Free Dental Care up to Age 18 – You Deserve It!

Free dental treatments for children were included in the health package for the first time in 2010, and since then there has been an increase in awareness of maintaining oral hygiene and it seems that the condition of children's teeth in Israel has improved. Ensuring children receive treatments during their young years means adults with healthy teeth which affects a good quality of life.

The article in front of you includes everything about preventive dental treatments and that children up to the age of 18 can enjoy them for free or at low cost, within the framework of the state health insurance law.

What is the state health insurance law?

The state health insurance law concerning free dental care for children is an important law approved by the Knesset in June 2010, and today allows children up to the age of 18 to enjoy free dental care or with a low deductible, as part of the services provided to citizens as part of their health package. The service is automatically provided to kalat customers and there is no need to register for it.

What is the importance of the law?

The law created a real revolution in the field of health in general and oral and dental health in Israel in particular. Until two or three decades ago, dental treatments took place in private clinics, at a price that many families could not afford and some had to neglect their teeth and the teeth of their children. The problem became a burden on the state – adults with damaged teeth tended to get more infectious diseases and be hospitalized, which resulted in lost working days and a burden on the health care system. Children were not treated for years and when they enlisted, the military system subsidized treatments in the amount of NIS 40 million per year. Elderly people suffered from tooth loss and damage to their quality of life; Not to mention significant harm to their health due to the difficulty of maintaining a sufficient diet. It was clear to everyone that equality and the quality of life of the citizens is a guiding principle and that it is important to address the problem at the national level.

The law that provides free dental care for children gradually solves a health, economic and social problem and its results will have a positive effect on the general health of the country for decades to come. Brookdale Institute researchers have already discovered that approximately 64% of citizens are aware of the law and use the services of the health insurance funds, which proves that awareness has increased dramatically and that this is an essential and successful law.

What does the law grant to children, and what does it not include?

All Clalit members under the age of 18 (according to the Gregorian calendar) are entitled to receive dental care within the health basket. The basket of services includes almost all dental treatments except for orthodontics, aesthetic dental treatments, and permanent rehabilitation.

What dental treatments are included in the health package?

There is a wide variety of dental treatments included in the package, some free and some with a low deductible:

deductible	respect
exempt	Periodic examination at a dentist – once per calendar year
exempt	Routine tests and follow-up – as part of regular medical treatment
exempt	Consultation and preparation of treatment plans – once per calendar year
exempt	X-rays – during treatment
exempt	A pair of occlusal x-rays – as part of a periodic checkup
exempt	Oral hygiene training – up to twice per calendar year
exempt	Descaling – once a calendar year
exempt	Preventive treatment with local application (fluoride treatment)
exempt	Pothole and fissure sealants
exempt	First aid
27.69 ₪	Amalgam and composite restorations (fillings)
27.69 ₪	Treatment of dental fluff in the milk and permanent teeth (including root canal treatment)
27.69 ₪	Dental plaster
27.69 ₪	Prefab crowns – according to medical needs
27.69 ₪	Tooth extraction (including surgical extraction)
27.69 ₪	Area guards after rescue
27.69 ₪	Sedation or laughing gas
exempt	Anesthesia for children up to the age of 5, who suffer from caries at an early age

Treatments are provided at Klalit Smile clinics and private dental clinics included in the arrangement with Klalit Smile – to search for a clinic, click here

*The deductible is subject to changes according to the instructions received from the Ministry of Health.

How much is the deductible?

As mentioned, most treatments will be given to your child for free. Dental treatments that require a deductible are only NIS 27.69. If, during the same visit, more than one treatment requiring a co-payment was performed, the total co-payment will be a maximum of NIS 55.39 for that visit.

How was Klit Smile prepared to make the services accessible?

Klalit was a pioneer in making dental services accessible to children through the Klalit Smile dental clinics. Also, new clinics were added and structural and other changes were made to existing clinics in order to house children. In this framework, clinics became child-friendly – waiting rooms and special play areas were allocated for them, and in some places dedicated clinics for children were even established. In addition, information and reference days are held for medical teams where the dentists are updated on unique medical and psychological treatment methods for children.

Where can I get the service and how do I make an appointment?

The service is provided in each of the 107 Klalit Smile clinics spread throughout the country. Also, agreements were signed with other private dental clinics, to make it easier for the public and make the clinics accessible to their homes. These undertake to meet the medical standards of Klalit Smile and provide solutions in the peripheral areas, in villages in the Arab sector and in ultra-Orthodox communities.

How do you make an appointment?

On WhatsApp: send us a message

On the website: Book an appointment with the dentist on the website or in the general application

By phone: Search for a Smile General Clinic by region or by the type of treatment you are interested in

Can I choose the dentist?

Definitely! You can choose your dentist from any Klalit Smile clinic or from the clinics that have an agreement with Klalit.

I underwent private treatments, am I entitled to a refund?

According to the law, reimbursements will not be given for treatments performed privately or through the health insurance funds.