General practitioners in Denmark
Once you have registered at your local town hall and have received your Danish medical card, you will need to choose a doctor from a list of general practitioners (GPs) in the local area. You will then be registered automatically at your chosen GP’s practice. You can change your GP at any time by contacting your municipality.
If you need to see your GP you should arrange an appointment by telephone. This can either be a few days in advance or on the same day if your illness requires more immediate attention. Most GPs also offer a consultation service by telephone, often for about an hour every day.
Your GP will provide you with preventive and general treatment. They can also refer you to a hospital or specialist clinic for further treatment. Going through your GP is the only way to get an appointment for such treatment, so do not try to make a hospital appointment without consulting your GP first. (Obviously if you need immediate treatment then you do not need to be referred by your GP in order to go to hospital).
Emergency doctors
If you require medical attention outside of your GP’s office hours, at weekends or on public holidays, you should call the emergency doctor service. Contact details for your local emergency doctor service will be in your area’s telephone directory, as well as on the website of your local municipality.
When you call your emergency doctor they will ask you some standard questions in order to decide what to do next. The doctor will then decide whether to come to your home, whether you should visit your GP on your own the next day, whether you should make your own way to the emergency doctor service or whether you should go to a hospital.
You should only call the emergency doctor if it is absolutely necessary. If you do call them they will ask you for your personal identification number or, if you are calling on somebody else’s behalf, they will ask for the patient’s identification number.
Dental care in Denmark
Adults over the age of 18 must find their own private dentist. Dental care in Denmark comes at a subsidised rate and the amount paid by the state will be automatically deducted from your bill.
Children under the age of 18 are entitled to free dental treatment. Most municipalities create links between local schools and dental clinics in order to teach children the importance of looking after their teeth. This service is also free of charge.
You can call the 24-hour emergency dental service if you suddenly experience severe toothache outside of your dentist’s opening hours. Contact details can be found in your local telephone directory.