It’s one of those things you don’t really think about when you picked Amsterdam as your new hometown right? Visiting a dentist in the Netherlands for that matter might just be a tad big different than you’re old familiar one back home. And will this Dutch dentist speak English? Are they open in the evenings? Do they have fair rates? No worries there, some dentists in the Netherlands can take real good care of you: Dutch dental care belongs in the top class of the world and nearly all Dutchies visit the dentist once or twice per year. But it never hurts to know a few things before going to a Dutch dentist for the first time.
Check your (dental-) insurances
Let’s face it, just like your parents always said, if there’s one thing that’s really important it’s your health money! So if you haven’t opened up a Dutch bank account, now is the time. Dutch dental practices come in all forms and sizes but they do all have in common that you need a supplementary insurances package (‘aanvullend verzekerd’) in order to cover your dental costs. So when you want insurance cover for a dentist in the Netherlands you have to look for this when you pick your health insurance package.
Whether this is the way to go for you depends on your personal situation. Often dental insurance packages don’t cover the whole 100% of your dental costs or have a maximum of, say, 275 euro’s. Which may be enough for a regular check-up and some cleaning, but not for that elaborate renovation of your teeth.
Dental care prices
Getting an extensive root-canal treatment might just not be the greatest experience in the world. But it definitely does not get any better if you have to worry if you’re paying double the price than you might have gotten at another dentist. Luckily the Dutch government has this nicely sorted out, the ‘Dutch Healthcare Authority’ (NZa) sets the prices for all care in the Netherlands, dental care included, in order to make sure payments by the insurance company moves along smoothly.
And we should all be happy about this, because it makes a dentist in the Netherlands better affordable than in comparable countries. Furthermore, they are obliged to put out a price list so you can decide what it costs exactly (there are small differences) and which one you want to go for. If you’re lucky you can find an extensive English language list like this one by Lassus tandartsen in Amsterdam.
What kind of dentist do you want?
Enough about the costs already! Like I said before there are dentists in all shapes and sizes. Small local practices in the rural communities, but also modern clinics in the bigger cities in the Netherlands. What matters is that you pick one that fits your needs and wishes.
A good website is an indication that they’ve got an idea of ‘customer service’. Perhaps you can find something on their approach aka philosophy on it as well, having a forward thinking dentist might help when you’re in for the long haul. Also I personally like it if there are more than one dentists operating in a clinic, I for one don’t like to wait two and a half weeks until my personal and only dentist gets back from their holiday – if he or she has a (few) colleagues that can help me out then yes please!
“-Please hold your mouth sir”
Also check if they’ve got several specializations in-house so that you can get all the service that you need in the same clinic. Just having to go some place else for your dental-hygiene treatment because your small local dental practice doesn’t provide that service is not good for anybody.
Oh, and this should be a non-brainer – but look for a clinic that shines (pun intended) in the English department because you don’t want any linguistic mishaps when it comes to your dental situation. Let’s say you’re an expat and a filling comes loose, your wisdom teeth are coming through or you need a root canal surgery. You’re in insufferable pain, money is the last thing on your mind. If you’ve got parents back home supporting you then contact them and let them know sending money to the Netherlands can be achieved with minimal fees.
Can you even get into a dentist in the Netherlands?
Sometimes (small) practices are often already ‘full’ with clients and won’t take on any new ones. And you might also not want to be one of those last persons to make the cut and then have to wait for months to get an appointment for a routine procedure.
And there are, still in this day and age, also plenty of clinics which are only open during office hours. This never ceased to amaze me, especially in a city as Amsterdam where more than 75% have to go to work or school during these hours. Shouldn’t dentists (but also barbers or shops for that matter) especially be open besides the office hours?
And even more important, what if there’s an emergency of some sort? (the Dutch word is ‘spoed’ in case you are in a ‘noodgeval’) You don’t want to wait a whole weekend with something painful just because that one dentist is on holiday. So check their opening hours, ‘spoed’-procedures and if they’ve got more than 1-2 dentists in their staff.
Looking for a dentist in Amsterdam? Check out Lassus Tandartsen
So looking for an English speaking, got-all-the-specialisms, open after office hours clinic? Lassus tandartsen has all of this and they are especially well-suited to the international person. With 2 modern clinics in Amsterdam and over 15 dentists on their staff you know they’ve got your back when you’ve got anything aching.
And no worries that all that service is gonna cost you, because thanks to the Dutch gov. all prices are roughly the same – so you might as well go for the fancy clinic in Amsterdam that speaks perfect English.
Besides an Expat-friendly approach Lassus also has a wide variety of specialists on board, so that way you don’t have wait for ages if you need another specialist treatment (and even more important, no communication ****-ups between two dental clinics).
Oh, and it shouldn’t be important, but it looks nice on the inside as well:
Here’s how to sign up as a new patient with Lassus tandartsen. Or call their two clinics straight away:
– Keizersgracht 132, 1015 CW Amsterdam
Tel: 020 422 19 12
– Lassusstraat 9, 1075 GV Amsterdam
Tel: 020 47 13 137
So how are your experiences with a dentist in the Netherlands? Anything special to watch out for? Feel free to share with us in the comments!
DutchReview worked with Lassus Tandartsen on bringing you this article
Such a good article! Finding a good dentist can be hard, especially for expats. Fortunately, we have good dental care in the Netherlands!
Can anyone tell me if the dentist care of children is covered by the insurance company in the Netherlands?
Dutch dental care is one of the worst.
They are not developed in comparison with any other country. They use methods from the 70’s.
They are unaware of last discoverings and investigations. Let alone that they DO NOT STERILIZE instruments. Only wash them in a dishwasher at 90 degrees when its proven that many bacterias and viruses die only at 128 degrees.
The rest of European countries STERILIZE all instruments. At least according the rules.
The Dutch rule instead says that sterilizing is not mandatory.
So I cant understand why you say that Dutch dentistry is top.
I am a dentist. I have worked in different countries.
I agree, the dentists here think themselves to be very superior than from other countries. There is a lack of knowledge in terms of the advancement that has taken place in the recent years. They should follow how Canada and other countries do the treatment rather than following the old school methods.
It’s time we get some dentists from outside so that the market here gets competitive and citizens get the best of the world treatment.
Just had a tooth removed by Lassus tandartsen and they have removed the wrong tooth, they should have removed the moler on the upper right instead of the upper left, I’m raging! Anyone know if they are liable to compensation in the Netherlands?