What does prevention cost?

The statutory health insurers do not cover the cost of professional tooth cleaning. You have to pay for the cleaning yourself: the dentist will charge roughly 50 to 150 euros for it. That depends among other things on how much work your teeth involve. Not every dentist offers the same services either, so ask beforehand what you get for your money

The statutory insurers only fund a basic version: the prevention assistant removes only the hard, visible tartar, and the insurer reimburses the cost of that only once a year. If you pay yourself, your teeth are also freed of soft deposits and polished to a high shine; in addition the dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar from your gum pockets

Patients with statutory insurance can, however, cover the cost of modern prevention through private supplementary insurance

A professionally carried out tooth cleaning takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Average costs are usually between about 80 and 100 euros, depending on the effort involved. For those insured under the statutory scheme, Book V of the German Social Code governs the range of dental treatment covered by the insurers. The statutory insurers cover the cost of prevention only up to the age of 18. Professional tooth cleaning for adults is not among the services borne by the statutory insurance. Different ways of charging are offered: costs may be billed by the duration of the treatment, with or without the use of the powder-water jet device, or as a fixed price. It is advisable to clarify the cost before the treatment begins

Private supplementary dental insurance is worth considering, as the cost of dental treatment, and of replacements in particular, keeps rising. Besides cover for replacements, a good policy should also include preventive measures and reimburse professional tooth cleaning