Your career start as a dentist in the preparatory period (Vorbereitungsassistenz) comes after your licence (Approbation). This phase is an employment relationship governed by a contract with a practice or clinic. This guide explains what to check on pay and how health insurance and disability cover work.
Short answer: No nationwide fixed pay for the preparatory period is stated here, because no checked source exists for one. The amount is set in the contract. If your annual earnings stay below EUR 77,400 (2026 limit), you are compulsorily insured as an employee in statutory health insurance. Last updated: October 2026.
Key points
- The preparatory period is an employment relationship. Pay is set in the contract with the practice or clinic.
- Regional dental chambers publish model employment contracts. They show common rules on leave, further training and notice.
- Employees with annual earnings below EUR 77,400 (2026) stay compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance.
- The general rate is 14.6 percent and the average additional rate 2.9 percent. Care insurance adds 3.6 percent.
- Disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU) starts when the contract starts. Health information at signing decides what is paid later.
What do you earn in the preparatory period?
No salary table with a reliable source is available for preparatory dental assistants. Pay is agreed between you and your employer. Whether a collective agreement applies is therefore one of the first questions to clarify before you sign.
The Chamber of Dentists Thuringia provides a model employment contract for preparatory assistants (Chamber of Dentists Thuringia, employment contract template for preparatory dental assistants (in German)). It shows which rules are common. It contains no pay figure and does not replace advice from your own chamber.
| Point in the contract | Why it matters | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Pay and allowances | Basis for net pay and contributions | Employment contract |
| Duration and fixed term | Shapes your planning and the move to the next position | Contract and chamber |
| Further training and release | Costs, time and entitlement to time off | Employment contract |
| Probation and notice period | The notice period decides how fast your situation can change | Contract and Section 622 of the Civil Code (BGB), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German) |
How high are social insurance contributions during the preparatory period?
As an employee you are compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance as long as your annual earnings stay below the compulsory insurance limit of EUR 77,400 (2026) (Section 6 of the Social Code Book V (SGB V), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). Employer and employee split the contribution equally (Section 249 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). The childless surcharge of 0.6 percentage points is paid by you alone if you are childless and at least 23 years old (Federal Ministry of Health, childless surcharge (in German)).
Assumption: gross salary EUR 4,000 per month, statutory health insurance, childless from age 23, status 2026.
- Health insurance share: (14.6 plus 2.9) divided by 2 gives 8.75 percent. 4,000 times 8.75 percent is EUR 350.00.
- Care insurance share: 3.6 divided by 2 gives 1.8 percent. 4,000 times 1.8 percent is EUR 72.00.
- Childless surcharge, paid by you alone: 0.6 percent. 4,000 times 0.6 percent is EUR 24.00.
- Total: 350.00 plus 72.00 plus 24.00 is EUR 446.00 per month.
Income tax and pension and unemployment insurance are not included. Calculate net pay with the tax and contribution calculator of the German Federal Ministry of Finance (in German). The contribution rates come from the GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution figures, status 1 January 2026 (in German).
Which disability cover do you need during the trainee period?
Disability insurance pays based on the job you last did, as it was without your health impairment (Section 172 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German), paragraph 2). Dentistry requires fine motor skills and long periods in fixed postures. How an insurer assesses that is set out in the tariff and in the health assessment.
Before you apply, you must disclose pre-existing conditions. If you do not, the insurer may reduce benefits or withdraw from the contract (Section 19 VVG, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). An early application has the advantage of better health terms but starts contributions earlier. Waiting keeps you flexible, but an illness in the meantime can make cover harder to get. An overview of costs and the start is in Disability insurance for students: costs and start.
What happens after the preparatory period?
After the preparatory period you decide whether to stay employed, join a practice or set up on your own. Each route brings different social insurance. Employees below the limit stay in statutory insurance. Self-employed people are voluntarily insured and contribute on a minimum assessment base of EUR 1,318.33 per month (2026). This gives a calculated minimum contribution of EUR 222.80 per month (assumption: reduced rate of 14.0 percent plus additional rate of 2.9 percent, source GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution figures, status 1 January 2026 (in German)).
Whether this step suits you depends on income, family and cover. There is no general recommendation. For the start after university, see Career start after university in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Am I covered by health insurance during the preparatory period?
If you are an employee and earn below the compulsory insurance limit, you are compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance. The employer registers you. Check the details on your payslip and ask your insurer if anything is unclear.
Can I take private health insurance during the preparatory period?
Only if your annual earnings are above the compulsory insurance limit or another exemption applies (Section 6 of the Social Code Book V (SGB V), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). At a typical starting salary the limit is usually well above your pay.
Is there state support during the preparatory period?
How the period affects your finances depends on your contract and your region. Ask your dental chamber or the regional association of dentists which support schemes exist in your federal state. Do not count on a subsidy until it is confirmed in writing.
Do I have to take out disability insurance during the preparatory period?
Not necessarily. An early application brings better health terms. Against it: contributions may be hard to carry on a tight budget. What matters is that you understand the tariff and the health questions before you sign.
Next steps
- Ask for pay, working hours and further training rules in writing before you sign.
- Check the requirements of your dental chamber on the length of the preparatory period and on the contract.
- Calculate gross pay with the contributions above and check net pay with the official calculator.
- Compare your health insurance with the obligations in your contract.
- Clarify the health questions before any disability insurance application and have the tariff reviewed carefully.
For your personal situation, a personal advice from Academycon (in German) can help. The information here does not replace an individual check.
Related guides
- Career start after university in Germany
- Health insurance after graduation: from exams to your first job
- Medical student disability insurance: timing and rules
- Switching to private health insurance at career start
- Career start as a pharmacist
Sources: Chamber of Dentists Thuringia, employment contract template for preparatory dental assistants (in German); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution figures, status 1 January 2026 (in German); Federal Ministry of Health, childless surcharge (in German); Section 172 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German); Section 622 of the Civil Code (BGB), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
