Reimbursements for private dental care
Tällä sivulla
Can you get reimbursement for private dental care?
You can get reimbursement for the following:
- oral and dental care provided by a dentist or specialist dentist
- laboratory tests and x-rays prescribed by a dentist or specialist dentist.
You can get the reimbursement already at the place of care by presenting your Kela card. If the service provider uses the direct reimbursement enquiry service (PALSO), you can also get the reimbursement by presenting an ID card. The reimbursement is deducted directly from the price of the treatment. You can get direct reimbursement from places of care that have an agreement on direct reimbursement with Kela. You can also claim the reimbursement later.
You can get reimbursement for oral and dental examination performed by a dentist every second calendar year. However, you can get reimbursement once per calendar year, if your health status requires this. In such a case, the dentist will inform Kela about it.
War veterans and persons having served in mine clearance operations
Oral and dental examinations are reimbursable more than once per calendar year for front-veterans and persons who have served in mine clearance operations and who have been awarded one of several qualifying official recognitions. Additionally, they can be reimbursed for treatments of a longer duration.
You can get reimbursement for up to 2 appointments with a dental hygienist that are booked without a referral from a dentist. Kela does not reimburse aesthetic treatments, however.
If you have a referral from a dentist, you can get reimbursement for up to a total of 15 treatments and microbiological examinations conducted by a dental hygienist based on the same referral. The treatments must be provided and the examinations conducted within 2 years of the date of the referral.
You can get reimbursement for orthodontic treatment for example when it necessary because of a cleft palate or upper or lower jaw deficiency or excess, or if you have significant congenital abnormality in the growth or development of the jaw.
Kela does not normally reimburse costs connected with dentures.
Only front-veterans and persons who have participated in mine clearing operations can get reimbursement for prosthetic dentistry costs.
Front veterans and those who have served in mine clearance operations qualify for reimbursement also for
- clinical procedures and technical work in connection with prosthodontic treatment
- complete or partial denture care provided by a specialist dental technician on the basis of a referral by a dentist. Partial denture care can be reimbursed from January 1, 2026.
Trips to private-sector providers can be reimbursed if the treatment you are getting is reimbursable by Kela or if you have a payment voucher or service voucher for the treatment from your wellbeing services county.
Read more about reimbursement for trips to private healthcare services.
You can seek dental care in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland and get reimbursement for the costs for the treatment.
You can also get reimbursement if you need emergency dental care in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
You cannot get reimbursement for
- costs for dental care in public healthcare services
- costs for cosmetic procedures (e.g. tooth whitening)
- costs for prosthodontic treatment (only front-veterans and persons who have participated in mine clearance operations can get reimbursement)
- costs for periods in which you are being treated in a public hospital or institution.
Reimbursement is also not available for instance for office charges and outpatient clinic charges, facility charges or Kanta charges.
How much is reimbursed?
You can get reimbursement for the costs for private dental care according to the relevant reimbursement rate. Different treatments and examinations have their own reimbursement rates (pdf, in Finnish).
Claiming reimbursement for costs for private dental care
Usually you get the reimbursement for examinations and treatment provided by a dentist in private practice directly at the place of care. If this is not the case, you can claim reimbursement from Kela afterwards.
Claim reimbursement using the form Medical care expenses incurred in Finland, SV 127e (PDF) or Medical care expenses incurred abroad SV 128e (PDF).
To make sure that the form functions properly, you need to use the latest version of Adobe Reader. It is available as a free download on the Adobe website (get.adobe.com).
- Save the blank form to your device. Do not fill in the form directly in the browser because some of the information may not be saved that way.
- Open the form with Adobe Reader and fill it in.
- After you have filled in the form, save it in PDF format. You do not have to sign the form.
- Send your application in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) under Tee hakemus tai ilmoita muutoksista (Submit an application or report changes). If you are claiming reimbursement for costs incurred by your child, go to Asioi toisen henkilön puolesta (Act on behalf of another person).
- Send supporting documents in OmaKela by selecting Lähetä liite (Send a supporting document). Take photographs of the documents you are sending if they are not in a digital format.
Go to OmaKela to see if Kela has made a decision on your application. You will also see how much you will get and when it will be paid. If supporting documents are missing from your application, you will get a reminder about that in OmaKela.
In OmaKela, you can also give consent for Kela to send you messages. This will help make your application process and other contacts with Kela quicker.
If you cannot use OmaKela, mail your application to Kela. Fill in the form and print it out. Remember to sign the form. Send the form together with any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Apply for reimbursement for private dental care
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
The decision notice is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English language customer service numbers.
When to claim
You must claim reimbursement within 6 months from the date of paying the costs.