Best Dental Insurance Spain [Ultimate 2022 English Guide]

Spain has an advanced healthcare system with state of the art technology and equipment. Healthcare is free for residents who make regular contributions to the social security system (a kind of tax deducted from their salaries). The standard of care provided through the national healthcare system is high quality, resulting in almost 90% of the residents using public services.

The system covers most medical expenses, but some like dental care are not covered entirely or require co-payments. If you are in Spain for a brief time period, you might have coverage either under the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or by some bilateral agreements that your country has with Spain. Otherwise, private healthcare options are available and you can opt for either private or international insurance to cover your expenses.

Quick Overview

1. Allianz Care – comprehensive cover, large global network
2. Cigna Global –  no waiting period, innovative treatment techniques, mobile app
3. Globality Health – great choice for expats, customer support round the clock, multiple plans, large network

Does Spanish Health Insurance Cover Dental Care?

Unfortunately, dental care is not usually covered under Spanish health insurance. The only exceptions are children under 15 and any emergency treatments needed by adults. Routine treatments for your teeth will need to be paid for, or you can take out private dental insurance for those. Rest assured, the quality of dentistry is very high while prices are lower than what you would find in other European countries or the US.

Children aged from 6 to 15 years are entitled to free dental treatments as long as they have a medical card. The exact treatments covered, as well as the ages of entitlement may vary by region. But usually insurance covers biannual check-ups, milk teeth extractions, fillings in permanent teeth and any other protective treatments. You will have to check with your doctor if they offer all of these services since not all dentists do.

Emergency dental treatments are also covered by the state as long as you are registered or have your European Health Insurance (EHIC) card. You can find these treatments at your nearest health center or hospital.

Why Do You Need Dental Insurance In Spain?

Quality dental care can prevent the need for more intensive treatments down the line. The quality of treatment in Spain has improved so much over recent years that it has become a destination for dental tourism. It is a good idea to discover options around you which offer the services you want, in the budget you have set out. Once you choose a place, you can get private insurance which can cover the cost of treatment.

Reducing your chances of tooth decay or gum diseases does not need to cost you too much, as long as you are choosing the right health provider and have a comprehensive insurance plan. Since most of the dentists in the country are private and compete with each other, it shouldn’t be too hard to find an option with good prices. So you will need to go to a private dentist and take out insurance that will cover your dental treatments. Almost 3 million people in Spain currently have private dental insurance.

Prices for treatments can vary a lot depending on your area of residence, but on average here are the prices you can expect to pay:

• Check-up: 20 euros
• Teeth whitening: 80 to 300 euros
• Dentures: 400 to 650 euros
• Fillings: 50 to 80 euros
• Tooth extraction: 30 euros, and 90 euros for wisdom tooth

Example Calculation For A Full Ceramic Crown

On average, you’ll find that dental crown prices in Spain are nearly 60% less than what they cost in the UK. Crown installation on average costs around 450 euros, but can range anywhere from 330 euros to 730 euros. Depending on your insurance plan, either the entire cost will be covered, or you might have to pitch in some contribution.

What Does Dental Insurance In Spain Cover?

Before you decide on a plan or the company which you will be getting insurance from, it is useful to take a look at your own needs for dental treatment. How often do you need to visit the dentist and what kind of treatments you need is a useful place to start. Dental insurance can reduce your healthcare costs by 40%. And you can save money by first matching your needs to the coverages offered, and then finding the insurance company that best falls within your budget. Some treatments will be covered entirely by the company, while for others you can get a discount and will be contributing some of the amount yourself.

A basic plan will cover general and preventive dental services like reviews and diagnostic tests, a free annual check, oral cleaning, extraction and fluoridation as well as emergency services round the clock. Other services might also be included in the package either at no cost to you or a discounted price. These can include tooth filling, prostheses, orthodontics and endodontics. You should also find out if stomatology, radiology, maxillofacial surgery and warranty on materials used are covered. Moreover, it is important to see if there is an age limit for coverage.

Given the growing expat population, you can even find English-speaking dentists in Spain. In larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona and other tourist areas you can find dentists offering their services and consultations in English.

What Is The Best Dental Insurance In Spain?

There are a number of factors which must be considered before you can answer this question. You must consider not only the coverage but also the guarantees and the conditions under which they operate.

Allianz Care

Allianz Care is an established insurance company founded in 1999, with its headquarters in Ireland. They have global operations and are currently present in 75 countries.

You cannot opt for their dental plans separately, but will have to get a core health plan and then opt for add ons. You can select the level of coverage for your basic plan, and then additional coverage like outpatient, maternity, dental and repatriation. There are two levels of dental plans, dental 1 and dental 2.

Dental 1:

• Highest level of coverage, with no limit
• Includes dental treatment and surgery
• Annual dental check-up which includes X-rays, root canal treatments and amalgam fillings
• Dental periodontics
• Tooth extraction, treatment of cleft jaw and fractures etc. Does not cover dental implants
• Emergency dental treatment up to 750 euros
• 80 percent refund on dental treatment
• Treatment for gum diseases
• Treatment to correct alignment, such as braces
• Dental crowns, dentures and implants
• 65 percent refund, up to 5000 euros
• A 10 month waiting period applicable

Dental 2:

• Maximum coverage of 2050 euros
• All other dental treatments covered are the same as above

Cigna Global

Cigna Global has more than 50 years of global experience in health insurance and has served around 94 million customers. It has a number of global centers and also has doctors in more than 200 jurisdictions. Its mobile app provides convenience for all your needs and is available in more than 170 different languages.

The company offers dental insurance under their Cigna Salud Dental Franquiciado policy. Not only do you have the option to choose from the many specialists within their network, but you will have access to more than 50 services, won’t have any exclusion period in the policy, and also have cover for any pre-existing dental conditions that you have.

• Choice of specialists within Cigna’s extensive network of more than 4400 odonto-stomatology specialists
• All coverage can be availed from day one, without having to complete any waiting period
• Get more than 50 free dental services like:
  • Initial diagnostic examination
  • Check-ups and consultations (with the exception of orthodontic check-ups)
  • Tooth extractions and X-rays
  • Orthopantomography
  • Annual dental cleaning and oral health education
• On other treatments you can get special prices and advantageous conditions
• Dental emergencies catered to in one of Cigna’s clinics
• Option to get innovative treatments like zirconium bridges, post reconstructions using fibre or carbon, and cast or injected Empress porcelain jackets

Globality Health

Globality Health is a Luxembourg based company which includes 5000 health experts from 26 locations worldwide in its network. Its high standard medical insurance policies have been formulated using its parent company Munich Re’s 80 year experience in the industry.

The company offers three levels of plans to individuals: the Classic, Plus and Top.

Classic:

• Treating oral mucosa and paradontium
• Simple dental fillings related to cavities
• Dental surgery, tooth extraction and root canal treatment
• Accidental dental treatments

Plus and Top:

• Treating oral mucosa and paradontium
• Simple dental fillings related to cavities
• Dental surgery, tooth extraction and root canal treatment
• Accidental dental treatments
• Regular screening for detecting disorders in the teeth, jaw and mouth
• X-rays, polishing and cleaning
• Dentures (like prostheses, crowns and bridges), implantological services
• Orthodontic treatments, dental lab work and related materials

The only difference between the Plus and Top plans is the amount covered for major dental services. The Plus plan reimburses for major dental treatments up to 2000 euros while the Top plan reimburses up to 5000 euros. Both have a waiting period of around 10 months.

Conclusion

In order to get adequate protection for each person in your family, you will need to opt for private insurance. Even though public insurance might cover some emergency treatments, it will not include other routine dental procedures and check-ups which might be necessary for good oral health. Dental insurance in Spain will give you access to first-rate professionals and dental care treatments of excellent quality. Once you opt for insurance, your provider can also give you a list of practitioners and specialists in your area.