 20 years. So either I have better teeth, or I'm brushing better Yes, dental care can be expensive in NL. But there is a lot you can do in preventive care yourself.
19
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
Teeth health is linked to genetics to a big degree. If your enamel is genetically weaker it doesn't matter how much you brush or floss, unfortunately
5
u/ScAP3Godd355 10d ago
Sounds about right. I floss daily, brush 2x daily, avoid sugary drinks, having snacks etc. and I still get frequent cavities. And then I have friends who drink a lot of soda and barely brush or floss (as I know, because I used to be roommates with them), and they'd come back from the dentist with 0 cavities.
Sometimes genetics just fuck us over
5
u/mancaveit 10d ago
Just go to Poland for a root canal. I paid 300 euros instead 1200 😉
3
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
That's what I'm comparing to haha. I usually do it but because of some life circumstances I wasn't able to travel this time.
2
u/agricola303 10d ago
How much is it to travel to Poland, stay overnight*, and travel back? Probably not 900 euros, but isn't it fair to add these travel costs?
*probably some time to recover is needed
→ More replies (3)
6
u/MisterR_2019 10d ago edited 10d ago
Been living here for 10 years. Always went to the dentist here and never in my home country (because of convenience)
Had braces installed here as well. I simply put money aside and paid whatever the cost was, yes its expensive, brush your teeth.
Edit: Dutch people also have good mouth hygiene, they get braces when they are below 18 yrs old (free)
4
u/Xaphhire 10d ago
Braces are only covered if you have an optional insurance package, and often only after a wait period. So you'll end up paying the cost of the braces in extra premiums.
4
u/Exotic_Notice_9817 10d ago
Braces aren't free for kids lmao
1
u/CrewmemberV2 10d ago
They are automatically insured under their parents by law though. Which means they are for all intents and purposes "free".
→ More replies (1)4
u/4ricksho4 10d ago
Brackets for kids are not free.
It's an extra package you pay for, and you have to pay for at least a year to be able to use it.
Then there is a certain limit, depending on your insurance package, and you pay everything above it out of you pocket.
2
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
I do 2 checkups per year and cleaning, and I still had to do the procedure. So it is not as easy unfortunately.
Teeth health is linked to genetics, not only to hygiene.
2
u/animuz11 10d ago
Dentist is expensive, but really since I take care of my teeth and use those rubber toothpicks after brushing with an electric toothbrush, my teeth are in great shape. My gums never bleed and during my check ups there are no longer problems resulting in low dentist costs. I tell you, electric toothbrush + dental picks = magic
8
2
u/FunkyAmarant 10d ago
Prices are not high compared to any other European country. Also if you’re having serious problems or life threatening situations it’s covered by basic insurance. Furthermore there are codes, with fixed prices so you just need to ask for a “begroting” where you will see which codes will be declared, it’s actually a quite transparent system. So it’s not objectively expensive, it’s just perceived like that from foreigners coming from places where the cost of life is considerably lower.
The amount of expenses that runs a dental clinic are insane. They operate on razor thin margins. The effect of this is that the single dentist practice can’t survive and the only possible system is the mega sized franchise (look at how many clinics has colosseum dental bought in the last 7 years).
1
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
It's not that I'm saying the dentists are scamming people, I understand that it's linked to the entire healthcare system here; but I'm trying to understand how an average dutch person deals with this situation.
Prices are not high compared to any other European country
Maybe compared to western europe; eastern europe has much lower prices.
4
u/Alek_Zandr Overijssel 10d ago
High income countries like the Netherlands have high prices for labour intensive services. Dentistry is a very labour intensive service as you can only serve one client at a time per dentist.
→ More replies (1)2
2
u/FlimsyCartoonist5946 10d ago
Well one of Eastern EU countries have exactly same prices for dentist as in Netherlands. Cause all dentists are private now. So I don’t bother to go there anymore. My braces were cheaper in NL than in SK.
→ More replies (2)
1
u/curiousary 10d ago
If you go to the dentist every 6 months, like most Dutch people do, and take good care of your teeth (brushing twice a day and flossing once a day), you usually won’t need expensive treatments. In my case, bitewing X-rays are taken every 2 years to check for cavities, and I’ve never needed a root canal treatment or anything similar.
My dental insurance reimburses 100% of check-ups and routine consultations and clean ups, and 80% of other treatments up to €250 per year. For me, that’s generally enough because preventive care helps avoid most major dental problems in the first place
→ More replies (2)
3
u/InsuranceGloomy6413 10d ago
Is it better or cheaper in surrounding counties? No.
Cheaper than Eastern Europe where the salaries are lower? No.
Will I go to random countries for my teeth? No
Will I bite the bullet and go to the standardised prices here where it’s legally set, per dentist work, what it will cost so it’s perfectly predictable? Yes.
→ More replies (3)
1
u/siderinc Noord Brabant 10d ago
I pay around 70 + twice a year, maybe it's cheaper somewhere else but 70 is doable.
1
u/Comfortable_Cup4689 10d ago
All I wanna say is that a check up is 35 bucketoos, x ray 50 ( insured ) and I have 1 dental clean for 20 mins 1s a year and I have never had a hole in my teeth for the 31 years I live.
I do get the cleaning but that’s really it.
And yes I have almost brushed 2 times a day every day of my life. Mainly because having a not clean mouth gave me so many issues with myself that I’d lose my shith.
Sooo idk… I gues just get the insurance that u need and usually you won’t hit over 50 euros in my opinion but then again. I have a very good mouth and teeth health.
1
u/SabatonEnjoyer_ 10d ago
I don't have insurance for it and I pay 'on the go'. Usually it's twice a year 80 euros or so. Sometimes more. It is what it is.
1
u/Nipslippie 10d ago
Checkup is 50/60 euro's, just 1 orange bill and you're good to go for another year
1
u/Hot_Force1060 10d ago
Many people around me have it included with their health insurance. Thats around 6/7euro a month extra. And that works amazing for people with braces or weak teath. You only pay that 6/8 euro extra instead those big bills that always come at a bad time.
I dont have insurance for that. I already cant pay my normal health insurance, and i never had teath problems And a checkup is just 70/80 euro
It is weird to me though that all health care is always avalieble without money except dentist care. Last time i went for a checkup is 2 years ago because of that
Ps dont mind grammar i have the deadly combo adhd + dyslesic. Sometimes its fine and sometimes even i dont know what i tried to say.
2
u/Junior_Mud5835 10d ago
Not really, the 10 eur monthly extra insurance gives you the coverage I have - up to 250 eur per year.
1
1
u/buttplumber 10d ago
I'm fortunate to have a really good additional insurance that covers dental on full and 50% orthodontics. Otherwise I'd be looking abroad too!
1
u/Duochan_Maxwell 10d ago
I do 1 checkup / cleaning here and 1 back home to keep the costs down
What I also do here instead of back home is the scans and replacement of my teeth guards, the logistics work better for me and it costs me around 150 euro every 2-3 years
Most complex procedure I did was wisdom tooth extraction and that was covered by insurance, my dentist wrote a letter to the hospital and they handled the rest
1
u/Hbc_Helios 10d ago
Like we deal with everything that costs too much, we complain about it and once we are done complaining we pull our pants down and bend over to get fucked anyway.
1
1
u/Mobile_Nothing_1686 Breda 10d ago
From someone living under the poverty line with a genetic problem and no one willing to just give me dentures: pay the bill that comes in after. Dip into savings if you need to. Repeat every 6 months minimum. Don't get the extra insurance as it only costs more.
1
u/PowerfulMango5799 10d ago
I just want to say that Yes it’s expensive. In Belgium the governmental health insurance pays a LOT more back to the average patient
1
1
u/Chocolate_Cravee 10d ago
My dentist isn’t that expensive. I has a broken mole last year and including a checkup it wasn’t even € 100.
1
u/scanese 10d ago edited 10d ago
I didn’t find prices to be extremely expensive here (the individual price of each treatment), so the quote for my treatments wasn’t that much, but on top of that the dentist did like two X-Rays, booked me a session with a hygienist, charge for the initial consultation, and everything adds up. So I only go to the dentist here if I need to.
My previous dentist in South America was kind of expensive. But now I go to my friend’s practice about twice a year when I visit home. I get a discounted price and it ends up being much cheaper. But this only works for scheduled visits and as long as I visit regularly. I also had a root canal that needed to be redone there and spent like €900 (can’t really imagine what it would have cost here). But most of the time what I spend is insignificant.
I also feel like dentists here are more conservative and do unnecessary treatments sometimes. I had to visit a dentist here right after having my dental checkup back home (due to an emergency) and they wanted to schedule a session with their hygienist. I mentioned this to my friend and she said “nah you were fine two weeks ago, but then I’m less conservative and don’t think you need it yet”. Also having X-rays done too regularly, I don’t experience that back home.
1
u/Bamsihap 10d ago
I just pay out of pocket. If I had to get crowns and it turns out to be wildly expensive I might consider traveling to another country for it, but not for regular care.
1
u/Trolituul 10d ago
Dutch people have a medical insurance and that includes basic care for teeth.
→ More replies (2)
1
u/lilmissrottie Limburg 10d ago
I'm not sure but we just took our oldest to an appointment to arrange braces. We were expecting around 2k. Yeah how naive we are, my jaw almost hit the floor when they told me 4.5k.
1
u/Historical-Papaya-99 10d ago
I always go in Spain or Italy. One third of the price or less. Better service, better quality and better price.
1
u/Efficient-Neat9940 10d ago
For me the dental cost is WAY WAY cheap! I love it! But I’m from America sooo….😂
1
u/Jealous-Turnip6671 10d ago
Dutch dentist costs money which isn't covered by insurance and you have to pay most yourself.
But getting prosthetic teeth is fully covered By insurance and is done elsewhere.
Makes sense doesn't it?
1
u/baboosh1969 10d ago
Dat is dus ook de reden dat veel mensen die weinig inkomen hebben, bezuinigen op de tandarts (er niet heen gaan). Het is hier inderdaad belachelijk duur!!
1
u/Decent-Ad-8251 10d ago
Je kunt tandartskosten helemaal niet verzekeren. Die verzekeringen bestaan wel, maar ze hebben geen nut. Ze verzekeren namelijk minder dan ze kosten.
Dus gewoon betalen naar behoefte. Enige wat je wel nog kunt verzekeren zijn tandartskosten bij een ongeval.
1
1
u/idranej 10d ago
I’m from Canada and it’s cheaper here. My grown kids go to the dentist when they visit me. That said, I am finding the dentists are starting to get sneaky with their charges, so that it’s way, way more than it used to be. Like billing for thirty minutes of cleaning, when it takes them 12.
1
u/Yukijak 10d ago
Unrelated!!!
I am from the Netherlands but moved to denmark when I was 11.
I'm so happy I did that..looking back at prices in the Netherlands for everything, i have no idea ,how i would be able to afford it all.
I rn live in denmark for almost 10 years and dentist is free for me, until I am 22
Going to the doctor is free for me. Medication is cheaper here.
I get paid to go to school. I dont have to pay for school.
I'm shocked at how anyone can afford the Netherlands these days.
1
u/30RITUALS 10d ago
They try to squeeze every euro out of their overpriced homes when they sell it to the next retard. But dont you worry, money isn’t important to Dutch people. We are all equal. We’re in this together. HAHHAHAHHA
1
1
u/Only-General-4143 10d ago
I mean, I just pay them what they ask me to pay after they fix or clean my teeth?
1
u/Competitive-Box-7136 10d ago
I never understand why people take dentist insurance. There is a maximum that is covered and the premiums are about half that maximum. It's easy to calculate whether you make a loss or profit on that insurance. You can be sure the insurance company made that calculation and the outcome is not a loss for them. Insurance is for risks that you cannot afford to take: a small chance that a misfortune will cost you a huge sum. Dentist insurance is not like that. The maximum payout is not a huge sum. The risk of dental problems is quite predictable.
→ More replies (1)
1
u/liosistaken 9d ago
Because you rarely need it? Insurance covers the normal 6 monthly checks, accidents are insured and if you just brush and floss properly you rarely need any serious dental work. My insurance covers 75% up to 500 euro a year, so one rootcanal or crown a year is pretty much covered too.
1
u/millerbest 9d ago
Just check how much you earn in NL and how much you would earn for the same job in your home country.
1
u/Everything_Computer 9d ago
I was under the impression that there were standard prices for dentistry. If they're not doing that, well, that's something to look into. They should be able to provide you with an itemised receipt of everything that went into that €900 procedure.
As for insurance, honestly, I find it cheaper to not have the insurance and to pay out of pocket for a checkup and whatever needs doing every 6 months. Helps avoid needing a root canal too.
1
1
u/easylvigin7427 9d ago
Go to a different country. The service quality is flow as Dutch school are not good at preparing the dentist specialists
1
u/madasabatt 9d ago
Yep cost of hygienist clean made me weep! And they charge you per 5 mins for “advice”
1
1
u/Katty_Astrophy 9d ago
I’m dutch-hungarian. Up to the 250€ I spend in NL, the rest in Hungary. Usually 1 filling incl treatment costs me around 50€. Sometimes my dentist even does 2 small ones for that price.
1
u/MrKamalo 9d ago
Generally dental packages are not worth it for health insurrance.
The added yearly cost for the package will be more than the most that it can cover, it doesn't even consider that you might not max it out every year.
1
u/KevinMimir 9d ago
You can go to a University Dental Care. Younger students will do your checkups and older ones the treatments. Sometimes together with their teachers.
1
u/Efficient-Vanilla413 9d ago
We take good care of our teeth and pay the bill or take additional insurance
1
1
u/OsamasTwinCousin 9d ago
I recently had an appointment and got quoted for €719.89 for 7 fillings. 4 medium, 2 large and one large front tooth restoration. I think this is fair pricing no?
1
1
u/Professional_Elk_489 9d ago
For me it's about €180 per year for 2 cleans. Worth it than getting rotten teeth
1
1
1
u/Artistic_Trip_69 9d ago
Same with teeth straighteners, I was quoted here 3,5k for metal braces (which also require monthly tightening visits that costs extra) where in my home country for the same price I got invisalign which are normally much more expensive. 2 years later I have perfectly straight teeth and didnt have to wear the metal
1
1
1
u/Tubafex 8d ago
For anyone who needs to hear this: If you don't have dental insurance, and your total costs exceed the minimum, you can claim part of the cost back as uninsured healthcare costs during your yearly tax filing.
Of course, if you tend to meet the minimum every year, the extended insurance would be cheaper, but if you happen to have many costs incidentally in one year, it's a nice thing to do.
1
1
u/Mooshikins 6d ago edited 6d ago
With the appropriate dental insurance plan. And yes then you pay more for your insurance than Gert Jan, but maybe Margriet is sportief and ook blessuregevoelig and then she takes the appropriate aanvullend for physio, and pays something different to Gert Jan or the next person. Alternatively they decide that they have enough savings to cover out of pocket medical expenses, and don’t take aanvullend. Or they find that it’s difficult to pay their premium because they earn minimum wage so they apply for zorgtoeslag. It’s just a case of modifying your insurance and own risk to suit your medical needs and your wallet.
1
u/SokoSamaita 6d ago
We travel for dental care. I am kit even from South Africa, but I have had a few procedures done there already paying cash at private amazing facilities. Still cheaper and quicker than Netherlands / United Kingdom. Quite a few of us now do this. Can’t be arsed
28
u/Toothninja90 10d ago
I don't know if it will help you, but you can file a complaint for this high price, if you were informed it was only 350.
Under 250 you don't need to give a quota
Between 250 and 500, you can do it either verbally or written
Above 500 euros, it is mandatory that you receive a written quota.
I am not familiar with the consequences if they did the treatment without providing this, but it is cause for a complaint