The Bonus Booklet: Real Savings on Dental Costs
The dental bonus booklet is one of the most important savings tools for dental prosthetic costs — yet many Germans do not use it consistently. The concept is simple: visit the dentist once a year, have the visit recorded, and after five or ten years you benefit from a significantly higher insurance subsidy. In this article, we explain everything you need to know about the bonus booklet.
How Does the Bonus Booklet Work?
The bonus booklet is a small booklet that you receive from your dentist or health insurer. At each preventive dental check-up, the dentist records the date and stamps the entry. Adults aged 18 and over must attend an annual check-up; children and teenagers up to 17 must attend twice yearly.
After five years of continuous entries, the insurance fixed subsidy increases by 20 percent. After ten or more years of continuous entries, the subsidy increases by 30 percent. This increase applies on top of the normal fixed subsidy and can amount to several hundred euros for complex dental work.
Calculation Example: How Much the Bonus Booklet Saves
Consider an all-ceramic crown with total costs of 1,150 euros. The base GKV subsidy is 220 euros. Without a bonus booklet, your out-of-pocket is 930 euros. With five years of bonus booklet, the subsidy becomes 264 euros (220 times 1.20), reducing your out-of-pocket to 886 euros — saving 44 euros. With ten years, the subsidy becomes 286 euros (220 times 1.30), reducing your out-of-pocket to 864 euros — saving 66 euros.
For a three-unit bridge, the savings triple: 132 euros (5 years) or 198 euros (10 years). For more extensive work involving multiple crowns and a bridge, savings of 300-500 euros are common. The bonus booklet is a genuine savings tool.
What to Do About Gaps in the Bonus Booklet
A missed year unfortunately resets the bonus to zero. However, there are exceptions: in cases of serious illness, care dependency, or disability, the insurer may excuse a gap. You must provide documentation (e.g., hospital stay). Always check with your insurer in such situations.
If you have lost your bonus booklet, you can request a replacement certificate from your dentist documenting recorded visits. Dentists are required to document preventive examinations in patient records. Many insurers also accept billing data as proof.
Digital Bonus Booklet
More and more health insurers offer a digital bonus booklet through their app. The advantages are obvious: no risk of loss, automatic reminders for the annual check-up, and easy documentation. Ask your insurer whether a digital bonus booklet is available.
Conclusion: Simple Savings Through Regular Check-ups
The bonus booklet costs nothing, requires only an annual dental visit, and can save several hundred euros on dental prosthetics. Schedule a preventive appointment at the beginning of the year and have the visit recorded. Your future self will thank you — at the latest when dental work becomes necessary.