State-funded dental prosthetics in Lithuania in 2026: amounts, eligibility and how to apply

Reviewed by: Dr Lauras Smilgevičius, dentist

State-funded dental prosthetics in Lithuania are one of the most practical benefits paid through the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund, known locally as PSDF. For many patients, however, the system still feels confusing. People ask who to call first, whether they need a referral from their family doctor, how long they will have to wait and whether there is “some kind of limit”. The short answer is this: since the 2021 reform, the process is much simpler than many people remember, and in 2026 the main reimbursement amounts remain unchanged.

In this guide, we have gathered the key information for 2026: the exact reimbursement tiers, who is eligible, how to start the process, what to bring to your first appointment and the traps patients most often fall into. For Klaipėda residents, we also explain how separate municipal support may apply in the most difficult cases.

Reimbursement amounts in 2026

Reimbursements are administered by the National Health Insurance Fund, VLK. The legal basis is Order No. V-890 of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, with amendments that came into force on 1 July 2025 and continue to apply in 2026. There are currently three reimbursement tiers.

Tier	Amount up to	Who it applies to	Who makes the decision
Temporary prosthetics for children	EUR 342.13	Children under 18 whose chewing system is still developing. Temporary prostheses.	Dentist
General, standard tier	EUR 670.39	People of retirement age, people recognised as unable or partly able to work, and cases involving oncological diseases of the mouth.	Dentist
Increased tier	EUR 2,062.70	More complex reconstructions, for example severe atrophy of the lower jaw, prosthetics after oncological treatment, and specific cases involving children.	Medical council

It is important to understand that these are ceilings. In practice, the patient is reimbursed for the cost of the service actually provided, but not above the relevant tier. If the prosthetic treatment costs less than the ceiling, the unused amount is not transferred to other dental treatment. It remains in the PSDF budget.

Who is entitled to state-funded dental prosthetics?

To receive state-funded dental prosthetics, a person must be covered by Lithuania’s compulsory health insurance, PSD, and belong to at least one of the groups below:

• people who have reached statutory retirement age, which continues to rise gradually in 2026, so it is worth checking the Sodra calculator or asking your dentist;
• children under 18;
• people recognised as unable or partly able to work by the Disability and Working Capacity Assessment Service, NDNT;
• people treated for oncological disease of the mouth, face or jaws.

There is no income threshold. This is one of the important differences from many other social benefits. Even if a pensioner has a higher income, they do not lose the right to reimbursed prosthetics. For children, family income is not assessed against a set limit either.

It is just as important to be clear about who is not entitled:

• healthy working-age adults, even if their financial situation is difficult;
• people who are not covered by PSD, for example those who do not pay PSD contributions or who live abroad without Lithuanian health insurance;
• people whose last PSDF-funded prosthetic treatment was less than three years ago, although exceptions exist for children and oncology patients and are decided by a medical council.

How the process works, from the first call to the final prosthesis

Before 2021, many patients remember state-funded dental prosthetics as a difficult, bureaucratic route involving “waiting letters” and queues lasting several years. Since 1 January 2021, that system has been abolished. VLK has confirmed in its official communication that patients should no longer be sent back and forth between their family doctor and the territorial health insurance fund.

The process is now straightforward:

1. Call a dental clinic that has a contract with VLK and book a consultation. You do not need a referral from your family doctor.
2. At the first visit, the dentist assesses your oral health, checks whether you are entitled to reimbursed prosthetics and proposes the appropriate tier.
3. On the same day, the clinic registers you electronically in the EVIS DP subsystem. This is the official step that activates your right to reimbursement.
4. The clinic immediately prints a notice confirming your entitlement. Keep this document, especially if you later decide to continue treatment at another clinic.
5. If your case falls under the increased tier, EUR 2,062.70, the information is sent to a medical council, which usually makes a decision within a few weeks.
6. The prosthetic treatment plan begins. Preparatory treatment may include fillings, extractions and root canal treatment, followed by impressions, laboratory work and fitting.
7. The clinic settles the reimbursement electronically with the territorial health insurance fund. You do not need to complete these documents yourself.

One detail is worth stressing: the old “form 025/a-LK” that circulated before the reform is no longer part of the current process. The role once played by a paper application is now carried out by the electronic EVIS DP entry. If someone tells you that you must fill in this form by hand, they are most likely relying on outdated information.

Documents to bring to the first appointment

Clinics usually need only your identity document, because most information is checked through electronic systems. To make the first visit faster and avoid an extra trip, it is still sensible to bring:

• your ID card or passport;
• your NDNT certificate number if you are recognised as unable or partly able to work. The check is usually electronic, so carrying the physical certificate is not normally necessary;
• an oncology treatment summary or oncologist’s certificate if you are applying under this condition;
• for children: birth certificate and parental consent;
• any X-rays or panoramic images you have had at other clinics. These are not compulsory, but they can save time.

You do not need a referral from your family doctor, a waiting-list certificate or paper form 025/a-LK.

What is reimbursed and what is not?

The table below gives a quick overview of which services are included within the reimbursement amount and which services you pay for yourself, either fully or as a price difference.

Service	Status	Explanation
Removable partial plate dentures	Covered	A classic option for pensioners and people unable to work. Usually fits within the EUR 670.39 tier.
Full removable dentures	Covered	Depending on complexity, these may fall under the EUR 670.39 or EUR 2,062.70 tier.
Metal-ceramic crowns and bridges on natural teeth	Covered	A standard long-term construction included within the EUR 670.39 tier.
Temporary prostheses and protective crowns for children	Covered	According to the child’s age and the development of the chewing system.
Implants and implant-supported prosthetics	Partly	Reimbursed only in specific cases, such as a severely atrophied lower jaw in the 4 to 6 tooth region, or children with a fully developed chewing system. These fall under the EUR 2,062.70 tier.
Zirconia crowns for aesthetic reasons	Not covered	Only the functional part is reimbursed. The aesthetic price difference is paid by the patient. You can read more about material differences on our dental crowns page.
Ceramic veneers	Not covered	An aesthetic procedure, not included in the reimbursement scope.
Teeth whitening, polishing and aesthetic composite bonding	Not covered	Aesthetic services are never reimbursed.
Dental implant surgery in general cases	Not covered	Apart from the two narrow exceptions mentioned above, implant surgery is paid for by the patient. Read more on our dental implants page.
Bone augmentation and sinus lift	Not covered	Preparatory procedures before implant treatment are not included in the reimbursement.

How long do patients really wait in 2026?

One of the clearest results of the reform is that the classic waiting queue has gone. Instead of a paper application sitting in a queue for several years, the patient journey now takes as long as the clinic’s schedule allows.

The timeline can be divided into three parts:

• receiving entitlement: on the same day, during one visit;
• waiting for an available dental appointment: depends on the clinic’s diary, sometimes a few weeks;
• medical council decision for the increased amount, if needed: usually a few weeks.

Then comes the prosthetic treatment itself. In simple cases, such as a partial plate denture, the time from the first visit to finished work is usually 4 to 8 weeks. More complex constructions, especially when preparatory fillings, extractions or root canal treatment are needed, can take 2 to 3 months. Implant-based cases naturally take longer because bone healing has to be allowed for.

In detail, the process often looks like this:

Stage	Duration	What happens
0. First dental visit	1 day	Oral health assessment, EVIS DP registration and printed notice.
1. Medical council, increased amount only	1 to 4 weeks	Decision on eligibility for the EUR 2,062.70 tier.
2. Prosthetic treatment plan	1 day	Treatment plan signed and costs confirmed.
3. Preparatory treatment	1 to 6 weeks	Fillings, extractions, root canal treatment and bone healing.
4. Impressions or digital scan	1 day	Models prepared for the dental laboratory.
5. Laboratory work	1 to 3 weeks	Prosthesis fabrication and adjustment.
6. Fitting and correction	1 to 2 visits	Final placement.
7. Settlement with TLK	Automatic	The clinic submits documents electronically.

There is one important limit: from the moment you are registered in the EVIS DP system, you have three years to complete the prosthetic treatment. If you do not finish within that period, your entitlement has to be renewed.

How to speed up the process

There is no special shortcut, but simple decisions can save weeks:

• choose a clinic with an in-house laboratory, because prostheses can be made faster and adjustments do not require extra trips;
• book the second appointment during the first visit while the documentation is still fresh;
• if preparatory treatment is needed, do not postpone it. Every day spent “thinking about it” extends the total timeline;
• if you are an oncology patient or the patient is a child, mention this when booking, as clinics can usually prioritise such cases.

How to find a VLK-contracted clinic in Klaipėda

The list of contracts is maintained by Klaipėda Territorial Health Insurance Fund, TLK. The full list is public and published on ligoniukasa.lrv.lt. If you have questions or would like telephone advice, Klaipėda TLK can be reached through the general VLK number, (8 5) 232 2222.

Many patients ask whether VLK-contracted clinics and private clinics differ in quality. In short: not because of the contract status. The difference is administrative. In a private clinic without a contract, PSDF reimbursement simply cannot be used. Materials, dentist qualifications and hygiene standards can be just as high in either setting.

The order is also simple: clinic first, TLK later. You do not need advance “preliminary permission” from the health insurance fund before booking with a dentist. Everything is handled through the clinic.

For Klaipėda residents: additional municipal support

This is the section many national clinic pages do not mention, but for Klaipėda residents it can significantly increase the real support available. Klaipėda City Municipality may additionally compensate dental prosthetics costs in the most severe cases, and this support is separate from the PSDF reimbursement. In practice, a person may be able to receive both.

The support is intended for Klaipėda city residents who:

• are completely without teeth and cannot chew;
• and have serious illnesses, for example stage III to IV oncological disease, or a severe disability level requiring permanent nursing care.

Applications for this support are made to Klaipėda City Municipality Administration, One-Stop Shop and E-Services Department, office 114, Liepų g. 11, Klaipėda. Detailed information about applications and required documents is available on the official municipal website.

Frequently asked questions about state-funded dental prosthetics

How many times in my life can I receive state-funded dental prosthetics?

There is no fixed lifetime number. The key rule is that at least three years must pass between two PSDF-funded prosthetic treatments. For children and oncology patients, this rule may be applied more flexibly and is decided by a medical council.

Do I need a referral from my family doctor?

No. Since 1 January 2021, the referral system has been abolished. The patient goes directly to a dentist at a VLK-contracted clinic. The dentist completes the registration during one visit.

Can I choose a clinic where my family doctor does not work?

Yes, without restriction. Compulsory health insurance works between you and the PSDF, not between you and a specific family doctor. The important point is that the clinic itself must have a contract with TLK.

What if the allocated amount does not cover the full treatment?

That is common. The reimbursement ceiling often covers part of the prosthetic cost, and the patient pays the difference. The clinic will state in the treatment plan how much PSDF will cover and how much you will need to pay yourself. You can view the clinic’s prices in our price list.

Does the reimbursement apply to implants?

Not in general cases. Reimbursement applies only in two narrow clinical situations: when the lower jawbone height in the 4 to 6 tooth region is less than 12 mm, and in certain young patients whose chewing system has already formed. Both cases fall under the EUR 2,062.70 increased tier and require a medical council decision. For most patients planning implants, the implant surgery itself remains self-funded.

When is new indexation announced?

VLK reviews reimbursement amounts periodically, taking inflation and service costs into account. In 2026, the amounts introduced by the version effective from 1 July 2025 apply: EUR 342.13, EUR 670.39 and EUR 2,062.70. If the amounts change, we will update this article.

Can I have reimbursed prosthetic treatment at a private clinic?

Only if that private clinic has a contract with the territorial health insurance fund. “Private” and “VLK-contracted” are not opposites. Many dental clinics in Klaipėda are private but have contracts. What matters is the clinic’s contractual relationship with TLK, not its ownership model.

What happens if I move to another city during the 3-year treatment window?

Your entitlement is national, not tied to one city. You can continue treatment at any Lithuanian clinic that has a VLK contract. You simply give the new clinic the notice you received at your first visit.

A short reminder: where to start

If you have avoided starting because you were worried about paperwork, now is a good time to update that impression. The route is short:

1. Check that you are covered by PSD and fall into one of the qualifying groups.
2. Choose a dental clinic with a VLK contract.
3. Book a consultation and bring your identity document.
4. At the first visit, the dentist will complete the process electronically.
5. Begin your treatment plan together.

If you have questions about your own situation, whether related to age, health status or documents, contact us by phone or leave an enquiry. We will help you understand the process even if you eventually decide to have treatment elsewhere. You can find broader information about dental prosthetics in Klaipėda, including types of prostheses, treatment stages and prices, on the service page.

Article updated on 20 April 2026. Amounts and procedures reflect the VLK rules in force at that time. If state rules change, we will update this article.