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Dentistas Málaga

Going to the dentist in Spain as a foreign resident

· General information: it does not replace seeing a dentist.

If you live in the province of Málaga and come from another country, going to the dentist works a little differently from what you may be used to. Here are the essentials.

Public healthcare: limited cover

If you are registered with the public health system, adults are covered mainly for acute problems(infections, inflammation, injuries). Children aged 6 to 15 also have Andalusia’s children’s dental programme (PADI). For almost everything else (fillings, root canals, orthodontics, implants) people go to a private clinic.

The European Health Insurance Card does not cover private clinics

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives access to necessary care in the public system, on the same terms as residents. It does not cover private clinics, where most dental treatment is done.

Dental insurance or pay per treatment

You can pay for each treatment or have dental insurance, Spanish or international. On each clinic page we show the insurers it works with when we know them, and in the listings you can filter by insurance and by language spoken. Before booking, check with the clinic that your policy covers the treatment.

Quotes and invoices

  • Ask for a detailed written quote before treatment starts, and do not pay for everything upfront.
  • Ask for an itemised invoice with the clinic’s name, the dentist’s name and each treatment: you will need it if your insurer reimburses you.
  • Dental treatment for health purposes is exempt from VAT (IVA); purely cosmetic treatment, such as whitening, is not.

If something goes wrong

In Andalusia, every clinic must have official complaint forms (hojas de quejas y reclamaciones) available to patients. You can also contact the provincial College of Dentists. Before choosing, you can check that the clinic is licensed with our guide how to check that a dental clinic is licensed.

Finding a dentist who speaks your language

In the clinic listings use the “Speaks” filter to see only the clinics that say they treat patients in your language.

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