The short version
Three groups of words matter, and they matter unequally. The money words — Festzuschuss, Eigenanteil, Heil- und Kostenplan, Bonusheft — decide what you pay and appear on documents you have to sign, so they are worth learning properly. The chair words — Betäubung, Provisorium, Füllung, Abdruck — describe what is about to happen to you, and you only need to recognise them. The letter words turn up in post from your fund or your practice, usually with a deadline attached. Keep the German term even when you think in English: the German word is what will be printed on your plan, your invoice and your consent form. And nothing here replaces the simplest tool available to you — saying “Können Sie mir das auf Englisch erklären?” and letting someone explain it properly.
The words that decide what you pay
If you learn one table on this page, make it this one. These terms carry money.
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Krankenkasse / Kasse | health insurance fund | Your insurer in the statutory system; “die Kasse zahlt” means it is covered |
| gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV) | statutory health insurance | Around 90 % of people here; benefits are largely defined by law |
| private Krankenversicherung (PKV) | private health insurance | You get the invoice and claim it back under your tariff |
| Heil- und Kostenplan (HKP) | treatment and cost plan | Must reach your fund before treatment begins, or the subsidy can be lost |
| Festzuschuss | fixed subsidy | A fixed euro amount towards dentures, not a percentage of your bill |
| Regelversorgung | standard care | The basic solution for your finding; the subsidy is calculated from it |
| gleichartige Versorgung | same-type care | Standard solution plus an upgrade; you pay the difference |
| andersartige Versorgung | different-type care | A different solution entirely (e.g. implant instead of a bridge); subsidy stays the same |
| Eigenanteil | your share | What remains after the subsidy — the number people actually mean by “the cost” |
| Zuzahlung | co-payment | A statutory contribution to certain services |
| Bonusheft | bonus booklet | One stamp per calendar year; unbroken records raise the subsidy from 60 % to 70 % and 75 % |
| Härtefallregelung | hardship provision | Low income can raise the subsidy to up to 100 % of the standard option |
| Zahnzusatzversicherung | supplementary dental insurance | A private top-up policy; typically covers a tariff-dependent share depending on tariff |
| Kostenvoranschlag | cost estimate | A written quotation, usually for privately paid work |
| GOZ / BEMA | fee schedules | The tariff catalogues behind private and statutory invoices |
| Ratenzahlung | payment by instalments | Paying in stages, subject to a credit decision |
| Erstattung | reimbursement | What your insurer pays back after you submit the invoice |
To put a number on it: for a single missing tooth in 2026, the fixed subsidy is 552.96 € without an unbroken Bonusheft record, 645.12 € after five years, 691.20 € after ten, and 921.60 € under the hardship provision. The mechanics are unpacked in Festzuschuss explained: the fixed subsidy and How dental insurance works in Germany: GKV vs PKV.
At reception, on the phone and on the forms
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Termin / Terminvereinbarung | appointment / booking | “Einen Termin machen” is the phrase you need on the phone |
| Praxis | dental practice, surgery | The place itself — not “practice” in the sense of experience |
| Gesundheitskarte / eGK | health insurance card | Hand it in at reception at every visit |
| Anamnesebogen | medical history form | Illnesses, medication, allergies, pregnancy — fill it in carefully |
| Aufklärung | explanation of treatment | The legally required conversation about risks and alternatives |
| Einverständniserklärung | consent form | Never sign one you have not understood |
| Überweisung | referral | A note sending you to a specialist colleague |
| Rezept | prescription | Also means “recipe” — context decides |
| Attest / Krankschreibung | medical certificate / sick note | Proof for your employer |
| Notdienst | out-of-hours service | Evenings, weekends and public holidays |
| Rückruf | call-back | What you ask for when the line is busy |
| Recall / Erinnerung | recall, reminder | The practice reminding you a check-up is due |
| Wartezimmer | waiting room | Where you hand over the card and wait |
The phone call itself, sentence by sentence, is covered in Your first visit: how to book and what to expect.
Teeth, gums and the parts of the mouth
| German | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Zahn / Zähne | tooth / teeth | |
| Schneidezahn | incisor | The front cutting teeth |
| Eckzahn | canine | Literally “corner tooth” |
| Backenzahn / Molar | molar | Backe = cheek |
| Weisheitszahn | wisdom tooth | Usually erupts in the late teens or twenties |
| Milchzahn | milk tooth, baby tooth | Children’s first set |
| Zahnschmelz | enamel | The hard outer layer; it does not grow back |
| Dentin | dentine | The softer layer beneath enamel |
| Pulpa / Zahnnerv | pulp, nerve | The living tissue inside the tooth |
| Zahnwurzel | tooth root | The part in the bone |
| Zahnhals | tooth neck | Where crown meets root — a common sensitive spot |
| Zahnfleisch | gum, gums | Literally “tooth meat” |
| Kiefer / Kieferknochen | jaw / jawbone | Oberkiefer = upper, Unterkiefer = lower |
| Kiefergelenk | jaw joint (TMJ) | Clicking and pain here have their own diagnosis |
| Karies | tooth decay, caries | Used casually in German, unlike English |
| Plaque / Zahnbelag | plaque | Soft film; removable with a brush |
| Zahnstein | tartar, calculus | Hardened plaque; only removable professionally |
What the dentist is calling out during the examination
This part surprises most newcomers. During an examination the dentist dictates a stream of numbers and short words to the assistant, and it sounds like a verdict being passed on you. It is not — it is charting.
The numbers are tooth addresses. Germany uses the international two-digit system. The mouth is divided into four quadrants, numbered from the patient’s upper right and running clockwise as the dentist faces you: 1 upper right, 2 upper left, 3 lower left, 4 lower right. Within each quadrant, teeth are counted 1 to 8 outwards from the midline. So tooth 21 — spoken “zwei-eins”, never “twenty-one” — is the upper left central incisor, and 48 is the lower right wisdom tooth. Children’s teeth use quadrants 5 to 8.
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Befund | finding, diagnosis | The summary of what was seen |
| Röntgenbild | X-ray image | |
| Bissflügelaufnahme | bitewing X-ray | Small image showing decay between the back teeth |
| Panoramaaufnahme / OPG | panoramic X-ray | One wide image of both jaws |
| DVT | 3D X-ray, cone beam CT | Three-dimensional imaging, used for planning implants and surgery |
| Abdruck / Abformung | impression | The mould of your teeth — often replaced today by a digital scan |
| Intraoralscan | digital scan | A camera scan instead of impression material |
| Sondierungstiefe | probing depth | Millimetre depth of the gum pocket |
| PSI | gum screening index | A quick score for gum health |
| Lockerung | mobility | How much a tooth moves |
| Kältetest / Sensibilitätsprobe | cold test / vitality test | Checks whether the nerve inside is alive |
If you would like to know what is being recorded, ask afterwards: “Was haben Sie gefunden?” A practice should be able to show you your own chart and X-rays. In ours the images go on the screen in front of you, in English if you prefer — see English-Speaking Dentist in NRW.
Saving a tooth: fillings and root canals
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Füllung | filling | |
| Kunststofffüllung / Komposit | composite filling | Tooth-coloured material, placed in one visit |
| Amalgam | amalgam | The older silver-grey material |
| Inlay / Onlay | inlay / onlay | Made in a laboratory, then bonded in |
| Teilkrone | partial crown | Covers part of the tooth rather than all of it |
| Aufbaufüllung / Stumpfaufbau | core build-up | Rebuilding a broken tooth so a crown can sit on it |
| Wurzelbehandlung | root canal treatment | Cleaning and sealing the canals inside the root |
| Wurzelfüllung | root filling | The material sealing those canals |
| Wurzelspitzenresektion (WSR) | apicoectomy | Minor surgery on the root tip when a root filling is not enough |
| Provisorium | temporary crown or filling | Meant to last weeks, not months |
| Mikroskop | microscope | Magnification used for fine work inside a tooth |
More on both areas in Zahnwissen › Saving Teeth (EN) and Zahnwissen › Root Canal Treatment (EN).
Replacing a tooth: crowns, bridges, dentures, implants
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Krone | crown | A cap covering the whole tooth |
| Vollkeramik / Zirkonoxid | all-ceramic / zirconia | Metal-free materials |
| Verblendkrone / VMK | porcelain-fused-to-metal crown | Metal core with a ceramic facing |
| Brücke | bridge | Replaces a missing tooth using the neighbours as support |
| Prothese | denture | Removable replacement |
| Teilprothese / Vollprothese | partial / full denture | |
| Teleskopprothese | telescopic denture | Removable work anchored on crowned teeth |
| Implantat | dental implant | An artificial root placed in the jawbone |
| Abutment / Aufbau | abutment | The connector between implant and crown |
| Knochenaufbau | bone graft | Rebuilding bone where there is too little |
| Sinuslift | sinus lift | A specific graft in the upper back jaw |
| Einheilphase | healing phase | Typically three to six months before the final crown |
| Implantatpass | implant passport | Records the system used — keep it |
| Zahntechniker / Zahnlabor | dental technician / laboratory | Who actually makes your crown |
| Meisterlabor | master dental laboratory | A laboratory led by a master technician; ours is in-house |
| Zahnersatz | dentures, tooth replacement | The umbrella term for all of the above |
Depth on each: Zahnwissen › Implantology (EN), Zahnwissen › Dentures and Tooth Replacement (EN) and Zahnwissen › Prosthetics (EN). What we do with implants is described on Dental implants – service page (EN).
Gums, bleeding and periodontitis
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Zahnfleischentzündung / Gingivitis | gum inflammation, gingivitis | Reversible; bleeding is the warning sign |
| Parodontitis | periodontitis, gum disease | Inflammation that also affects bone; needs treatment |
| Parodontose | (older word for the same area) | Still widely used colloquially |
| PA-Behandlung | periodontal treatment | Cleaning below the gum line, in stages |
| Zahnfleischtasche | gum pocket | The gap between gum and tooth, measured in millimetres |
| Zahnfleischrückgang | receding gums | Roots become visible and often sensitive |
| Knochenabbau | bone loss | Visible on X-ray; the reason teeth loosen |
| UPT | supportive periodontal therapy | The maintenance appointments after treatment |
| Mundgeruch / Halitosis | bad breath | Frequently gum-related |
Gum health connects to the rest of the body more than most people expect: Zahnwissen › Gum Disease and Periodontology (EN) and Zahnwissen › Gum Health and General Health (EN).
Prevention, cleaning and check-ups
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Kontrolle / Vorsorgeuntersuchung | check-up | The appointment that earns your Bonusheft stamp |
| Prophylaxe | prevention | The umbrella term for keeping problems away |
| professionelle Zahnreinigung (PZR) | professional cleaning | Thorough cleaning and polishing, usually privately paid |
| Individualprophylaxe (IP) | children’s prevention appointments | Scheduled by age for children and teenagers |
| Fissurenversiegelung | fissure sealing | Sealing the grooves of back teeth |
| Fluoridierung / Fluoridlack | fluoride treatment / varnish | Strengthens enamel |
| Zahnseide | dental floss | |
| Interdentalbürste | interdental brush | The small brushes for the gaps |
| Mundspülung | mouthwash | An addition, never a replacement for brushing |
| Ozonbehandlung | ozone treatment | A gentle disinfecting method used in specific situations |
Straightening teeth and appearance
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Kieferorthopädie | orthodontics | The specialty for alignment |
| feste Zahnspange | fixed braces | Brackets and wire, fitted for months |
| lose Zahnspange | removable brace | Mostly for children |
| Aligner / Schiene | clear aligners / tray | Transparent trays, changed in sequence |
| Bracket / Bogen | bracket / archwire | The parts of a fixed brace |
| Retainer | retainer | Holds the result after treatment |
| KIG | orthodontic grading | Decides whether a statutory fund contributes for a child |
| Bleaching / Zahnaufhellung | whitening | Cosmetic, privately paid |
| Veneer / Verblendschale | veneer | A thin ceramic shell on the front of a tooth |
| Farbbestimmung | shade matching | Choosing the colour of a crown or filling |
Anaesthetic, anxiety and surgery
| German | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Betäubung / Lokalanästhesie | local anaesthetic | Numbs the area; you stay fully awake |
| Spritze | injection | “Eine Spritze bekommen” = to be given an injection |
| Taubheitsgefühl | numbness | Wears off over one to three hours |
| Lachgas | laughing gas, nitrous oxide | Reduces anxiety; you remain conscious |
| Sedierung | sedation | Deeper relaxation, arranged in advance |
| Zahnextraktion / Zahn ziehen | extraction / to pull a tooth | |
| Naht / Fäden ziehen | stitches / removing stitches | A short follow-up appointment |
| Nachblutung | post-operative bleeding | Light oozing is common; steady bleeding is not |
| Schwellung | swelling | Usually peaks around day two |
| Wundheilung | wound healing | |
| Zahnarztangst / Dentalphobie | dental anxiety, dental phobia | A recognised issue, not a character flaw |
| Bruxismus / Knirschen | teeth grinding | Often at night, often stress-related |
| Knirscherschiene / Aufbissschiene | night guard, splint | Protects teeth from grinding |
False friends: words that mislead English speakers
A short list of the ones that genuinely cause confusion.
| The word | What it looks like | What it actually means |
|---|---|---|
| Gift | a present | poison — it appears on packaging, never on a card |
| Praxis | practice as in rehearsal | a doctor’s or dentist’s surgery |
| Rezept | receipt | prescription (also recipe) |
| Kur | cure | a course of restorative treatment, often residential |
| Schiene | a rail | a splint or aligner tray |
| Spange | a clasp or hairslide | a dental brace |
| sensibel | sensible | sensitive — a “sensibler Zahn” reacts to cold |
| Plombe | a lead seal | old-fashioned word for a filling |
| Brücke over “Bruch” | — | Brücke = bridge, Bruch = fracture. One letter, very different appointment |
| Termin | term | appointment |
Which words you can look up later — and which to stop and ask about
Safe to look up afterwards. Anatomy (Zahnschmelz, Dentin, Pulpa), the names of materials, the tooth numbers being dictated, the technical name of an X-ray, most of what appears in a recall letter. None of it changes a decision you are making today.
Stop the conversation and ask. These carry consequences:
- Anything on the Aufklärung, the consent conversation — risks, alternatives, what happens if you do nothing
- Eigenanteil, Festzuschuss, gleichartig, andersartig — the four words that decide the size of your bill
- Any question about your medical history: allergies, blood thinners (Blutverdünner), pregnancy, heart conditions, diabetes. A misunderstanding here is a clinical risk, not a language slip
- Instructions after treatment — what to eat, which painkiller, when to come back, what would count as a warning sign
- Anything you are being asked to sign
There is no awkwardness in saying “Moment, das habe ich nicht verstanden.” A practice used to international patients hears it several times a day. Ours works in German, English, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Arabic, Kurdish and French, and the consent conversation can happen in English.
And separately from vocabulary: contact a dentist promptly — in any language — if you have facial swelling with fever, pain that stops you sleeping, a knocked-out tooth, or a sore in the mouth that has not healed within two weeks. Out-of-hours cover is explained in Emergency dentist: what to do out of hours.
Eigenanteil — your share. It is the number that answers “what will this cost me”, and it appears on every treatment and cost plan. Festzuschuss, the fund’s fixed contribution, is its counterpart.
No. There is no legal requirement to be treated in German, and practices where English is a working language exist across NRW. Say when booking that you would prefer English, so it can be planned rather than improvised.
Because every tooth has a two-digit address in the international system, which is faster and less ambiguous than a description. “Vier-sechs” is the lower right first molar, and it is being recorded, not judged.
Yes, and many people do. It works well for individual words and less well for consent conversations, where nuance matters — for those, ask whether someone can explain in English directly.
In everyday German they are used interchangeably for gum disease. Dentists prefer Parodontitis, because it names the inflammation that drives the bone loss.
Ask the practice for a copy and an explanation — you are entitled to both. With a treatment and cost plan there is normally time to reconsider before work begins, which is exactly what that document is for.
You do not need fluent German to be well looked after at a German dental practice. You need about twenty words, and a willingness to interrupt when one of them goes past unexplained. Learn the money words properly, recognise the chair words, and treat everything else as vocabulary you can look up on the way home. The moment to ask is always the moment you notice you did not follow — not afterwards, in the car park, with a signed form in your hand.
Zahnarztpraxis Tsypin · Wuppertal. This article was medically reviewed and is provided for information; it does not replace an examination. Updated August 2026.
