Dutch insurers probe nursing home dental chains over rising costs and care concerns
Several Dutch health insurers have launched investigations into dental care in nursing homes after reports that commercial dental chains may be profiting from unnecessary treatments. In one case, funds have already been reclaimed.
Insurers told EenVandaag that dental costs under the Long-Term Care Act (Wlz) have risen sharply, raising concerns about billing practices by commercial chains.
Nursing home residents, including elderly people and those with disabilities, often cannot visit standard dental clinics. Only a few dozen dentists in the Netherlands have specialized training to treat these patients, while demand has grown due to population aging. Care is paid per hour and reimbursed by the government under the Wlz.
Commercial chains have reportedly filled this gap with full-service packages for institutions. Patients are usually treated in their rooms, and some treatments are performed by less-trained, lower-cost personnel, EenVandaag reported.
A spokesperson for the insurer CZ said, “We visit care facilities and dental specialists to review patient records for accuracy and current status. This recently led to a significant reclaim when we identified inefficient practices. We found patients visiting the dentist multiple times per month unnecessarily.”
DSW, a Dutch health insurer, said it is aware of similar inefficiencies and is reviewing how to strengthen oversight. Zilveren Kruis, one of the country’s largest insurers, noted that variations between dentists are normal and that inspections are labor-intensive, especially for residents with dementia.
VGZ, another major insurer, said reports of increased treatment frequency, longer procedures, and rising costs “are not sufficient to establish a definitive trend.”
