Last Updated on November 8, 2021
Israel’s dental care options – Health Fund or private clinics? Which is best?
Hebrew: טיפול בשיניים – טיפול פרטי וטיפול מקופות חולים
Dental Care for Adults
Dental care for adults is not included in the Sal HaBriut – the National Health Basket. Nevertheless all 4 of the health funds operate dental clinics across the country and health fund members can opt for dental care via one of these clinics. If you have one of the superior health plans, some dental treatments may be discounted.
You can also choose to go with a private dentist if you prefer. Costs vary and it pays to shop around. Many will argue that the treatments offered by the health fund clinics are inferior. Others are of the opinion that these clinics offer comparable services to any privately operated clinic and are very happy with their choices.
Members of supplementary health plans like Maccabi Gold and Sheli, Clalit Zahav and Platinum, Leumit Silver and Gold as well as Meuhedet’s Adif and C, are entitled to certain discounts on some of dental treatments you receive at one of their clinics. Each clinic has its own price list.
Private dentists and orthodontists will offer you a full range of dental services, and each private clinic has its own price list and discounted services.
Free Dental Care for Children
As of 1 January 2016, children until the age of 14 are entitled to additional, free, dental care treatment via health fund operated clinics. A detailed list of treatments can be found on www.call.gov.il (Hebrew)
Some of the health fund operated clinics offer selected treatments to children until the age of 18 for free while other offer them at a reduced rate.
Many private dentists offer selected treatments to children for free as well.
How much does is costs to go privately?
- The health fund clinics offer you one free annual checkup. Most private dentists offer this too. If not, you could otherwise expect to pay around 150 – 200 shekels for a private checkup.
- We were quoted between 150 – 500 shekels for a filling at a private dentist
- We were quoted anywhere between 800 – 3,000 shekels for a root canal treatment.
- A crown – in the region of 2,000 NIS
Private Dental Insurance
You can purchase specialized dental insurance from any of the large independent insurance companies. These policies may include specialized treatments as well as dental care abroad.
Dental Care Tips
- Whether your dentist is affiliated to one of the health fund clinics, or you choose to go privately, local dentists have qualified all over the world and standards may differ considerably. We strongly suggest you get recommendations from family and friends.
- The Tel Aviv University School of Dental Medicine offers a selection of dental services to the public at heavily reduced rates. Note that these treatments are being performed by students under the supervision of the Dental School.
- The Ministry of Health’s dental care database
I had some extensive dental work done at Maccabident. It cost a lot of money and it took months and months to complete. Just one year later, the crowns broke. I decided to go to a private dentist who replaced and repaired everything within one month. Ultimately it cost me many thousands of shekels and I would have been better off going privately from day one.