A dental plan is an insurance policy that pays back part of your dentist bills, up to a yearly limit. In Ireland, DeCare and Vhi both publish standalone dental plans on their own websites. DeCare's entry plan for an adult aged 18 to 39 costs from €18.31 a month (DeCare brochure, July 2026), and the Vhi Dental Plan for the same age group costs from €28.51 a month with a 10% Vhi Healthcare member discount (Vhi, checked 9 November 2026).
What a dental plan is
A dental plan covers dentist treatment only. It does not pay for a hospital stay. Vhi's product summary describes its plan as cover "towards the cost of dental treatment that they may need during the period of insurance" (Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
You pay a monthly or yearly premium. When you visit the dentist, the plan pays back a set amount or a percentage of the bill, until you reach the yearly maximum.
Some health insurance plans also pay a set amount towards dentist visits. That works differently, and we explain it in our guide on whether health insurance covers dental.
Who sells standalone dental cover in Ireland
We checked the insurers' own websites on 9 November 2026. Two of them sell dental plans you can buy on their own.
- DeCare. It calls itself "Ireland's only specialist dental insurer" and sells four Healthy Smiles levels. Its brochure says child-only policies are available (DeCare brochure, July 2026). DeCare says it is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
- Vhi. It sells the Vhi Dental Plan and the Vhi Dental Plan Plus. The product summaries name Collinson Insurance Europe Limited as the insurer, authorised in Malta and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for consumer protection rules (Vhi IPIDs, 24 March 2026). See our page on Vhi and Irish Life Health.
We did not find a standalone dental plan on Laya Healthcare's website. Irish Life Health sells a Dental and Optical package, but only as an add-on to some of its health plans (Irish Life Health, checked 9 November 2026).
How dental plans work
Levels of cover
DeCare's four levels build on each other (DeCare brochure, July 2026):
- Level 1: 100% cover for 2 exams, 2 cleanings and X-rays, plus 1 emergency treatment.
- Level 2: adds 70% cover for fillings, extractions and gum disease treatment.
- Level 3: adds 60% cover for major work such as root canals, crowns, dentures, bridges and implants, and an oral cancer benefit of up to €5,000.
- Level 4: adds a lifetime orthodontic benefit of up to €1,000.
Percentage refunds and set amounts
The Vhi Dental Plan pays up to €100 for each of 2 check-ups and up to €120 for each of 2 scale and polish visits a year. It pays 70% for basic work such as fillings and 50% for major work such as crowns and root canals (Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
"100%" does not always mean the full bill. DeCare says it can limit payment to what it deems "usual, reasonable and customary costs" (DeCare website, checked 9 November 2026).
Annual limits
Both insurers' plans have caps. DeCare's annual maximum for most services is €500 on Level 1 and €1,000 on Levels 2 to 4. Levels 3 and 4 also have separate yearly caps: €500 for dentures, bridges and implant crowns, €500 for crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers, and €250 for implant fixtures (DeCare brochure, July 2026).
Vhi's overall maximum rises with years of cover: up to €1,000 a year in years 1 and 2, €1,200 in years 3 and 4, and €1,500 from year 5. Separate yearly caps of €750 (dentures, bridges, implant crowns) and €500 (crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers) also apply (Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
Unused benefit does not roll over. DeCare's terms say maximum benefits "may not be carried over to future insurance periods" (DeCare terms, March 2026).
Waiting periods
You cannot claim for everything from day one. DeCare covers exams, cleanings, X-rays and emergencies straight away. Basic treatment has a 3-month wait, major treatment 12 months and orthodontics 2 years (DeCare brochure, July 2026).
Vhi has a 3-month wait for basic treatment, 12 months for major treatment and 24 months for orthodontics. These may be shorter if you held another dental plan right before (Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
Excess
DeCare applies a €100 policy excess to major treatments only (DeCare brochure, July 2026). You pay that first part of the claim yourself.
Published example prices
These are DeCare's published monthly prices by age band and level, from its July 2026 brochure. DeCare says the prices are net of tax relief and "may be superseded".
| Age | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 17 | €11.80 | €14.51 | €16.08 | €20.21 |
| 18 to 39 | €18.31 | €26.82 | €32.62 | €36.78 |
| 40 to 49 | €19.91 | €29.77 | €36.17 | €40.19 |
| 50 and over | €20.26 | €30.22 | €37.92 | €40.85 |
Over a year, Level 1 costs €141.60 for a child aged 0 to 17 and €219.72 for an adult aged 18 to 39 (DeCare brochure, July 2026).
The Vhi Dental Plan for an adult aged 18 to 39 costs from €28.51 a month, or €342.09 a year, with the 10% discount for Vhi Healthcare members (Vhi, checked 9 November 2026).
Your own price depends on your age, the level and any discount. Get a quote from the insurer for your own details.
What to check before you buy
- What you already get. With enough PRSI contributions, the State pays for one oral exam a year and €50 towards a scale and polish (Department of Social Protection, updated 13 October 2026). Medical card holders and children get some free HSE care too. Our guide Is dental insurance worth it? sets this out.
- Your dentist's fees. Dentists must display their private fees where you can see them before the consultation (Citizens Information, edited 2 September 2026). Compare those fees with the plan's limits.
- Timing. If you need a crown or braces soon, the 12-month and 2-year waits matter. DeCare does not cover orthodontic treatment that started before the policy (DeCare terms, March 2026).
- Missing teeth. Vhi does not cover the first treatment to replace a tooth that was missing before the policy started (Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
- Approval before treatment. DeCare lets you send a treatment plan before basic, major or orthodontic work. If you do not, and the work does not meet its criteria, the claim will not be paid (DeCare terms, March 2026). Vhi asks you to contact it for pre-authorisation (Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
- Cooling-off and cancelling. Both insurers give 14 days to cancel after you get your documents. After that, DeCare lets you cancel on the policy anniversary (DeCare terms, March 2026; Vhi Dental Plan IPID, 24 March 2026).
- Children. Child cover and braces have their own rules. See our guide to children's dental insurance.
For an overview of dental cover, go back to our dental insurance page.
Sources
- gov.ie: Treatment Benefit Scheme (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: Dental services (accessed 9 November 2026)
- DeCare: Individual and family plans web page, Healthy Smiles brochure (July 2026) and Dental Rules terms and conditions (from 24 March 2026), on DeCare's website (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Vhi: Dental insurance web page and Vhi Dental Plan Insurance Product Information Document (24 March 2026), on Vhi's website (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Irish Life Health: Dental and Optical package page, on Irish Life Health's website (accessed 9 November 2026)
General information, not financial advice. Prices and rules change: check the details with the insurer before you buy.