As luck would have it, after needing the doctor a few weeks ago, I now needed a dentist as I wanted to have my teeth checked out. How does one go about doing that in Denmark?

Selecting a Dentist

There are two ways you can select a dentist in Denmark. First of all, you can register with a dentist at the same time that you register with a doctor. Another way is to contact a dentist yourself.

I opted for the second option simply because I didn’t select one at the start. Nevertheless, finding a doctor was quite painless. A simple google search for ‘tand-laege Sonderborg’ brought up quite a number. If anything I was surprised at the number available (and wondered why the need for so many?). Once I had the list all that remained was the ‘simple’ issue of selecting one and making the appointment.

Making an Appointment

Most of the dentists I came across offered a number of ways of contacting them for an appointment, including via email, filling in an online form or calling. I liked the flexibility, but since this was the first time I decided to call. The first dentist offered me an appointment in two weeks. The second one, on me asking if she spoke English, said ‘No’, even though it became evident that she did while she insisted that I call the next day. Unsurprisingly I decided not to go with her. The third offered me an appointment the next day. An appointment was made!

The Appointment

Similar to doctor’s clinics in Denmark, dental clinics come equipped not just with dentists but also with a retinue of assistants and receptionists. Every person seems to have an assigned task, so the receptionist gets you to fill in a form, an assistant does the preliminary investigation, the dentist comes to do the actual work, and then you pay the receptionist. It is quite a whirlwind, but it seems to work.

The first thing that hit me is how stark and clinical everything looked within the dental clinic. I guess this is a good thing, but I am not used to places looking as clinical as this.  Surprisingly, I was also asked if I wanted anaesthetic or not. In both Malta and the UK you are automatically given anaesthetic, but in Denmark you have to pay for it separately I learnt later, which is maybe why they ask. I decided to forgo the anaesthetic on the suggestion of the dentist, and surprisingly it went well.

The only negative thing I could possibly say is that the dental assistant I was assigned did not speak any English, so Michael had to act as the go-between. The dentist, however, spoke perfect English so there was no problem there. All in all I must admit I am happy with what I received. I was in and out within a very short time period and I felt comfortable throughout. Of course, the cost is something else 😉

Photo by Conor Lawless