For patients travelling from Germany
German patients make up the largest group travelling here, and the questions are consistently the same: what the Krankenkasse will contribute, how the records transfer, and whether everything really happens in German.
Treatment and documents in German
Consultation, treatment plan, consent documents and aftercare instructions are all available in German. This is not a translation service bolted onto the end — it means you read your plan, ask your questions and give your consent in the language you actually think in, which is the minimum standard for consenting to irreversible treatment.
What to ask your Krankenkasse before you travel
German statutory health insurance operates a fixed-subsidy system (Festzuschuss) for dentures, crowns and bridges, based on a standard care category rather than the treatment you choose. Treatment within the EU is handled differently from treatment in a third country, and Türkiye is a third country — which makes advance clarification essential rather than optional. Ask your insurer directly and in writing.
- Whether a Heil- und Kostenplan must be submitted and approved before treatment begins
- Whether any Festzuschuss applies to treatment carried out in a third country
- What documentation the insurer requires for reimbursement, and in what language
- Whether your Bonusheft entries affect the subsidy level
- For private insurance and Zusatzversicherung: whether treatment abroad is covered and at what rate
A written plan you can take to a second opinion
Your preliminary plan is written and itemised precisely so that you can show it to a dentist in Germany before committing. Patients do this regularly and it is a sensible thing to do — a plan that cannot survive a second opinion is a plan worth reconsidering.
Getting to Ankara from Germany
Direct flights operate to Ankara Esenboğa from several German airports, with frequent connections via Istanbul from everywhere else. The transfer from the airport to the practice takes around 45 minutes.
- Airport
- Ankara Esenboğa (ESB)
- Typical flight time
- Around 3–3.5 hours direct
- Airport to practice
- Approximately 45 minutes
- Time difference
- Türkiye is 2 hours ahead of Germany in winter, 1 hour in summer
Records worth bringing
The more your dentist in Germany has already documented, the better the assessment. Digital radiographs are the most valuable thing you can send — most German practices will provide them on request, and you are entitled to them.
- Recent radiographs (OPG or individual images), ideally as digital files
- Any existing Heil- und Kostenplan from your German dentist
- A list of current medication and relevant medical conditions
- Details of previous dental work, particularly any existing implants
Continuing care in Germany
You leave with documentation detailed enough for a German dentist to work from: which implant system and components were used, what was done, and what maintenance is needed. Routine follow-up and hygiene appointments happen at home, which is where they belong.
Common questions
Does my Krankenkasse pay for treatment in Türkiye?
Türkiye is not an EU member state, so the rules that apply to treatment within the EU do not apply here. Whether any contribution is available depends on your insurer and your policy, and generally requires clarification in advance. Ask in writing before you travel, and keep the reply.
Do I need a Heil- und Kostenplan?
If you intend to claim any statutory contribution, your insurer will almost certainly require a plan submitted and approved before treatment begins. Ask your insurer what form it must take for treatment abroad.
Will everything really be in German?
Yes — consultation, plan, consent documents and aftercare instructions. You should never sign a consent form you only partly understood.
Can my dentist in Germany do the follow-up?
Yes, and that is the intended arrangement. Your documentation is prepared so that a German dentist can identify exactly what was placed and continue care accordingly.
Do I need a visa?
Check current entry requirements for German passport holders with the Turkish authorities before travelling. Requirements change and it is your responsibility to confirm them.
Send your records, in German
Send your photographs and radiographs and receive a first assessment and written preliminary plan in German — one you can take to a second opinion at home.