
On this page we’ll show you how much health insurance with dental coverage costs for expats in China.
We compare leading health insurance plans from Now Health and Allianz’s, providing insights into costs, coverage options, and why selecting the right dental services is crucial.
This table provides a comparison between the Allianz Diamond Prime Plan and Now Health International’s WorldCare Excel Plan, both of which offer coverage including inpatient, outpatient, and dental care, with an 80% coverage for high-cost providers.
Comparison of Health Insurance With Dental Cost For Expats In China (by age)**
Age | USD annual cost with Now Health (WorldCare Excel Plan)* | Annual cost with Allianz (Diamond Prime Plan)* |
25 | $3,970 | $4,341 |
35 | $5,284 | $5,335 |
45 | $6,760 | $6,261 |
55 | $10,605 | $9,036 |
* These quotes include: Inpatient Cover (hospitalisation) & Outpatient Cover (GP / clinic visits) & Dental Care
**The figures presented in this table are approximate at date of publication, and are intended as a general guide. Actual costs may vary based on individual health conditions, coverage options, policy changes, and specific terms set by the insurance providers.
For a precise quote tailored to your specific age, health status, and personal requirements, we encourage you to request a personalized insurance quote by clicking the Get a Quote button.
Guide To Health Insurance With Dental For Expats in China
We get a lot of enquiries from about dental insurance for expats in China. And whether you keep your teeth in good condition or not, having medical insurance which covers dental work can be very helpful.
Interestingly dental insurance doesn’t exist outside of the US as a standalone insurance plan.
Instead, one must buy Inpatient Cover (hospitalisation) & Outpatient Cover (GP / clinic visits) & Dental Care as a package (as quoted above).
However Allianz does allow members to buy Inpatient Cover (hospitalisation) & Dental Care only (without Outpatient Cover).
What Is Dental Insurance?
Dental insurance is a component of health insurance that specifically covers the costs associated with dental treatments. For insurance purposes, dental treatments are generally categorized into three or four main groups:
- Preventive Care: This includes services like polishing, scaling, and cleaning, which are aimed at maintaining oral health. Typically, cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening are not covered under dental insurance.
- Minor Dental Treatment: This category encompasses treatments for dental issues that are not severe, such as:
- Cavities: Fillings to repair tooth decay.
- Root Canals: Addressing infections within the tooth’s pulp.
- Dental Prescriptions: Medications for dental conditions.
- Major Dental Treatment: These are treatments for more complex or costly dental problems, including:
- Dental Surgery: Various surgical procedures related to the mouth or jaw.
- Dental Prostheses: This includes crowns for damaged teeth, inlays and onlays for larger cavities, bridges to replace missing teeth, and dentures for multiple tooth loss.
- Orthodontics: While not always included, some plans cover orthodontic treatments like braces or aligners for correcting misaligned teeth. This category, when covered, often involves higher costs and longer waiting periods.
What Are The Cheapest Plans Which Cover Dental?
The most cost effective option is Allianz Care Core Plan with Prime Dental Plan added on. Allianz is the only insurer to allow you to add a dental plan to an inpatient only plan, resulting in overall reduced costs for dental coverage.
For more information on popular and cost effective insurance options check out our Guide to The Most Popular Expat Health Insurance Plans in China
Dental Coverage Waiting Periods
Most dental insurance plans have waiting periods. The length of the waiting period usually depends on the type of treatment. In general accidental damage to natural teeth doesn’t include a waiting period.
Braces & Orthodontics in China
Orthodontic treatments are as expensive in China as elsewhere. Clear aligners like Invisalign can exceed CNY40,000, while traditional braces are less costly. Coverage for orthodontics is scarce in China’s insurance market.
A policy with dental coverage should clearly state whether orthodontic treatment is covered. If you are unsure whether you are covered, feel free to reach out to us.
Where Can Expats In China Get Good Dental Treatment?
Many local dental clinics are great and cost-effective, however language can be an issue.
There are many international dental clinics aimed at various expat communities if you do a simple internet search such as on Smart Shanghai or That’s Shanghai, and read about their reputation.
These usually costs more than local facilities, but gives you peace of mind of being able to communicate with your dentist in your native language.
We don’t recommend medical facilities. Having said that we can tell you about some of the feedback we have received from clients.
“I went to Kowa Dental in Lujiazui, Shanghai, to get a chipped tooth fixed and have a basic cleaning and scraping done. The facility was very clean and the total cost of my treatment was CNY 1,500. I think that’s pretty reasonable considering the prices at some other facilities.” – CEH Client
We’ve had very positive feedback from multiple clients at the dental clinic in GHC, Pure Smile and Jiahui Medical.
For a precise quote tailored to your specific age, health status, and personal requirements, we encourage you to request a personalized insurance quote by clicking the Get a Quote button.