Student dental insurance makes most sense if you want to cover the gap in dentures: in 2026, statutory health insurance pays a fixed subsidy (Festzuschuss) of 60 percent of the standard treatment (Regelversorgung), and you pay the rest yourself. From 1 January 2027, this subsidy falls to 50 percent under the law that has been passed. Whether an additional policy makes sense for you depends on tariff criteria such as waiting period and dental scale.
Key points in brief
- For dentures, statutory health insurance pays a fixed subsidy of 60 percent of the standard treatment in 2026. With a bonus booklet, it is 70 percent after five years and 75 percent after ten years of regular check-ups.
- From 1 January 2027, the fixed subsidy falls to 50 percent of the standard treatment. Approved treatment plans up to 31 December 2026 keep the existing rules.
- In cases of hardship, the fund pays 100 percent of the standard treatment. Receipt of BAföG can also lead to this.
- Key criteria of a dental supplementary policy are the waiting period, the dental scale, benefit limits and the treatment of pre-existing conditions.
What does statutory health insurance pay for dentures?
For dentures, statutory insurance pays a fixed subsidy per finding, the Festzuschuss. In 2026, according to betanet, it is 60 percent of the standard treatment. The standard treatment is the dentally necessary basic care for the particular finding. If you choose a more elaborate solution, the difference remains your responsibility.
With a completely maintained bonus booklet, the subsidy rises to 70 percent after five years of regular check-ups and to 75 percent after ten years. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists (KZBV) publishes the current amounts per finding.
| Situation | Fixed subsidy (share of the standard treatment) |
|---|---|
| Without bonus booklet, 2026 | 60 percent |
| Bonus booklet, five years of regular check-ups, 2026 | 70 percent |
| Bonus booklet, ten years of regular check-ups, 2026 | 75 percent |
| Hardship case | 100 percent of the standard treatment |
| From 1 January 2027, basic subsidy | 50 percent |
Example with assumed figures: if the standard treatment for one finding costs €1,000, the fixed subsidy in 2026 without a bonus is €600. Your share is then €400. From 2027, at 50 percent, the subsidy would be only €500, and your share €500. With higher-quality dentures, your share rises accordingly.
When does the fund pay 100 percent as a student?
In a hardship case, the fund covers 100 percent of the standard treatment. According to betanet, the 2026 income limit for single persons is €1,582 gross per month. People receiving social benefits also qualify, and according to the Consumer Advice Centre, BAföG is among them. For students with BAföG, this can therefore be relevant. If in doubt, ask your health insurer before you sign a treatment plan.
What changes for dentures from 2027?
Under the law that has been passed, the fixed subsidy falls from 60 to 50 percent of the standard treatment on 1 January 2027. The hardship rule remains unchanged. According to betanet, treatment plans approved by 31 December 2026 keep the previous rules. So if treatment is due, the date of approval can affect your share. Ask your dentist and your health insurer which rule applies to your plan.
What does the fund pay for prophylaxis and orthodontics?
Dental treatment, dentures and prophylaxis are three separate areas of benefits. Under the law, individual dental prophylaxis under § 22 SGB V applies to insured persons from age six up to the completion of their 18th year. Whether and to what extent your fund contributes to dental cleaning for adults, your fund will tell you.
Orthodontics is restricted for adults: under § 28 para. 2 SGB V, orthodontic treatment for insured persons who have completed their 18th year at the start of treatment is not part of the statutory benefits. Severe jaw anomalies that require combined oral-surgical and orthodontic measures are excluded from this. What the fund does not pay beyond that is explained in the guide What statutory health insurance does not pay (in German).
Is student dental insurance worth it?
It can be worthwhile if the share you pay for dentures weighs heavily on you and you take out cover in good time. It is not compulsory. The Consumer Advice Centre generally advises taking out supplementary insurance only once the important risks are covered. An overview of sensible building blocks is in Supplementary insurance for students (in German).
Whether you are covered under your parents’ dental supplementary policy depends solely on that policy. Check the documents, ask the insurer whether and for how long children in training are included, and get the answer in writing.
What matters in a dental supplementary policy?
Compare these criteria before every purchase:
- Waiting period: The time after the policy starts during which no benefits or only limited benefits are paid. The tariff sets its length.
- Dental scale (Zahnstaffel): A cap on reimbursement in the first contract years. Check up to what amount the tariff pays in the first, second and later years.
- Benefit limits: Maximum amounts per year or per treatment, and the share the tariff reimburses.
- Pre-existing conditions and health questions: Answer all questions completely and truthfully.
- Scope of cover: Dentures, dental treatment and prophylaxis are separate building blocks. Check which are included.
Can I take out a dental supplementary policy during ongoing treatment?
This is a typical trap. Ongoing or already planned treatment and missing teeth are queried in the health questions, and the tariff often excludes them or does not reimburse them. So take out cover before treatment is due, and do not give anything wrong in the application questions. Incorrect information can later jeopardise your claim.
When is it cheap to take out cover while studying?
Waiting periods and the dental scale run from the start of the contract. If you take out cover early, you have them behind you before larger procedures become necessary. Depending on the tariff, the age at entry can also affect the premium. The monthly premium depends on the tariff.
If you are privately insured, other rules apply. More is in Dental benefits in private health insurance (in German) and Dentist costs in private insurance during studies (in German). The difference between comprehensive and supplementary insurance is explained in Comprehensive and supplementary insurance (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Is student dental insurance worth it?
That depends on your risk and your budget. The fund pays only a fixed subsidy for dentures, and from 2027 it falls to 50 percent. If you do not want to bear the share alone, you can check a supplementary policy. What matters are the waiting period, the dental scale and the benefit limits of the tariff.
How high is the statutory fund’s subsidy for dentures?
In 2026 the fixed subsidy is 60 percent of the standard treatment. With a bonus booklet, it is 70 percent after five years and 75 percent after ten years of regular check-ups. In a hardship case, the fund pays 100 percent of the standard treatment. From 1 January 2027, the subsidy falls to 50 percent.
What is a waiting period in dental supplementary insurance?
The waiting period is the time after the policy starts during which no benefits or only limited benefits are paid. Each tariff sets its own length. Read it in the terms before you buy, and do not plan treatment for that period.
Can I take out a dental supplementary policy during ongoing treatment?
That is usually difficult. Treatment that has begun or is planned, and missing teeth, are queried in the application and often excluded from cover. Answer all health questions completely. Incorrect answers can later cost you your claim.
What does a dental supplementary policy cost as a student?
The premium depends on the tariff and its benefits. Compare offers only for the same benefits: reimbursement share, dental scale, waiting period and benefit limits. A cheap premium with a narrow dental scale can end up costing more.
What to do now
- Discuss your current condition with your dentist and check your bonus booklet.
- Ask your parents whether you are covered under a dental supplementary policy, and get the answer confirmed in writing.
- If not, compare tariffs by waiting period, dental scale, benefit limits and health questions before any treatment is due.
- If dentures are planned, clarify the treatment plan with your health insurer before 1 January 2027, because the old rules may then still apply.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the route to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related articles
- Supplementary insurance for students (in German)
- What statutory health insurance does not pay (in German)
- Insurance for students: an overview (in German)
- Comprehensive and supplementary insurance (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
