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Guide

Czech Health Insurance and Dental Care: What's Covered

What Czech public health insurance covers at the dentist in 2026, what you pay yourself, and how private insurance for foreigners and the EHIC work.

By Prague Dental Clinics Editorial Team Last updated

Dental care in the Czech Republic is a mix of care covered by public health insurance and treatment you pay for yourself, often at the same dentist and sometimes for the same tooth. The rules changed significantly in 2026, so older articles may be out of date. This guide explains the current position and what to ask before treatment.

Is dental care free in the Czech Republic?

Partly. If you’re in the Czech public health insurance system, basic, necessary dental care is free at a dentist who has a contract with your insurer. That includes preventive check-ups, basic white fillings and some root canal treatment. Implants, cosmetic treatment such as whitening and veneers, and higher-grade materials cost extra, and some treatments are only partly covered. Dentists without an insurance contract charge you directly. Visitors from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can use the EHIC at contracted dentists; other visitors pay themselves and claim on travel insurance. Always ask for the price before you agree to treatment, and see what dentists in Prague charge.

Who has which insurance?

  • Public health insurance (veřejné zdravotní pojištění). Under the Public Health Insurance Act (No. 48/1997 Coll.), this covers people with permanent residence in the Czech Republic and employees of employers based in the Czech Republic, among others. Since 1 January 2024, children under 18 with a long-term residence permit are also included. You’re insured with one of the Czech public health insurance companies; the largest is VZP.
  • Private (commercial) health insurance for foreigners. Foreigners who aren’t in the public system must show proof of health insurance before they’re granted a long-term visa or residence permit. In practice that means a commercial policy.
  • Visitors from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). See below.
  • Other visitors rely on travel insurance. Check the dental section of your policy before treatment.

What public insurance covers (2026)

At a dentist who has a contract with your insurer:

  • Preventive check-ups: one a year for adults, two a year for children and teenagers under 18, and two a year during pregnancy.
  • Scale removal and hygiene checks: preventive scale removal is covered at most once a year. Since 2026, the preventive oral-hygiene check is covered once a year for adults and up to twice a year for under-18s.
  • Fillings: since 1 January 2026, a basic, non-layered white (composite) filling is fully covered for adults. For a layered filling, often used for larger or harder-to-reach cavities, insurance pays part and you pay the difference. For under-18s, all white composite fillings are fully covered. If a tooth had a fully covered filling in the previous 24 months, a new filling on it usually isn’t covered again, with some exceptions.
  • Amalgam: since 1 July 2026, amalgam (“silver”) fillings may only be used in exceptional cases where the dentist considers them medically necessary.
  • Root canal treatment: for adults, a fully covered method exists for front teeth, canines and premolars. Molars aren’t covered, and if you choose another technique you pay the difference. For under-18s, root canal treatment is fully covered on all teeth, whatever the method. If a root canal has to be redone, you usually pay in full.
  • Specialists: oral surgeons, periodontists, children’s dentists and orthodontists with an insurance contract are paid for the procedures listed in the official reimbursement rules. Your registered dentist usually refers you to them.

What you pay for yourself

TreatmentCovered by public insurance?
Dental implants, and crowns placed on implantsNo. Excluded under Annex 1 of Act No. 48/1997 Coll., as is bone augmentation
Teeth whitening, veneers and other cosmetic workNo
Layered white fillings (adults)Partly; you pay the difference
Root canal on molars (adults) or by a non-covered methodNo, or partly
Crowns and bridgesPartly, at most
DenturesBasic dentures are covered at set intervals; better materials cost extra
Orthodontics (braces, aligners)Limited cover for children and teenagers; adults usually pay
Dental hygiene for adultsNot as standard, but some insurers contribute (see below)

For prices, see each clinic’s own price list, linked from its profile. Treatment pages such as dental implants in Prague list the clinics that publish one.

Contracted vs. private dentists

Not every dentist has a contract with every insurer, and some have none at all. A dentist without a contract (a fully private clinic) can charge you directly. Your insurer will only pay such a dentist for necessary urgent care. Before your first visit, ask:

  • “Do you have a contract with my insurance company?”
  • “Which parts of this treatment are covered, and how much will I pay?”
  • “Can I have a written treatment plan with prices?”

VZP says dentists should always tell patients in advance which materials and procedures are fully covered and which will cost extra. If you’re insured with VZP, see our list of dentists in Prague with a VZP contract.

Insurer bonus programmes

Public health insurers run prevention programmes that can refund part of the cost of care that standard insurance doesn’t cover. VZP, for example, contributes towards preventive dental hygiene for adults, on condition that you attend regular check-ups. Amounts and conditions differ between insurers and change every year, so check your insurer’s website or app, and keep your receipts.

Private insurance for foreigners

If you hold private health insurance for foreigners, read the dental section of your policy carefully. Dental cover is typically limited to urgent treatment (acute pain) and capped at a fixed amount per insurance year. The cap varies from policy to policy. You may need to pay the clinic first and then claim the money back.

EHIC and travel insurance

With an EHIC, you can be treated by any dentist who has a contract with a Czech public health insurer. Standard care is free, but you may have to pay for non-standard treatment or materials, such as some fillings or prosthetics. The dentist may ask you to sign a certificate of entitlement (Potvrzení o nároku). Emergency medical services, including the after-hours dental emergency service, charge a standard fee of CZK 90. Dentists without a public insurance contract don’t accept the EHIC.

With travel insurance, check whether dental treatment is covered and up to what amount. Contact your insurer’s assistance line before non-urgent treatment if your policy requires it, and keep every receipt and the dentist’s written report.

Checklist before any treatment

  • Does the dentist have a contract with my insurer?
  • Is this treatment fully covered, partly covered or not covered?
  • Have I been given a written price for the part I’ll pay?
  • Is there a fully covered alternative, and what are the trade-offs?
  • Can my insurer’s prevention programme contribute?

Not sure where to start? See how to register with a dentist in the Czech Republic, or find English speaking dentists in Prague.

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