Dental care at primary level paid by the Health Insurance Fund is available to children under 18, pupils, students and children without parental care up to 26, people over 65, pregnant women and new mothers for a year after birth, and people with certain disabilities and illnesses. Other adults pay for the dentist themselves, except for injuries to the teeth and facial bones, dental treatment before heart surgery or a transplant, and malignant diseases of the face and jaw. According to the July 2026 list, the Fund has contracts with 144 general dental clinics and 21 orthodontic clinics.
This guide explains who is entitled to a dentist through the Fund, what is covered, how to choose a dentist, which documents you need and how to find an on-call dentist.
Who is entitled to a dentist through the Fund?
- Children under 18.
- Pupils, students and children without parental care, up to the age of 26 at the latest.
- People over 65.
- Women during pregnancy and for a year after giving birth.
- People with disabilities who have muscle damage and neuromuscular diseases or a plegic syndrome, people with hearing, sight and speech impairment of more than 70% bodily impairment, and people with an intellectual disability with an IQ of 69 or less, autism, psychosis or epilepsy.
The law also counts health promotion through counselling and preventive programmes as dental care, while check-ups, diagnosis and treatment paid by the Fund apply to the groups listed. For other adults the Fund does not provide dental care, so it is paid at the clinic's prices.
What does the Fund cover?
| Level | What is covered |
| Primary level, chosen dentist | preventive check-ups for children under 18, diagnosis and treatment for the groups listed, check-ups for jaw anomalies |
| Orthodontics | removable braces for children under 18, and fixed braces for children under 18 with an intellectual disability with an IQ of 69 or less, autism, epilepsy or conditions that limit opening the mouth |
| Secondary and tertiary level | treatment of injuries to the teeth and facial bones with primary reconstruction, treatment of mouth and dental diseases before heart surgery or an organ transplant, and as part of treating malignant diseases of the face and jaw |
- Treatment of injuries to the teeth and facial bones and treatment before heart surgery, a transplant or for malignant diseases applies to all insured people, regardless of age.
How do you choose a dentist and what should you bring?
You choose a dentist from the list of clinics that have a contract with the Fund. Bring:
| Who chooses | Documents |
| Child under 18 | health insurance card or personal ID number (JMB) |
| Person over 65 | health insurance card or identity card |
| Student under 26 | health insurance card or identity card and proof of enrolment for the current year |
| Pregnant woman | health insurance card and a gynaecologist's report with the due date |
| New mother | health insurance card and hospital discharge letter or the newborn's birth register extract |
| Person with a disability or illness listed in the law | a specialist's report with the diagnosis set out in the law |
- An identity card issued after 30 March 2020 can serve as a health insurance card if you have it verified at the Fund, with the Interior Ministry form showing the PIN and PUK codes.
How many clinics have a contract with the Fund?
| Type of clinic | Number on the July 2026 list |
| General dentistry | 144 |
| Orthodontics | 21 |
| Mixed clinics | 3 |
- Podgorica has the most general dental clinics, 33, followed by Nikšić with 28, Bar with 12 and Berane with 11.
- Podgorica also has the most contracted orthodontic clinics, seven.
Where is the on-call dentist?
- For each municipality the Fund publishes an on-call plan for dentists, with the dentist's name, clinic, shift and phone number.
- In Podgorica on-call duty runs from 21:00 to 07:00, under the plan for 27 July 2026 to 25 January 2027.
- For emergencies outside those hours, call your chosen dentist or the emergency medical service.
Choosing a doctor and eZdravlje are explained in our guide to the chosen doctor, and insurance for foreigners in our guide to health insurance. Child vaccination is covered in our guide to child vaccination, and the disability allowance in our guide to the disability allowance.
Frequently asked questions
Who is entitled to a free dentist in Montenegro? Children under 18, pupils, students and children without parental care up to 26, people over 65, pregnant women and new mothers, and people with certain disabilities and illnesses.
Does the Fund pay for the dentist for adults? Only for people over 65, pregnant women and new mothers and people with disabilities listed in the law, and for everyone in the case of injuries to the teeth and facial bones, before heart surgery or a transplant and for malignant diseases of the face and jaw.
Does the Fund pay for braces? Yes, removable braces for children under 18, and fixed braces only for children under 18 with an intellectual disability, autism, epilepsy or conditions that limit opening the mouth.
What do I need to choose a dentist? A health insurance card or identity card, while students, pregnant women, new mothers and people with disabilities also bring proof of their status.
How do I find an on-call dentist? The Fund publishes an on-call plan for each municipality with the dentist's name, shift and phone number; in Podgorica on-call duty runs from 21:00 to 07:00.
How many dental clinics have a contract with the Fund? According to the July 2026 list, 144 general dental clinics, 21 orthodontic clinics and three mixed clinics.
Sources
The right to dental care paid by the Fund and the exceptions are set by the Compulsory Health Insurance Act (Article 14(1) points 8 and 9 and Article 24 point 7), Official Gazette 145/2021. Who can choose a dentist, the documents and the identity card as a health insurance card are explained by the Health Insurance Fund, and the list of contracted clinics and the on-call plans are published on the Fund's page on contracts with dental clinics. The information was checked on 27 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not medical advice.