Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Pablo]

Hello
Does national health insurance cover routine dental visits like filling cavities? I've read places that say it does and places that say it doesn't. I'm not asking about braces or anything- basically just fillings. Thanks for any info or experiences.

[ttompatz]

[ktkates87]

Is that a silver filling or a white one?

[plato's republic]

How about a regular check-up/basic cleaning? Does that also depend on the particular dentist?

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Silver fillings are cheap (as the other poster said, about 3,500 won) and white is a lot more. My place costs between 70k and 90k for a white filling, depending on the type.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Sorry. Double post.

[laynamarya]

Technically, the only fillings covered by insurance are amalgam, which are a silver, tin, copper, and mercury alloy. A lot of dentists won't do amalgam, because it's less money for them, and because they don't last as long as gold or white fillings. (Whether or not you are okay with having mercury in your mouth is a personal preference...)

My husband's amalgam filling fell out last week, and he found out there was decay underneath it. The replacement (gold) filling was 700,000 won.

Cleanings are usually called "scaling" and they are NOT covered, but they are usually around 50-60,000 won.

[alljokingaside]

What they said. Additional info- root canals here are dirt cheap (and even though quality may differ here, they also can differ in the States). Crowns are similarly priced though, from what I've checked online in the States and Thailand. Wisdom tooth extractions don't seem to be covered though (around $100 for 2 teeth [or was it 1?])