Why dental care in basic insurance is a good idea

Many people in the Netherlands don't visit the dentist simply because they can't afford it. We find this worrying, because a healthy mouth is important for your health. Therefore, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN), commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, is investigating whether oral care for adults can be included in basic health insurance.

Five possible scenarios have been analyzed. These range from covering only the check-up to making dental care coverage available to everyone, in the same way it currently is for children. The Ivory Cross is participating in this process and has made its own calculation: what would it mean for your monthly health insurance premium?

How much does it cost?

Based on public figures (from 2024), we've calculated that adding dental care to basic health insurance, assuming current expenses, would cost approximately €13.90 extra per month. This is a basic health insurance policy without a deductible. This is comparable to the average monthly cost of supplementary dental insurance: around €14.

The Dutch Healthcare Institute calculated that total costs will increase if everyone is insured, which will amount to approximately €17 to €18 per month. This is because people who currently avoid healthcare will soon be visiting the dentist. And that's precisely the goal: to prevent people from suffering from pain or problems for too long.

But there's an important difference: basic health insurance is mandatory for everyone, and if your income is so low that you can't afford the premium, you can apply for healthcare allowance. Supplementary insurance has limitations and is for profit. You can't apply for healthcare allowance for it. That's why many low-income people don't take out this insurance. The result: they avoid healthcare.

Why This Matters

Currently, 83% of the Dutch population has supplementary dental insurance. However, 17% who don't have it, and those who avoid care, are at greater risk of dental problems. If dental care were included in basic health insurance, everyone would have equal access to it. This would prevent major health problems and long-term costs.

What's stopping it?

Health insurers make little money from supplementary dental insurance, but they do use it to attract customers. Therefore, they're reluctant to abandon it. Moreover, politicians are often criticized when public spending increases, even though, in this case, private spending decreases.

Still, it's important to remember: the government already pays more than half of healthcare costs through taxes and social security contributions. And over €8.4 billion goes to healthcare allowances annually. Including dental care in basic health insurance would use these resources more fairly and effectively.

Source: Report 'Cost analysis of oral care for adults', Dutch Healthcare Institute, October 23, 2024.

• See also the letter that Ivory Cross sent to the Dutch Healthcare Institute: Your advisory assignment regarding the entitlement to oral care for adults (as of October 14, 2025)