The Yellow Dental Bonus Booklet (Bonusheft)
is a smart tool provided by the German statutory health insurance (GKV). It helps you reduce the high costs of dental treatments such as crowns, bridges and sometimes implants.
It is a small booklet in which your annual dental check-ups (Vorsorgeuntersuchung) are documented.
Each year you attend a routine check-up, it is recorded in the booklet – and you earn a “bonus year”.
When you need major dental treatment (e.g. a crown or bridge), the health insurance does not cover 100 % of the costs.
It only pays for the so-called standard care (Regelversorgung).
If you have a regularly maintained Bonusheft, the following applies:
| Number of documented years | Insurance contribution | What does that mean? |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 years | 60 % | You pay 40 % of the costs yourself. |
| 5 consecutive years | 70 % | The insurance increases its share by 10 %. |
| 10 consecutive years | 75 % | The insurance increases its share by 15 %. |
The difference can easily amount to several hundred euros in savings.
Cost of a standard crown: €700
Insurance support without Bonusheft: €420 (60 %)
Insurance support with 10 years of Bonusheft: €525 (75 %)
Saving: €105!
Book a free annual dental check-up (even if you have no pain).
Don’t forget to bring your Bonusheft with you.
The dentist is reimbursed by the health insurance for the check-up – and you receive a stamp in the booklet.
The counter starts again from zero.
Therefore, it’s wise to set a yearly reminder.
You can also ask the dental practice whether they can backdate a missed year based on their records.
The dental bonus booklet generally applies to adults from 18 years of age.
Keep it safe – a lost booklet cannot be fully reconstructed.
You can request a new booklet from the practice or insurance, but proving previous years can be difficult.
The editorial team of this website strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. However, errors may occur or some details may be incomplete or not yet definitively confirmed. The information in this article should therefore be regarded as an initial point of reference only. For binding and up-to-date information, please always contact the responsible bodies, in particular health insurers, dentists and advisory services.
