Reading time: 2 minutes 
Starting in January 2026, adults living in Czechia will no longer have to pay out of pocket for basic white dental fillings, according to a new amendment to the Public Health Insurance Act approved recently by Czechia’s parliament and awaiting presidential signature.
The change will entitle all insured patients to receive a free, single-surface white (photocomposite) filling for each tooth once every two years—a service that currently costs patients around CZK 930 annually.
“This will definitely improve access to care,” said Roman Šmucler, chairman of the Czech Dental Chamber.
What exactly will be covered?
For both adults and children, the basic “white seal” (a single-layer photocomposite filling) will be fully covered. However, for more complex or layered fillings, the rules differ.
Adults will need to contribute some money (known as a co-payment) for more advanced fillings, like multilayer photocomposite or dual-setting cement fillings. These are only partially covered by insurance. Children, on the other hand, will get these fillings fully covered if they are treating a temporary tooth, or in cases where a basic filling can’t be used.
The most comprehensive fillings—multilayer photocomposite ones —are fully paid for in children, regardless of whether the tooth is temporary or permanent, while adults will still have to co-pay.
Additionally, many health insurance providers offer annual preventive care bonuses that can be used to reduce these co-payments.
What about root canals?
For the first time, adults will also receive insurance coverage for root canal treatment on front teeth (incisors, canines, and premolars) if performed using the standard, so-called “central pin" method. For children, all root canal procedures will be fully covered.
Molars (back teeth) will remain outside of public coverage for adults, though patients can still choose to pay privately for treatment at state-insured dentists or opt for extraction.
Pulpotomy, which is the removal of the dental pulp from the crown part of the tooth, won’t be covered at all for adults starting in January 2026. For children, however, insurance will fully cover pulpotomy for all temporary teeth.
Dentists must offer covered care
Šmucler emphasized that dentists working with insurance companies must, legally, offer the new insurance-backed options for which an insured patient won’t need to pay: “If the patient refuses a higher-cost option, they must still be treated with the basic, fully covered method,” he explained.
The new law also includes a ban on amalgam fillings, effective July 2026, except in exceptional cases. The switch to white fillings is part of a broader move toward safer and more modern dental care.
The Ministry of Health is expected to finalize the payment rules by late 2025.
