Your National Health Insurance (건강보험, NHIS) card works at the dentist. Most foreign residents in Korea do not realize this, and end up paying out of pocket for treatments that are partially covered. This guide covers what NHIS actually pays for, what you pay yourself, and how to find a dentist who speaks English.
What NHIS covers at the dentist
NHIS gives enrolled foreign residents the same dental benefits as Korean citizens. The covered categories are scaling, basic restorative treatments, implants and dentures for older patients, and dental programs for children.
Scaling (치석제거)
NHIS covers scaling once per calendar year for patients aged 19 and older. The coverage resets on January 1. If you do not use it, it does not carry over.
Your co-pay is 30% of the NHIS-covered fee. Korean health media citing NHIS policy put the typical patient share at approximately 15,000 to 20,000 won at a standard dental clinic (as of 2026 based on news reports, not a primary NHIS fee schedule: verify the current amount at nhis.or.kr before relying on it).
Scaling performed only as preparation for orthodontic or prosthetic treatment is not covered, nor is stain removal or treatment for bad breath.
Fillings, extractions, and root canals
NHIS covers basic restorative dental treatments. These include cavity fillings (충치치료), tooth extractions (발치), and root canal therapy (신경치료). The standard patient co-pay at a dental clinic is 30% of the covered fee.
The coverage of specific procedures at the individual treatment level should be confirmed against the current NHIS benefit schedule (요양급여의 기준에 관한 규칙) or by calling NHIS at 1577-1000. Multiple credible sources support the general coverage of these treatments, but a primary NHIS document listing each in English was not available at the time this guide was researched.
Annual oral health checkup (구강검진)
NHIS enrollees aged 20 and older are eligible for a free biennial general health checkup that includes a dental and oral examination. You pay nothing for the standard checkup. Eligibility follows a birth-year cycle: odd birth years are screened in odd calendar years, even birth years in even years.
At age 40, the Life Transition Health Checkup (생애전환기 건강검진) adds a plaque test (치면세균막검사).
Coverage for patients aged 65 and older
Dental implants (임플란트)
NHIS covers dental implants for patients aged 65 and older. The lifetime limit is 2 implants per person. The patient co-pay is 30% of total treatment costs for standard NHIS subscribers.
Coverage applies to partial tooth loss only. Patients with complete tooth loss in a jaw are not eligible for the implant benefit. Only separable fixtures with a qualifying crown (PFM or zirconia) are covered. One-piece fixtures and zygomatic implants are not covered.
Coverage was introduced for patients aged 75 and older in July 2014, extended to age 70 and older in July 2015, and expanded to age 65 and older in July 2016.
Dentures (틀니)
NHIS covers dentures for patients aged 65 and older. The benefit covers resin complete dentures, metal complete dentures, and clasp-retained partial dentures.
Coverage is limited to once per jaw every 7 years. Early replacement is allowed if medically necessary. After fitting, you can have up to 6 adjustment visits within 3 months, with only the examination fee charged.
The standard patient co-pay is 30% of total costs.
Dental benefits for children
Free oral checkups from birth
Children from 14 days to 71 months old receive 4 oral examination rounds as part of the NHIS infant and toddler health checkup program (영유아건강검진). The scheduled rounds are at 18–29 months, 30–41 months, 42–53 months, and 54–65 months. Each visit includes an oral examination and oral health education for caregivers. There is no co-pay for NHIS subscribers.
Dental sealants (치아홈메우기) under age 18
NHIS covers dental sealants on the first and second permanent molars for patients under 18, provided the tooth is cavity-free. The patient co-pay is approximately 10% of the covered fee, reduced from the standard 30% rate (as of the current HIRA co-payment schedule: verify against the live HIRA page at hira.or.kr before relying on this figure).
Composite resin fillings (레진) under age 12
NHIS has covered composite resin fillings on permanent teeth for children aged 12 and under since January 2019. The standard co-pay is approximately 30%, though the exact current patient-share percentage should be confirmed on nhis.or.kr or by calling NHIS at 1577-1000.
What NHIS does NOT cover
You pay the full clinic-set price for these treatments:
- Orthodontics (교정치료): braces, aligners, clear aligners. The exception is orthodontic treatment for congenital craniofacial conditions such as cleft palate, which is covered.
- Dental implants for patients under age 65.
- Most crowns (크라운) used in standard prosthetic work. The precise boundary between covered restorations and non-covered full-coverage crowns should be confirmed against the current NHIS benefit schedule, as secondary sources describe crowns generally as non-covered but do not distinguish between all restoration types.
- Cosmetic procedures: teeth whitening, veneers, aesthetic bonding.
- Scaling beyond once per calendar year.
For non-covered treatments, the clinic sets its own price. Ask for an itemized written estimate (비급여 목록) before agreeing to any procedure.
How a dental visit works
No referral is needed to visit a local dental clinic (치과의원). You can walk in or call ahead to make an appointment.
What to bring:
- Your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증, ARC). The clinic can look up your NHIS coverage by ARC number, so the physical NHIS card is not essential.
At the reception desk (접수처):
- Present your ARC and give your ARC number.
- Before any procedure, ask: 보험 적용돼요? (Is this covered by insurance?).
- The clinic calculates the NHIS portion and your co-pay.
- Pay your co-pay at the end of the visit.
For non-covered treatments, ask for the price upfront. You are not required to agree to a treatment plan on the spot.
A note on dental hospitals (치과병원): Dental clinics (치과의원) and dental hospitals (치과병원) are different tiers under the Korean healthcare system. No referral is needed for a clinic. If you seek care at a larger dental hospital, check whether a referral affects your NHIS rate. For routine dental work, a local clinic is the correct starting point.
Finding an English-speaking dentist
Three reliable sources:
Medical Korea (KHIDI) dental portal The Korea Health Industry Development Institute runs medicalkorea.or.kr/en/dentistry, a government-backed directory of internationally oriented clinics. It is the most structured official starting point for finding internationally oriented dental practices.
Seoul Metropolitan Government Medical Referral Service The Seoul Global Center operates a Medical Referral Service with English-speaking staff who can refer you to dental facilities. Email: medicalreferral@seoul.go.kr. See the full service listing at world.seoul.go.kr.
U.S. Embassy Seoul dentist list The Embassy maintains a list of English-speaking dentists in Korea. Any foreign resident can use it as a reference. Find it at kr.usembassy.gov.
Community-sourced guidance: Dental clinics in Gangnam, Itaewon, Hongdae, and Jongno are most frequently reported by foreign residents as having English-speaking staff. This is not an official classification. Confirm English availability by phone before your visit.
Finding any NHIS-participating clinic: Search by location using the NHIS clinic finder at nhis.or.kr. The HIRA healthcare provider tool at hira.or.kr lists accredited clinics by type. Any dental clinic enrolled with NHIS will accept your coverage.
Dental emergencies
For urgent dental pain, most clinics can see you the same day. Call ahead to ask about availability.
After hours: call 119 (the national emergency line, with multilingual operators) for severe dental emergencies. Operators can direct you to hospital emergency departments where a duty dentist may be available. The Seoul Global Center Medical Referral Service (medicalreferral@seoul.go.kr) can assist with referrals during business hours. Large university hospital emergency departments, including Seoul National University Hospital, Severance Hospital, and Asan Medical Center, have on-call dental or oral surgery coverage for genuine emergencies.
FAQ
Does my Korean health insurance card work at the dentist?
Yes. NHIS covers a range of dental treatments including scaling once per year, basic fillings, extractions, and root canals. Present your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증, ARC) at the reception desk. The clinic looks up your NHIS coverage by ARC number.
How much does a dental scaling cost with NHIS in Korea?
The standard patient co-pay is 30% of the NHIS-covered fee. Korean health media citing NHIS policy put the typical out-of-pocket amount at approximately 15,000 to 20,000 won at an ordinary dental clinic. This figure is news-sourced, not from a primary NHIS fee schedule, so verify the current amount at nhis.or.kr before relying on it.
How often can I get a covered scaling in Korea?
Once per calendar year. The benefit resets on January 1. Scaling used as preparation for orthodontic or prosthetic treatment is not covered.
Does NHIS cover dental implants?
NHIS covers implants only for patients aged 65 and older, up to 2 implants per lifetime, at a 30% co-pay. Coverage applies to partial tooth loss only. Patients under 65 pay the full clinic price for implants.
Are braces or orthodontic treatment covered by NHIS?
No. Orthodontics (교정치료) is not covered by NHIS for most patients. The only exception is orthodontic treatment for congenital craniofacial conditions such as cleft palate. For standard braces or aligners, you pay the full clinic price.
Do I need a referral to see a dentist in Korea?
No referral is needed to visit a local dental clinic (치과의원). Walk-in visits are accepted at most clinics. If you go to a larger dental hospital (치과병원), different rules may apply under the NHIS tiered referral system. For routine dental care, a local clinic is the right starting point.
How do I ask whether a treatment is covered by NHIS at the clinic?
Ask 보험 적용돼요? (boh-heom jeok-yong dwae-yo?), which means "Is this covered by insurance?" Ask before any procedure. For treatments that are not covered (비급여), the clinic sets its own price. You can request an itemized estimate before agreeing.
What free dental check-ups exist for children in Korea?
NHIS provides four free oral examination rounds for children from 18 to 65 months old as part of the infant and toddler health checkup program (영유아건강검진). There is no co-pay for NHIS subscribers. Children under 18 can receive dental sealants (치아홈메우기) on permanent molars at approximately 10% co-pay, and children under 12 have NHIS coverage for composite resin fillings on permanent teeth since January 2019.
How do I find an English-speaking dentist in Korea?
Three reliable starting points: the Medical Korea portal at medicalkorea.or.kr/en/dentistry (a government-backed KHIDI directory of internationally oriented clinics), the Seoul Metropolitan Government Medical Referral Service at world.seoul.go.kr (English-speaking staff, email medicalreferral@seoul.go.kr), and the U.S. Embassy Seoul dentist list at kr.usembassy.gov (open to any foreign resident as a reference).
What dental treatments are NOT covered by NHIS?
The main non-covered items are orthodontics (교정치료), implants for patients under 65, most crowns used in standard prosthetic work, teeth whitening, veneers, and scaling beyond once per year. You pay the full clinic-set price for these treatments.