Dental care reimbursements in Belgium have risen by more than 50% since 2021, outpacing the growth in the number of treatments.
According to figures from the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (Inami) reported by L’Echo on Saturday, dentistry is now among the fastest-growing areas of social security spending.
In 2021, Inami reimbursed just over €1 billion for dental care. By 2025, that amount had increased to €1.6 billion. Over the same period, the total number of treatments rose by 16%, indicating that spending has grown much faster than activity.
According to L’Echo, about half of the increase can be explained by the inflation-adjusted indexation of agreed dentist fees.
Another factor is that more and more dentists are moving away from state-agreed tariffs and are also charging supplements on top of the official rate.
The rise in the number of people entitled to increased reimbursement for healthcare costs has also contributed to the higher bill.
At the same time, concerns are growing over possible overuse of dental care. In 2025, Inami recorded 4.4 million X-rays carried out in dental practices.
These X-rays cost the social security system €105 million, up 49% from 2021.
Inami also said it had to reimburse very large amounts because of what it described as an “abnormally exponential increase” in the use of the code for gum examinations.
