Dentists and Orthodontists: What Swiss Health Insurance Covers

The cost of braces and other orthodontic procedures in Switzerland is very high. Typically, costs run into the tens of thousands of francs over the full course of the treatment. This guide explains what mandatory insurances cover, and gives you an overview of benefits for dental work and orthodontic treatments included in Swiss supplemental health insurance offers. 

Are orthodontic treatments covered by mandatory Swiss health insurance?

The basic Swiss health insurance that all residents are required to have generally does not cover orthodontic treatments. But there are exceptions to this rule: Dental work is covered if the problem results from severe illnesses or from medical treatments. Dental work is also covered if the problems result from an unavoidable, severe infection of the masticatory system (jaws).

Are orthodontic treatments covered by Swiss disability insurance?

Swiss social disability insurance (DI) generally does not cover braces or other orthodontic treatments. Here too, there is an exception to the rule: Disability insurance covers orthodontic treatments for severe dental and alignment problems in children that are classified as birth defects and may impact the child’s future career. This cover ends when you turn 21.

Each case is judged individually based on specific criteria for coverage. Your dentist should be able to tell you whether your child qualifies for orthodontics cover from disability insurance. If the case is accepted, disability insurance will cover the entire cost of the treatment.

Can I get supplementary health insurance for braces and orthodontic treatments?

Many Swiss supplemental health insurance offers include at least some coverage for orthodontic treatments for children and teenagers.

If you already have complementary health insurance for your child, check the terms and conditions to find out whether it covers dental alignments. It is also beneficial to compare orthodontics benefits when choosing a supplemental health insurance for your child, especially if either parent’s family has a history of tooth or jaw misalignments.

The table below lists all Swiss supplementary health insurance offers that have benefits for orthodontic treatments for kids. You can also see exactly how much orthodontics coverage each offer includes.

For offers that cover both orthodontics and other dental work, the limits generally apply to both orthodontics and dental work combined.

Coverage from supplementary health insurance for orthodontic and dental treatments is generally based on the pricing recommended by the Swiss Dental Association. If your dentist charges higher prices, the insurance coverage will generally be limited to the recommended price.

Is it worth getting additional dental insurance?

Many insurance providers also offer specialized dental insurance in addition to the dental and orthodontics coverage included in mandatory health insurance and supplemental health insurance. Unlike health insurance, dental insurance only covers dental and orthodontics treatments, and not medical treatments or healthcare.

For adults, the advantage of dental insurance is marginal because the insurance premiums are high in relation to the covered costs.

Children generally pay much lower premiums for dental insurance. Because of that, getting additional dental insurance can be a useful way to insure the remaining costs that are not covered by your child’s supplementary health insurance.

You can find useful information and a full overview of Swiss dental insurance offers in the guide to Swiss dental insurance.

More on this topic:
Compare Swiss supplementary health insurance offers now
Compare Swiss mandatory health insurance offers now
Dental insurance in Switzerland explained
Health insurance coverage for glasses, contact lenses, and laser therapy
Health insurance coverage for vaccinations