CHAS dental vouchers: how much you actually save

You're eligible for CHAS dental vouchers if you meet ALL of these criteria:

1. 1You are a Singapore citizen or permanent resident (PR).
2. 2Your monthly household income is $6,000 or below (gross combined income of all dependants living in your home).
3. 3You hold a valid NRIC, FIN, or PASS.

There is no separate application — CHAS eligibility is automatic based on your MOM employment records and CPF Board income data. Your vouchers are loaded directly onto your NRIC every year.

If you're not sure whether you qualify, you can check your CHAS status online via healthhub.sg using your SingPass. The system will tell you whether your household income falls within the CHAS threshold.

Using your vouchers is straightforward — there's no paperwork or pre-approval needed.

1. 1Find a CHAS-participating clinic near you: Visit chas.sg and search for 'dental clinics' by postal code, or use the clinic finder on healthhub.sg.
2. 2Call or visit the clinic and confirm they are a CHAS provider: Not all dental clinics accept CHAS vouchers, so check before your visit.
3. 3Bring your NRIC on the day of your appointment: Your voucher subsidy is tied to your NRIC. Without it, the clinic cannot process your discount.
4. 4Tell the clinic staff you're a CHAS beneficiary: They will deduct your voucher value from the total bill. If your treatment cost is $50 and you have a $50 preventive voucher, you pay $0. If the treatment cost is $120, you pay $70.
5. 5Use one voucher per visit: You have two $50 vouchers per year. You can split them across two separate visits or use both on one visit if the treatment cost is high enough.

Vouchers do not carry over to the next year — they expire on 31 December. If you haven't used your vouchers by year-end, they are lost, so plan your dental visits accordingly.

Many Singaporeans qualify for both CHAS vouchers AND Medisave dental coverage, but they work differently.

CHAS vouchers are automatic annual subsidies based on income. You don't need a Medisave account — the subsidy is just credited to your NRIC.

Medisave is your own CPF money set aside for medical and dental expenses. You can claim it for major treatments (root canals, implants, crowns, bridges) that CHAS does not cover. You need an approved treatment plan from your dentist and must submit a claim to the CPF Board.

The rule: use CHAS vouchers first for preventive and basic treatments, then use Medisave for anything beyond that.

Example scenario: You visit a CHAS clinic for your annual check-up and a filling. Your $50 CHAS preventive voucher covers the check-up and cleaning. The filling costs $90; you use your second $50 treatment voucher and pay $40 out of pocket. Later that year, the dentist finds you need a root canal. Root canals are not CHAS-covered, but you have $2,000 in your Medisave dental account. You can claim the root canal cost (typically $800–$1,200) from Medisave after the procedure.

Check your Medisave balance via cpf.gov.sg or the CPF app under 'Healthcare' > 'Dental' to see if you have funds available.

CHAS vouchers cover the basics, but many patients find themselves needing treatments that fall outside the scheme. Understanding these gaps helps you budget and plan ahead.

• Root canal treatment: CHAS does not cover this. Cost is typically $800–$1,500 at government clinics or $1,200–$2,500 at private clinics. You may claim from Medisave if you have dental coverage.
• Crowns and bridges: Not covered by CHAS. Crown costs range from $500–$1,500 per tooth depending on material and clinic. Use Medisave if available.
• Implants: CHAS does not subsidise implants. Full implant treatment (crown, abutment, and implant placement) costs $3,500–$6,000 in Singapore. Medisave also does not cover implants; this is out-of-pocket.
• Orthodontics (braces, Invisalign): Not covered by CHAS or Medisave. Braces cost $3,500–$6,500; Invisalign costs $3,500–$9,000 depending on complexity and clinic.
• Teeth whitening: Cosmetic treatment, not covered by any subsidy. Professional whitening costs $300–$800.
• Dentures and partials: CHAS does not cover dentures. Complete dentures cost $1,200–$3,000; partial dentures cost $800–$2,000.

If you need a major treatment not covered by CHAS, check your Medisave balance first. If Medisave is not available or exhausted, ask your dentist about payment plans — many clinics offer interest-free instalments over 6–12 months.

CHAS Green covers the widest group — all Singaporeans living in HDB flats with household per capita monthly income ≤$2,800 (or if your annual value of home is ≤$21,000). Subsidies are smaller than CHAS Blue/Orange but still helpful for basic dental work.

Your CHAS dental claim limit is the maximum subsidy per visit or per year, depending on your card tier. Check your specific limits on the CHAS website or with your dentist before treatment.

Not all dental work qualifies for Medisave or CHAS subsidies. Generally: surgical extractions, gum treatment, and certain specialist procedures are claimable. Routine fillings, scaling, and cosmetic work are not.

CHAS Orange covers households with per capita monthly income between $1,101 and $2,000. Subsidies are lower than CHAS Blue but still significant for common dental treatments.

CHAS-accredited GP clinics and dental clinics offer subsidised rates for CHAS cardholders. Look for the CHAS logo at the clinic entrance, or check the CHAS website for a list near you.

Singapore's public polyclinics offer dental services at heavily subsidised rates — scaling and polishing typically costs $18–$25 for Singaporeans and PRs. Waiting times can be longer than private clinics.

Not all dental work qualifies for Medisave or CHAS subsidies. Generally: surgical extractions, gum treatment, and certain specialist procedures are claimable. Routine fillings, scaling, and cosmetic work are not.