New dental care allowance on 1 July — how to use it before it expires

On 1 July each year, everyone who is insured in Sweden and turns at least 20 during the year receives a new general dental care allowance, ATB. The allowance is the state's way of making regular visits to the dentist and dental hygienist more affordable. It requires no application, but it expires if it is not used in time. Here we explain what applies in 2026 and how you use the allowance with us in Älmhult, Ljungby and Alvesta.

Who receives the general dental care allowance?

You receive the allowance from the year you turn 20 if you are insured in Sweden. Children and young adults have free dental care up to and including the year they turn 19 and are therefore not covered. The allowance is allocated automatically and is registered with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan. The clinic claims the compensation on your behalf when you pay, and the amount is deducted from your bill.

How much the allowance is in 2026

The amount depends on the age you turn during the year:

• Ages 20–23: SEK 600.
• Ages 24–65: SEK 300.
• From age 67: SEK 600.
• If you turn 66 during 2026, you also receive SEK 600 under a temporary rule.

The amounts are set by the state and can change. Försäkringskassan always has the current levels.

The two-year rule: save or use?

You can save one allowance until the following year and use two allowances at the same visit. But an allowance can only be saved for a maximum of two years. If you have two unused allowances on 30 June, the oldest disappears when the new one is allocated on 1 July.

In practice this means: if you have not visited a dental clinic for a couple of years, you probably have two allowances waiting. Book a check-up before the next 1 July and you use both. Wait longer and you lose one of them.

What can the allowance be used for?

The allowance applies to dental care that qualifies for the state dental care subsidy, at a dentist or dental hygienist connected to Försäkringskassan. It covers, for example:

• examinations and X-rays,
• visits to the dental hygienist, such as tartar removal,
• fillings and other treatment included in the state dental care subsidy.

The allowance cannot, however, be used for purely cosmetic treatment such as teeth whitening, and it is never paid out in cash. It is applied as a deduction from the price at your visit.

How you use the allowance with us

You do not need to do anything in advance. All our clinics are connected to the state dental care subsidy scheme. When you visit us, we can see in Försäkringskassan's system how many allowances you have left, and the amount is deducted directly from your bill. If you want to know what you have left before booking, you can log in to Försäkringskassan's My Pages, or ask us when you are here.

More support than the general allowance

If you have certain illnesses or disabilities, you may be entitled to the special dental care allowance, STB, of SEK 1 000 per six-month period for preventive dental care. That allowance cannot be saved. If costs become high, high-cost protection also applies: you pay the first SEK 3 000 yourself, after which the state covers 50 per cent up to SEK 15 000 and 85 per cent above that, calculated on the state's reference prices. If you turn 67 or older this year, you also normally pay only 10 per cent of the reference price for the treatments covered by the enhanced protection from 2026. Read more in our news article about the 2026 dental care reform.

We explain the whole system, with all amounts and conditions, in our advice article Dental care allowances and high-cost protection – how they work in 2026.

Frequently asked questions about the allowance

Do I have to apply for the allowance?

No. The allowance is allocated automatically on 1 July and deducted from your bill when you visit a connected clinic.

Can I use two allowances at the same visit?

Yes. If you have a saved allowance from last year and this year's new one, both can be used at the same visit.

What happens if I do not use the allowance?

An allowance can be saved for a maximum of two years. The oldest disappears when a new one is allocated and you already have two unused.

Can the allowance be used at the dental hygienist?

Yes, as long as the dental hygienist is connected to the state dental care subsidy scheme. That applies to all dental hygienists with us.

Is the allowance paid out in cash?

No. It is only used as a deduction from the price of dental care.

Book a check-up and we will go through which allowances you can use, and make sure none of them expires.