The municipal authorities are responsible for child dental care and school dental services.

Dental care is free of charge for all children under 18 years of age resident in Denmark. The municipal dental care service regularly checks children’s teeth, and when children start school they are automatically called in for dental check-ups. Dental healthcare workers also visit schools and day care facilities to teach children how to take care of their teeth.

In many municipalities dental clinics, some of them private practices, are affiliated to schools. However, the dental care will still be free of charge. If orthodontic treatment is necessary the dentist will refer the child to a specialist and the procedure is free of charge.

Children who need to have their teeth straightened will be referred to an orthodontist by the municipal dentist and the procedure is free of charge. Adults over 18 years of age must pay for orthodontic treatment.

It is up to you to choose a dentist.

The Danish Dental Association’s website has an online application where you can search for dentists by:

• Kliniknavn (Name of clinic)
• Adresse (Address)
• Postnummer (Postcode)
• Bynavn (Name of town/city)
• E-mail

To find a dentist located near your home, enter “your postcode” in the search area after Postnummer, and click on Søg (Search). A list with name of clinics (Klinik), their address (Adresse),where they are located (By), and their telephone number (Telefon) and a link to their e-mail address, Klik for e-mail (click to email), will be listed.

A visit to the dentist requires an appointment, and it is important that you are on time. Remember to have your health insurance card with you.

If you want regular check-ups, ask your dentist to send you a reminder when it is time for your next check-up. If you are given an appointment at a time which does not suit you, remember to contact your dentist to reschedule as soon as possible. Many dentists charge a fee from customers who do not show up for their scheduled appointments or do not give them enough notice of cancellation.

People over the age of 18 must pay for dental check-ups and treatment. Standard adult dental care and treatment is state subsidised, however. The subsidy will already have been deducted from the bill you receive.

Most dentists will send a bill for the services they have performed to your address, but it may be a good idea to check with the dentist how you can pay, before you go to the clinic, in case they require you to pay cash or by credit card or cash immediately after the appointment.

Note that all dental treatment and services have set prices and that all adults will be charged for all services. This means that if, for instance, you are offered anaesthesia when the dentist is filling your cavity, this service will be added to your bill in addition to the price of the filling. It is up to you to decide, in consultation with your dentist, whether or not this is necessary.

Ask your dentist for or the prices of the various services.

If you are a member of a private insurance scheme, you may be entitled extra financial assistance with regular or special dental treatment or operations. Read more about private health insurance under Insurance.

Every region in Denmark provides emergency dental services for the treatment of severe toothache, etc., outside normal opening hours.

In general, you cannot book an appointment with the emergency dentist, but all patients that arrive with severe, acute toothache within the opening hours will get treatment. Treatment by an emergency dentist often requires payment in cash or by credit card. The treatment of children under the age of 18 is paid for by the municipality. Remember to have your health insurance card with you.

The emergency dental services in the Central Jutland Region are located in Aarhus and in Holstebro. The dental services have a common telephone number: +45 40 51 51 62, where you can get information about the emergency dentists opening hours in Danish. The phone is only attended on Fridays from 18.00 to 19.00 and on Sundays and bank holidays from 10.00 to 11.00 and from 12.00 to 13.00.

In Aarhus, the dental emergency service is located at:

Tandklinikken
Brobjergskolen
Frederiks Allé 20
8000 Aarhus C
Phone: +45 40 51 51 62

Opening hours: Fridays 18.00-21.00 and Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 10.00-13.00.

Remember to bring cash as dental treatment is not covered by the national health insurance.

The Dental emergency service in Holstebro is located at:

Tandlægevagten, Regionstandplejen
Regionshospitalet Holstebro
Lægaardsvej 12
7500 Holstebro

Opening hours: Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 12.00 to 15.00.