The LAMal, Switzerland’s compulsory health insurance, covers a great many things: consultations, hospitalisation, medication, emergency care and, in certain cases, physiotherapy. But there’s one exception that nobody mentions when you arrive: dental care isn’t included. Not annual check-ups, not fillings, not root canal treatments, not orthodontics. Dental care, by default, is at your own expense.
The only exceptions are dental treatment resulting from an accident, certain serious illnesses or, to a very limited extent, for children with congenital defects. Routine maintenance and common problems are simply not covered under the basic plan.
To cover this, there is supplementary dental insurance (Zusatzversicherung), which is taken out separately and on a voluntary basis. The problem is that you have to do this before any problems arise: if you already have tooth decay or pending treatment, the insurer will exclude that cover or simply reject your application. And Swiss dentists’ fees are among the highest in Europe.
People arriving from Spain are used to dentists being quite affordable. The first Swiss bill for something that would have cost 80 or 100 euros in Madrid can easily run to 400 or 600 francs. The idea of universal healthcare sounds great until you open your mouth.