Unfortunately, it is not uncommon in everyday patient life: A patient finds that his dentist bill, for example for a bridge in the upper jaw, turns out to be much higher than was foreseen in the cost estimate. If the cost estimate still contained growth factors of 2.3 and 3.0, the practice now calculated the 3.5 times the rate and in two positions even the 4.0 times the rate. Very annoying for the patient. Because the cost estimate should serve the financial planning security.
But it is not only with the personal contribution for dentures that insured persons with statutory health insurance (GKV) can experience unpleasant surprises regarding the final bill. Also in the case of therapies that allow an additional payment in addition to the health insurance, e.g. more complex dental fillings (additional cost agreement in accordance with Section 28 Paragraph 2 SGB V), or in the case of pure private services, such as implantations, there may be differences between the cost estimate and the invoice. In these cases, the services are to be rendered privately according to the fee schedule for dentists (GOZ), which allows a relatively large scope for fees, since dental services can be calculated between 1 and 3.5 times the fee. Even fees with a factor over 3.5 times are possible, but must be agreed with the patient in writing before the start of treatment in accordance with Section 2 Paragraphs 1 and 2 GOZ. Services that are charged over 2.3 times the fee rate must be justified in the invoice (Section 10 (3) GOZ).