Dental care in Floridsdorf: New center opens for patients!

Dental care in Floridsdorf: New center opens for patients!

In an important step towards improving dental care in Vienna, Bernd Bartosek recently opened the first primary care center for dental patients in Floridsdorf. The H40 Dental Life Center, which will soon open its doors, will not only offer dentists who are there for patients from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., but also provide basic care for statutory health insurance patients in an underserved area beyond the Danube. Bartosek emphasizes that the quality of medical care often does not correspond to the perception of patients and sees the need to expand the offer through facilities like this, especially since there are currently only 39 statutory health insurance dentists working in Floridsdorf, while there is a need for 132 statutory health insurance positions by 2030.

The planned expansion will also include psychologists and speech therapists in the future to enable comprehensive care. Bartosek sees the H40 Dental Life Center as a prototype for other facilities in Vienna. What is particularly noteworthy is that the dentists in the center will work economically at the statutory health insurance rate, which increases the attractiveness for many young doctors, especially female dentists. The ability to receive care from the same dentist is another plus, although there is no guarantee of immediate appointments.

The challenges of statutory health insurance companies

A central point in the discussions surrounding basic dental care are the disputes over the reimbursement of costs for certain treatments. Since January 2023, amalgam fillings have no longer been covered by health insurance, which poses additional financial challenges for many patients. Although statutory health insurance companies cover basic dental services, many patients have to expect costs that go beyond the services covered by the insurance company. According to the consumer advice center, this includes check-ups, dental fillings and certain treatments such as periodontitis, which are only reimbursed under certain conditions.

For example, adults are allowed two check-ups per year, while children up to the age of 18 receive comprehensive preventative care several times a year. The health insurance companies also provide support in the area of ​​dentures, but patients often have to cover part of the costs themselves. A fixed subsidy of 60% of the costs is the norm for standard care, which can increase to 75% after ten years, provided that annual check-ups can be proven.

Where is dental health heading?

Since the Dental Association is also critical of this innovative project and has taken legal steps to delay approval, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop further. The opening of the H40 Dental Life Center is scheduled for the end of October, and there will be an event to tour the clinic and make an appointment on October 12th, World Florida Village Day.

It will be important for patients to find out about the extended services: While basic care is covered by statutory health insurance, additional costs often have to be budgeted for special treatments such as dental replacements, e.g. crowns or prostheses. It may therefore be worthwhile to consider additional private insurance in order to minimize the financial burden. The consumer advice center offers comprehensive information that can be helpful when choosing between health insurance benefits and private additional services.

Overall, the H40 Dental Life Center shows a new way of sustainably improving dental care, even if the discussions about financing and the role of health insurance companies and the dental association will certainly take some time.

For further information on the reimbursement of costs for dental services and changes in dental health care in Austria, the reports from the press, consumer advice center and Gesund.bund.de are recommended.
the press | Consumer advice center | healthy.bund.de