Dental care

Dental care is free of charge for children in Estonia! The Health Insurance Fund pays for dental care for insured persons under the age of 19. After the child has reached the age of 19, free dental care is provided for one year, provided that the need for treatment arose during the patient’s last visit before the age of 19. Free service is available at the same dental care provider where the need for treatment was identified.

A parent has the right to choose a dentist for their child. Always check whether the chosen dentist has a contract with the Health Insurance Fund. See the list of contract partners here. If the dental care provider does not have a contract, the parent must pay for the service in full and this money cannot be claimed from the Health Insurance Fund. The Health Insurance Fund only pays for the services listed in the Health Insurance Fund’s list of health services.​​​​

Family nurses and school nurses are obligated to recommend (refer patients to) dental disease prevention appointments – this is stated both in the family physician’s job description as well as in the regulation governing the work of school nurses. If a health service is provided without the presence of a parent – for example, some health services are organised by the school – the child must present their parent’s consent.