Dental services in Bulgaria have almost doubled in price, while more than 4% of Bulgarians have no access to a dentist, according to Eurostat.
Beyond financial barriers, the lack of dental practices in smaller settlements is also a significant factor. Nevertheless, Bulgaria remains among the countries with the highest number of dentists per capita – more than ten thousand.
Yuliyan Ivanov:
“The Health Insurance Fund doesn’t cover implants, which means I have to pay for them myself. Most people take out loans to get implants and good-quality teeth. We’re not like foreigners who come to Bulgaria for dental tourism – it’s very affordable for them. But for us Bulgarians, it still isn’t.”
Another patient adds:
“There used to be school check-ups, where dental problems could be spotted early… Now there’s no control. I’m close to retirement. It’s awful – I hope I won’t end up needing dentures. I hope no one has to go to the dentist. It’s terribly expensive.”
According to Dr Borislav Petrov, patient concerns that prices will rise further due to the introduction of the euro are unfounded. The increase, he explains, is driven by the higher cost of imported materials.
Dr Borislav Petrov – dentist and implantologist:
“My practice mainly uses materials from Japan and Germany, and in recent years their prices have increased significantly, which inevitably affects treatment costs. Still, I try to keep services reasonably affordable. One commonly used preparation for root-canal treatment cost 4.20 leva in 2004, reached 5 leva in 2015, then 18 leva, and is now priced at over 25 leva.”
The final price of dental services is also influenced by rising electricity and water costs, as well as increasing rents.
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