
Statutory health insurance pays a fixed subsidy (Festzuschuss) for crowns, bridges and dentures. In the EU, the EEA, the UK and Switzerland it can be paid for treatment abroad if the insurer approved the treatment and cost plan first. Türkiye is outside that route, and we found no way for planned dental treatment there to be subsidised.
A private dental top-up policy may cover treatment abroad, depending on its terms. Check before you book.
How the Festzuschuss works
- Basis
- The cost of the standard treatment for your problem (Regelversorgung), not the treatment you choose.
- 60%
- Without a bonus booklet.
- 70% or 75%
- With a bonus booklet showing check-ups for five or ten years.
- Implants
- Not standard treatment, but the subsidy for the standard option is still paid. You pay the difference.
Treatment abroad
- EU, EEA, UK and Switzerland.Submit the foreign dentist's treatment and cost plan (Heil- und Kostenplan) in German before treatment starts. If the insurer approves it, you pay the dentist and claim the subsidy afterwards. A court refused payment where approval had not been obtained first.
- Türkiye.Not part of that system. The German–Turkish social security agreement mainly covers urgent treatment during a stay, not planned dental work.
- Private top-up insurance.Some dental top-up policies (Zahnzusatzversicherung) cover treatment worldwide. Read the policy terms and ask the insurer in writing.
Comparing a quote
Because the subsidy is lost, compare the Turkish quote with your share of the German cost, not the full German price, and add travel and a second trip. See costs at home and the treatment pages.
Entry and travel advice
Check the Federal Foreign Office's travel and safety advice for Türkiye before you book.
Sources
- Verbraucherzentrale: Zahnersatz, what statutory insurance pays (2026)
- Techniker Krankenkasse: dental prostheses from abroad
- beck-aktuell: LSG Niedersachsen-Bremen, prior approval for dental prostheses in the EU (2019)
- Allianz: health cover in Türkiye and the social security agreement (commercial)
- ERGO: dentist abroad (commercial)
- Auswärtiges Amt: Türkei, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise
