Dental care in Israel for gap year students is not covered under most student health insurance policies.
Some policies do cover up to $300 of emergency dental care for specific insurance dentists. These dentists are excellent professionals and usually speak English fluently. This is for emergency care only, however! It does not include checkups, cleaning, or routine x-rays.
Each student needs to check their health care plan to see if it includes emergency dentist visits.
What is a dental emergency?
- Are you in severe pain? Severe pain and bleeding are signs of an emergency.
- Have you lost a tooth? Fast treatment can potentially save a tooth.
- Do you have loose teeth? Adults should never lose teeth. A loose tooth, even without pain, is a serious problem.
- Do you have an infection? An abscess or serious infection in your mouth can be potentially life-threatening, and treatment should not wait. You may notice swelling or knots on your gums or swelling around the face.
Gap years are when many students get their wisdom teeth, which more often than not need to be removed. Wisdom tooth extraction is not included in any dental plan for gap year students and is not considered an emergency. Should the need arise, dental surgery is much less expensive here than in other countries? When making the decision, keep in mind the disruption to the academic year, the cost or treatment in both countries, and how urgent surgery is needed.
While $300 will not completely cover serious emergency treatment, it's important to note dental care in Israel is less expensive than in the USA and many other countries. EMA Care is here to help your child see an English-speaking dentist as quickly as possible, even if dental treatment is not included in the insurance plan.
EMA Care strongly recommends all incoming gap year students see a dentist this summer. A check-up, cleaning, and routine x rays done this summer should be enough to keep your child dental problem-free while in Israel.