Denmark’s government has proposed a public “dental account” — a fund that patients could draw on to pay for at least one annual dental check-up. Health Minister Sophie Løhde said the measure aims to encourage regular dental visits to prevent small problems turning into major ones.
It is not yet clear whether the scheme would cover all residents with access to the public health system or only Danish citizens. Politicians often use the term danskerne (“the Danes”) when referring broadly to the public, the ministry noted.
Under the proposal, annual payouts would vary by age. Young adults aged 22–25 could receive about 600 kroner per year, according to reporting by DR. The government intends the accounts to be financed by reallocating existing funds rather than increasing overall state spending.
Currently, the state spends about 1.6 billion kroner on targeted dental subsidies. The government proposes spreading that amount more evenly across the population rather than concentrating it on expensive, complex procedures.
The Health Ministry also plans to introduce price caps for different treatments and to build a digital platform where patients can compare local prices and access services. Officials say these measures aim to improve transparency and control costs.
The Danish Dental Association and regional health authorities have previously supported the idea of an account scheme. “Our hope is that a dental account will motivate more people to visit the dentist and, in turn, improve dental health,” Torben Schønwaldt, chair of the Danish Dental Association, told industry journal Tandlægebladet.
The government is negotiating details of the new model for public dental care. Ministers say further announcements will follow as talks progress.
