PADI: free dental care for your children in Bilbao
The PADI is the free dental care that the Basque Government and Osakidetza (the Basque Health Service) offer to all children aged 7 to 15 in the Basque Country. Here we explain it clearly: what it covers, what it does not, and how to use it.
What does PADI include?
All of this, for your child's permanent teeth, at no cost to you:
Annual check-up
A full check-up of the mouth every year (and more often if a problem needs it).
Sealants
A protective layer on the permanent molars to prevent decay in the grooves.
Fluoride and hygiene
Fluoride application and cleaning to strengthen the enamel and teach good oral care.
Fillings
Treatment of cavities with fillings on the permanent teeth.
Extractions
Extraction of baby and permanent teeth when needed.
Knocks and emergencies
Treatment of trauma (falls, knocks) and dental emergencies during clinic hours.
Root canals
Treatment of the nerve in permanent teeth when the case requires it.
Advice for home
Guidance on hygiene and diet so your child looks after their teeth.
What does PADI NOT cover?
PADI is excellent, but it does not cover everything. These treatments fall outside the programme (they can be done privately, and we explain everything with no obligation):
- Orthodontics (neither braces nor invisible orthodontics).
- Fillings on baby teeth (it only covers the permanent ones).
- Cosmetic dentistry (whitening, veneers…).
- Implants and prosthetics.
Does your child need any of these? Take a look at our children's dentist page or write to us and we will guide you.
Does PADI cover it?
Tap a treatment and we will tell you instantly whether PADI covers it… and, if not, what your alternative is.
👆 Tap to find out
Annual check-up
PADI covers your child’s annual check-up free (and any extra visits if a problem comes up).
Invisible orthodontics
PADI does not cover invisible orthodontics (or any kind of braces).
But we have something for you: with Puntos Sonrisa, every treatment a family member has adds points towards your child’s future orthodontics.
Discover Puntos SonrisaSealants
Yes: PADI covers sealants on permanent molars to prevent decay.
Whitening
PADI does not cover cosmetic dentistry (whitening, veneers…).
It is done privately and we explain it with no obligation.
Filling (permanent tooth)
Yes: PADI covers fillings on permanent teeth.
Orthodontics (braces)
PADI does not cover braces.
But we have something for you: with Puntos Sonrisa, every treatment a family member has adds points towards your child’s future orthodontics.
Discover Puntos SonrisaKnock or emergency
Yes: PADI covers trauma (falls, knocks) and emergencies during clinic hours.
Baby-tooth filling
PADI only covers permanent teeth: fillings on baby teeth are not included.
It is done privately and we explain it with no obligation.
Extraction
Yes: PADI covers extractions of baby and permanent teeth when needed.
Implant or prosthesis
PADI does not cover implants or prostheses.
It is done privately and we explain it with no obligation.
Fluoride & hygiene
Yes: PADI covers fluoride application and preventive cleaning.
Root canal (permanent)
Yes: PADI covers root canal treatment on permanent teeth when the case requires it.
Smile Points: looking after the family pays off
PADI covers your child up to the age of 15. But right afterwards, many youngsters need orthodontics… which PADI no longer pays for. That is why we reward families: every time a relative looks after their teeth with us, your child earns points towards their future orthodontics.
The whole family adds up
Whether it is the parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles or older siblings who come: every relative's treatment adds points in the name of the PADI child.
Points add up
While your child is on PADI (from 7 to 15 years old), the points keep building up, year after year, without expiring.
Discount on their orthodontics
When they leave PADI, those points turn into a discount on their invisible orthodontics or their conventional orthodontics.
Clínica Dental Bizkaia's own programme, independent of the official Osakidetza PADI. Ask us about the terms and how to earn points.
How do you use PADI?
You receive the voucher (or use the TIS)
Each year your child's Acceptance Voucher (Talón de Aceptación) arrives by post. If it has not reached you, the Osakidetza Individual Health Card (TIS) is valid instead.
You choose a dentist
You freely choose a dental clinic registered for PADI in Bizkaia. You can check the official list and change dentist each year if you need to.
You book an appointment
You call or write to the clinic you have chosen and book your child's appointment, just like any other check-up.
Free check-up and treatment
You bring the voucher to the first visit. The check-up and everything PADI covers costs you nothing: the Basque Government pays for it.
Voucher not arrived? Request your PADI voucher in Bizkaia
The acceptance voucher is posted to your home every year. If it hasn't arrived, you've lost it or you have questions, the Bizkaia PADI unit (Osakidetza) will sort it out for you free of charge and tell you whether you can simply come with your health card (TIS).
Once you have the voucher, book an appointment with us: we are a PADI-registered clinic in Bilbao.
From 7 to 15 years, how it is counted
Your child joins PADI from 1 January of the year they turn 7 and stays covered until 31 December of the year they turn 15. Each year you will receive a new voucher.
For the youngest children (0-6 years) there is separate dental cover, provided at Osakidetza centres.
The Basque Country, a European leader in healthy teeth
Thanks to PADI, 74% of Basque children reach the age of 12 without a single cavity. It is one of the best results in Europe. Taking your child to the dentist every year, for free, makes all the difference.
Source: Basque Government Department of Health — euskadi.eus/padi.
Bring your child along with PADI
We are a clinic registered for PADI in Bilbao: bring your child's voucher (or health card) and book their appointment. And if they need something PADI does not cover, we explain it clearly and with no obligation.
Everything about PADI, answered
Is PADI really free?
Yes, completely. It is 100% funded by the Basque Government and Osakidetza (the Basque Health Service). Families pay nothing for the treatments the programme covers.
What ages does PADI cover?
From 7 to 15 years old. Specifically, from 1 January of the year your child turns 7, until 31 December of the year they turn 15. (Children aged 0 to 6 have separate cover, at Osakidetza centres.)
Does PADI cover orthodontics?
No. PADI does not include orthodontics (neither braces nor invisible orthodontics), nor cosmetic dentistry, nor fillings on baby teeth, nor implants. Those treatments are done privately.
What do I need to use PADI?
The Acceptance Voucher that arrives by post each year, or the Osakidetza Individual Health Card (TIS) if the voucher has not reached you. With that you can already book an appointment at a registered clinic.
Can I choose my child's dentist?
Yes. Each year you can choose from the dental clinics registered for PADI in Bizkaia, and change dentist if you need to. The choice is yours.
The voucher has not arrived, what do I do?
You can ask for it to be reissued or use the health card (TIS) directly. In Bizkaia, the PADI administrative unit handles queries and changes on 944 033609.
How many check-ups does it cover per year?
At least one annual check-up, plus all the treatment visits needed within that year if a cavity or other problem appears. There is nothing to pay for the visits the programme covers.
Information compiled from official sources of the Basque Government (PADI). PADI unit in Bizkaia: 944 033609.
