The Versorgungswerk für Zahnärzte (professional pension scheme for dentists, Germany’s dental pension funds) provides occupational old-age provision for dentists who are compulsory members of their state dental chamber (Landeszahnärztekammer). If you work as an employed dentist, you must check whether the duty to pay statutory pension insurance is replaced by an exemption in favour of the scheme. This guide explains the duty, the deadline and the typical mistakes.
Short answer: Employed dentists who must pay statutory pension insurance can apply for an exemption in favour of the professional scheme. The application must reach the scheme within three months of starting work, otherwise the exemption takes effect only from the date it is received (§ 6 para. 4 SGB VI, as of October 2026). Since 1 January 2023 the application must be filed electronically, according to a leaflet of the Landeszahnärztekammer Thüringen.
The most important points
- The exemption is not automatic. You must apply for it, including for marginal dental work.
- The three-month deadline decides whether the exemption applies from the start of your employment.
- The exemption applies only to the specific employment. A change of employer requires a new application.
- Late applications can lead to statutory pension contributions and back payments to the scheme.
- According to the leaflet, the employer pays a subsidy of 50 percent of the contribution to the scheme.
Who is exempt and who is not?
The legal basis is § 6 paragraph 1 sentence 1 number 1 SGB VI. Employees who are compulsory members of a chamber and of a professional pension scheme can be exempt if the further conditions are met. The statute is available at gesetze-im-internet.de (in German). The leaflet for employees and employers issued by the Landeszahnärztekammer Thüringen summarises practice (leaflet on exemption (in German), undated). For more on your career start and the insurance side, see Health Insurance After Graduation: Job Seeker Visa.
| Situation | What the leaflet says |
|---|---|
| Employed dentist subject to statutory pension insurance | Exemption in favour of the scheme, on application only |
| Marginal employment with dental activity | An application should be filed here too |
| Change of employer | New application within three months |
| Material change in the activity, for example towards controlling or medical journalism | New application required |
The deadline: when the exemption takes effect
Under § 6 paragraph 4 sentence 1 SGB VI, the exemption takes effect from the point when the conditions are met, if you apply within three months. A later application takes effect from the date it is received. For the deadline, the date of receipt at the pension scheme counts (§ 6 para. 2 sentence 5 SGB VI).
| Application | Effect |
|---|---|
| Within three months of starting work | From the point when the conditions are met |
| After three months have passed | From the date of receipt, not retroactively |
A 2019 case shows what happens when the deadline lapses after a change of employer. A dentist did not reapply in time. The Landessozialgericht (state social court) ruled that the exemption did not apply retroactively. She had to pay eleven years of compulsory statutory pension contributions, as APOTHEKE ADHOC reported on 15 November 2019 (in German). Incorrect advice from the scheme did not help, because the court held that professional pension schemes are not benefit providers within the meaning of SGB I.
How to apply
You file the application yourself. For an exemption under § 6 paragraph 1 sentence 1 number 1 SGB VI, it must be submitted electronically through the scheme. The scheme forwards it to the statutory pension insurance provider, which decides (§ 6 paras. 2 and 3 SGB VI). The German pension insurance authority also checks whether you are subject to insurance, for example where there are doubts about bogus self-employment. A request procedure exists under § 7a SGB IV.
- Note the start date of your employment and set a deadline three months later.
- Submit the electronic application through the scheme as soon as your contract is signed.
- Show the original decision notice to your employer.
- Clarify with your employer how the contributions are reported, so that no double contributions arise.
Contributions and employer subsidy
According to the leaflet, the employee’s share is usually deducted from salary. The employer’s and employee’s shares are paid together to the scheme, preferably by SEPA direct debit. The employer pays a subsidy of 50 percent of the contribution. If it is paid with the salary, the scheme must be informed.
We do not give a euro figure, because it results from the contribution rules and your income. Calculate it this way:
- Download the current contribution rules of the scheme from its website and note the version date.
- Enter the contribution rate and the assessment ceiling in a table.
- Calculate your share from your salary and deduct the employer subsidy separately.
- Check whether you can get back statutory contributions for earlier periods. The leaflet names the health insurer as the collection point for this.
Which benefits are provided?
According to an overview for employers, professional pension schemes provide old-age, occupational disability and survivors’ benefits. They are funded by member contributions and receive no state subsidies (status: 20 June 2022). According to the leaflet, the exemption is also a condition for an increased pension in the event of occupational disability. The exact benefits of each scheme are set out in its bylaws. For health cover during the career start, see Medical student insurance: electives, practical year and cover.
When does the exemption fit, and when does it not?
The exemption fits if you are employed as a dentist and the scheme takes over your old-age provision. It needs attention, however, because each change of activity requires a check. If you become self-employed or move into non-dental work, check the exemption before contributions go wrong.
A personal assessment of your situation is available from Academycon.
Frequently asked questions
Is it enough if my employer registers the exemption?
No. The exemption is an application by the insured person, received by the scheme. Your employer reports contributions but does not file the application for you. Clarify this in advance so that the deadline is not missed.
What counts when I change employer?
The exemption applies only to the specific employment (§ 6 para. 5 sentence 1 SGB VI). When you start with a new employer, the three-month period starts again. Without a new application, the exemption is missing for the new post.
Who decides on the exemption?
In principle, the statutory pension insurance provider (§ 6 para. 3 sentence 1 SGB VI). Against a refusal, the legal remedies of Book X of the Social Code apply accordingly (§ 6 para. 3 sentence 4 SGB VI).
What about marginal dental work?
The leaflet recommends applying for marginal employment with dental activity too. Marginally employed people can also be exempted on application to their employer under § 6 paragraph 1b SGB VI. Clarify in advance which route suits your side job.
Is the exemption secure if I become self-employed?
Not automatically. Different rules apply depending on the constellation, including § 6 paragraphs 1 and 1a SGB VI. Check the conditions before you change status and ask the scheme.
What you should do now
- Check whether your employment triggers a duty to pay statutory pension insurance.
- File the electronic exemption application within three months of the start.
- Report every change of employer and every material change in your activity to the scheme.
- Keep the decision notice and show it to your employer in original form.
Related reading
- Berufseinstieg nach dem Studium: So gelingt dir der Start (in German)
- Health Insurance After Graduation: Job Seeker Visa
- Private Health Insurance for Working Students in Germany
- Medical student insurance: electives, practical year and cover
Sources: § 6 SGB VI, exemption from compulsory insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026, in German); Leaflet for employees and employers on exemption, Landeszahnärztekammer Thüringen (undated, in German); information portal for employers, „Berufsständische Versorgung“ (overview, status 20 June 2022, in German); APOTHEKE ADHOC case report, 15 November 2019 (in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
