Dentists back caps to cost of some treatments

Two of the tree main dentists' unions have given their backing to a new health insurance agreement that paves the way towards 100% reimbursement for certain prostheses.

Following two years of negotiations with health body l'Assurance-maladie, the Union dentaire and CNSD unions, which between them represent 60% of dentists have voted in favour of the agreement, which caps the price of the majority of dental prostheses in return for a re-evaluation of the cost of other care, such as fillings and descaling.

It opens the way for prostheses, such as crowns for back and front teeth, to be fully reimbursed from 2020.

A third union, the FSDL had rejected negotiations, but the new agreement means that the plan will go forward despite their opposition.

It is estimated that dentists will benefit to the tune of €230million a year, Le Figaro reports, but that the impact of the bill varies from region to region.