How dental cover works here
Assurance Maladie, France's public health insurer, reimburses a percentage of dental care based on an official fee schedule ("base de remboursement"). For basic care like check-ups and fillings, that schedule is close to what dentists actually charge. For crowns, bridges, dentures and implants, many dentists charge above the schedule, leaving a "reste à charge" that a complementary mutuelle is built to cover.
Since 2021, the "100% Santé" reform guarantees a no-extra-cost option for certain prosthetics (crowns, bridges, dentures) when you combine Assurance Maladie with a "contrat responsable" mutuelle and choose from the designated no-cost range — though many people still pick higher-end materials outside that range and pay the difference, which is exactly what a good mutuelle helps absorb.
Typical treatment costs
| Treatment | Typical cost before reimbursement |
|---|---|
| Contrôle et détartrage (check-up & scaling) | €25 – €50 |
| Plombage (filling) | €30 – €100 |
| Traitement de canal (root canal) | €100 – €350 |
| Couronne (crown, outside 100% Santé range) | €500 – €1,000 |
| Implant dentaire (single implant) | €1,000 – €2,500 |
| Gouttières transparentes (clear aligners) | €2,000 – €5,000 |
Actual reste à charge depends heavily on your specific mutuelle tier and whether the dentist practices "conventionné" pricing.
Mutuelles compared
| Provider | Plan type | Monthly | Annual max | Waiting period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmonie Mutuelle | Mutuelle dentaire | €20 – €55 | €300 – €1,500 | 3–6 mois |
| MGEN | Mutuelle dentaire | €18 – €50 | €300 – €1,400 | 3–6 mois |
| April | Mutuelle individuelle | €15 – €45 | €250 – €1,200 | 0–3 mois selon la formule |
| Alptis | Mutuelle indépendants | €14 – €40 | €250 – €1,100 | 0–3 mois |
Estimated ranges, last reviewed August 2026. Always confirm the exact premium and reimbursement grid directly with the mutuelle.
Compare nowWhat to check before you sign up
- Whether the contract is "responsable" — this affects tax treatment and 100% Santé eligibility.
- The reimbursement grid for orthodontics specifically, since it's often capped separately and by age.
- Whether your dentist practices "secteur 1" (fixed pricing) or "secteur 2" (free pricing) — this changes your real-world reste à charge.
- Whether a one-off treatment might be cheaper financed directly than paid for through a year of premiums — see our financing comparison.