Does Social Security cover the dentist? What Osakidetza covers

In short: Social Security covers the dentist only in a very limited way: extractions, emergencies for pain or infection and little more. Fillings, root canals, implants, orthodontics and prosthetics in adults are not included and go through the private route. In the Basque Country, children aged 7 to 15 do have extended cover thanks to Osakidetza’s PADI.

What does the public health service really cover?

A lot of people get a let-down here, so let’s be clear. The public health service in dentistry covers the basic and urgent:

• Check-up and examination of the mouth.
• Extractions of teeth.
• Emergencies for acute pain or infection.
• In pregnant women and some groups, certain additional services.

What it does not cover in adults:

• Fillings and root canals.
• Implants and prosthetics.
• Orthodontics and everything cosmetic (whitening, veneers, etc.).
• Cleanings beyond the occasional one.

In other words: most of what people need on a day-to-day basis goes through the private route.

And in the Basque Country? The PADI

Here there’s good news for families. Osakidetza offers the PADI (Children’s Dental Care Plan), which provides dental cover to children and adolescents aged 7 to 15: an annual check-up, fillings, extractions and a few more treatments, at no cost to the family for what is covered.

It’s a right that many people don’t take advantage of through lack of awareness. We explain it in depth in what the PADI is and on our page about the PADI in Bilbao.

So how do you pay for the rest?

For adults, the usual routes are two:

• Paying in instalments. Almost all treatments can be split into monthly payments. We cover it in how to finance a dental treatment.
• Private dental insurance. It covers check-ups and cleanings, and makes other treatments cheaper with agreed rates. If you’re considering it, first read how dental insurance works.

The key idea

The public service covers you for the emergency and the basics, and it’s good to be clear about that so you don’t get any surprises. But to keep your teeth in the long term —preventing, filling in time, treating the gums— private prevention pays off, because what’s cheap is what’s caught early.

If you have doubts about what you need and how to fit it into your budget, we’ll explain it with no obligation. The first visit is free. Book an appointment whenever you like.