Am I eligible for general dental care allowance?

You can receive general dental care allowance if you

• turn at least 24 years of age during the year
• are insured in Sweden. You are if you live or work here. There are some exceptions to this rule.

Even if you live in a country other than Sweden, you may be eligible for general dental care allowance in certain circumstances.

What can I use my general dental care allowance for?

You can use your general dental care allowance for examinations, preventive treatments, and all other dental care that entitles you to national dental care subsidy. You can also use the allowance for partial payment of an agreement for subscription dental care.

Your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to tell you whether you can use your dental care allowance for the treatment you want.

How do I use my general dental care allowance?

To be able to use your general dental care allowance, you must go to a dentist or dental hygienist affiliated with the national dental care subsidy. Most are.

You do not need to apply for the allowance. The dental clinic´s IT-system is connected to Försäkringskassan. Your dentist or dental hygienist can see that you have a dental care allowance. Tell the dentist or dental hygienist that you want to use your general dental care allowance to pay a part of the cost. They will then deduct the allowance from your bill.

Your final cost depends on what price your dentist or dental hygienist charges for the treatment. They set their own prices, but you have the right to receive information about the cost of the treatment beforehand.

How much do I receive?

On July 1st of every year, you receive your general dental care allowance. The amount you receive depends on how old you are.

• From the year you turn 24 and throughout the year you turn 29, your general dental care allowance is 600 Swedish crowns per year.
• From the year you turn 30 and throughout the year you turn 64, your dental care allowance is 300 Swedish crowns per year.
  
• When you turn 65 your dental care allowance is 600 Swedish crowns per year.
  

It is possible to save the allowance and use it the following year. However, it is not possible to save the allowance longer than that.

Can I receive special dental care allowance?

Special dental care allowance is a subsidy you can receive if you have a certain illness or a certain disability that could negatively affect your dental health.

You can receive special dental care allowance if you

• turn at least 24 years of age during the year
• are insured in Sweden. You are if you live or work here. There are some exceptions to this rule.

Even if you live in a country other than Sweden, you may be eligible for special dental care allowance in certain circumstances.

You may be eligible for the special dental care allowance if one of the following applies to you:

• dry mouth due to long-term use of medication
• dry mouth due to radiation treatment in the ear, nose, mouth or throat region
• Sjögren's syndrome
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease having been prescribed oxygen or nutritional drink
• cystic fibrosis
• ulcerous colitis
• Crohn's disease
• intestinal failure
• corrosion on the teeth and anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or gastroesophageal reflux disease
• difficult-to-treat diabetes
• undergoing dialysis treatment
• suppressed immune system due to use of medication
• have undergone an organ transplant.

Your dentist or dental hygienist will decide whether you are eligible for the allowance. In order for them to be able to assess whether you are entitled to the allowance, a basis of assessment is needed. The documentation required depends on what illness or disability you have. More information on these rules can be found on the National Board of Health and Welfare's website.

Regulations on special dental care allowance (in Swedish) (socialstyrelsen.se) External link, opens in new window.

What can I use the special dental care allowance for?

You can use the allowance for preventive dental health measures, such as check-ups and tooth cleaning. You can also use the special dental care allowance as partial payment for subscription dental care.

How do I use my special dental care allowance?

To be able to use your special dental care allowance, you must go to a dentist or dental hygienist affiliated with the national dental care subsidy. Most are.

You do not need to apply for the allowance, but the dentist or dental hygienist must have a document confirming your illness or disability. If your dentist or dental hygienist determines you are entitled to the allowance, it is deducted from your bill.

Your final cost depends on what price your dentist or dental hygienist charges for the treatment. They set their own prices, but you have the right to receive information about the cost of the treatment beforehand.

How much do I receive?

• You receive the special dental care allowance twice a year. You receive 600 Swedish crowns on January 1st and 600 Swedish crowns om July 1st.
• You do not have to use the allowance during one single appointment. For example, you can use 200 crowns on one occasion and 400 crowns on another occasion. However, you have to use the allowance during a period six months.
  

What is high-cost protection?

High-cost protection is for individuals who have high dental care costs. This means that once your costs exceed a certain amount, you only need to pay for part of the cost yourself.

You can receive dental care compensation through the high-cost protection if you

• turn at least 24 years of age during the year
• are insured in Sweden. You are if you live or work here. There are some exceptions to this rule.

Even if you live in a country other than Sweden, you may be eligible for compensation through the high-cost protection in certain circumstances.

What can I use my high-cost protection for?

Your dentist or dental hygienist is required to let you know whether your treatment entitles you to compensation from high-cost protection or not. It applies for most treatments, but there are exceptions.

For example, you cannot receive compensation for teeth whitening, other forms of cosmetic dental care, or for dental care that is part of an agreement for subscription dental care.

Dental care that is part of treatment for an illness is not covered by the high-cost protection for dental care. Such dental care is subject to the county council’s regular patient fee and the county council’s high-cost protection for patient fees. For more information about this, please contact your county council or your region.

How do I use my high-cost protection?

To be able to receive compensation through the high-cost protection, you must go to a dentist or dental hygienist affiliated with the national dental care subsidy. You do not need to apply for the compensation. Your dentist or dental hygienist will deduct it from your bill.

Your final cost depends on what price your dentist or dental hygienist charges for the treatment. There are reference prices for different treatments that are eligible for dental care subsidies. However, the prices that your dentist or dental hygienist charge you may be higher. If this is the case, you cannot use high-cost protection for costs that exceed the reference price.

If you choose to use your general dental care allowance or the special dental care allowance, they are deducted from the total cost before the high-cost protection can be used.

You have the right to receive information about the cost of the treatment beforehand. If your treatment must be spread out over a number of visits, you should be given a preliminary written estimate over the total cost of the treatment.

When the cost of your dental care treatment reaches a total of 3,000 Swedish crowns during a period of twelve consecutive months, you only have to pay 50% of costs exceeding that amount. If your costs exceed 15,000 Crowns, you only pay 15% of the cost.

You can decide to start a new twelve-month period of high-cost protection before the previous period has ended. This can be favourable for you if you will need to receive an extensive and costly treatment.

Can I receive dental care subsidy?

You can receive dental care subsidy if you have a disability and are covered by the Act regarding Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS) or you have a permanent need for health and nursing care. Your municipality determines whether you are entitled to this.

What do I get?

You receive dental care to improve your ability to eat or speak, or to eliminate pain and discomfort in your mouth. The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care.
You can also receive a free oral health check-up in your home or where you live. During the check-up, you are given advice and tips on oral hygiene and a preliminary assessment of what dental care you need.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

To receive the dental care subsidy, you need a certificate. Contact your municipality or the unit responsible for dental care within your county council or your region for more information. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

If you have major difficulty taking care of your oral hygiene or are undergoing dental treatment because of a chronic illness or permanent disability, you can receive dental care subsidy. You must also have one of the following illnesses or disabilities:

• severe mental disability
• Parkinson's disease
• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• cerebral palsy (CP)
• rheumatoid arthritis
• systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• scleroderma (systemic sclerosis)
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• orofacial disability (malformations or chronic diseases in and around the oral cavity)
• cerebral infarction or stroke – if after six months you still have symptoms that make it difficult for you to take care of your oral hygiene or to undergo dental care
• a rare disease.

You can also receive the dental care subsidy if you have difficulties eating, speaking, swallowing, or you drool due to a rare disease.

What do I get?

The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care. Fixed prostheses like crowns and bridges are not covered by the subsidy.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

Contact your doctor to receive a special doctor’s certificate. Your healthcare professional is responsible for ensuring the certificate reaches the unit within your county council or region that is responsible for dental care. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

Can I receive dental care subsidy?

You can receive dental care subsidy if the dental care is an element of the treatment of your illness for a limited time. The dental care subsidy covers dental treatment

• of congenital malformations in the jaw area and in the face
• of injuries in the jaw area or face due to a disease
• of injuries to the teeth that occurred during an epileptic seizure
• in connection with a surgical procedure or medical treatment that requires you to be infection-free
• if you have changes in the mucous membrane of your mouth due to illness, medications or a generally impaired immune system
• if you are undergoing an investigation where there is suspicion that your illness is affected by your oral and dental health
• if you are undergoing radiotherapy of the ear, nose, mouth or throat area
• if you have chronic and severe pain in your face or jaw area
• if you are being investigated and treated for serious sleep apnoea (pauses in breathing while sleeping)
• if you have corrosion damage to your teeth caused by an eating disorder or gastroesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux and heart burn) and are medically rehabilitated.

What do I get?

You receive dental care that is an element of the treatment of your illness for a limited time. The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

In order to receive the dental care subsidy, you usually need a referral for treatment of your disease from your doctor. Before you receive your treatment, the unit within your county council or region that is responsible for dental care must have approved your right to dental care subsidy. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

Can I receive dental care subsidy?

If you have avoided dental care for many years due to a fear of dentists, you can receive dental care subsidy. You then receive dental care subsidy for treatment of your fear of dentists and the dental care you receive in connection with this. Both a dentist and a mental healthcare professional (licensed psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist) must have determined that you have an extreme fear of dentists.

What do I get?

You receive the treatment and dental care needed to treat your extreme fear of dentists. The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

For you to receive the dental care subsidy, the unit responsible for dental care within your county council or region must have approved your right to dental care subsidy before the treatment starts. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

Can I receive dental care subsidy?

You can receive dental care subsidy for replacing material in fillings and crowns if you are allergic or hypersensitive to the filling material.

What do I get?

You receive the dental care needed to replace the fillings. The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

For you to receive the dental care subsidy, the unit responsible for dental care within your county council or region must have approved your right to dental care subsidy before you go to the dentist. Contact the unit for more information. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

Can I receive dental care subsidy?

If you have chronic disease symptoms, you can receive dental care subsidy to have your fillings replaced as an element of medical rehabilitation.

What do I get?

You receive the dental care needed to replace the fillings. The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

To be able to receive the dental care subsidy, there must be an investigation plan and a treatment plan drawn up by a specialist doctor. The unit within your county council or region that is responsible for dental care must also have approved your right to dental care subsidy before you go to the dentist. Contact the unit for more information. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

Can I receive dental care subsidy?

You may be entitled to dental care subsidy if you need surgeries or treatments in your mouth, jaw or face that usually need to be performed at a hospital. One example is if you need jaw surgery under general anaesthesia due to a jaw injury.

What do I get?

The following surgeries and treatments are covered by the dental care subsidy:

• treatments of jaw fractures
• temporomandibular (jaw) joint surgery
• surgery to restore various soft parts of the face or facial skeleton after injury
• investigations and treatments of disease-related changes in the mouth
• investigations and treatments of pain conditions
• other treatments in the oral cavity or to teeth and jaws that require the technical and medical resources of a hospital.

The cost of the dental care visit is the same as a regular medical care visit and is included in the high-cost protection for other health and medical care.

How do I receive the dental care subsidy?

The healthcare professional performing the surgical jaw procedure determines whether the dental care is eligible for the dental care subsidy. For more information, contact the unit within your county council or region that is responsible for dental care. You can reach the unit through the region’s website or switchboard.

Collective list of region (in Swedish) (skr.se) External link, opens in new window.

Information on dental care if you have a major need for care in your daily life (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.