Routine medical care for a helper is usually manageable — but dental is the cost that blindsides employers. Many helpers arrive with untreated cavities or an impacted wisdom tooth, dental isn't covered by the insurance MOM requires you to buy, and foreign domestic workers don't get the subsidies Singaporeans do. So a single surgical extraction can land you a four-figure bill you never budgeted for. Here's the realistic picture for 2026 — who pays, what's covered, and how to keep costs sane and fair.
First: Who Pays? Your MOM Obligations
As an employer, you are required to bear the cost of your helper's necessary medical care in Singapore. That's not optional goodwill — it's a condition of the Work Permit.
- Mandatory insurance: Before she arrives, you must buy medical insurance (minimum S$60,000 per year) and personal accident insurance (minimum S$60,000 per year), maintained for the whole employment period.
- You pay the full premium. Passing any part of it to your helper is prohibited by MOM.
- Co-payment on large medical bills: For covered medical claims above S$15,000 in a year, the insurer pays 75% and you pay 25% of the amount above that.
- You can't deduct her medical or dental costs from her salary. Medical upkeep is your responsibility, and salary deductions are tightly limited (see our salary deduction guide).
Two things catch employers out, and both are about dental — covered next.
Routine Medical Costs
Day-to-day medical care is usually minor:
- GP visit: roughly S$30–60 at a private clinic, plus medication
- Common medications: typically a few dollars to ~S$30
- The 6-monthly medical examination (6ME): you arrange and pay for this at an MOM-approved clinic (see our Work Permit renewal guide)
For anything serious — hospitalisation or day surgery — your mandatory medical insurance is what protects you from a catastrophic bill, subject to the co-payment above.
Dental — The Big Surprise
This is where budgets break, for three reasons: helpers often arrive with untreated dental issues, dental is not covered by MOM's compulsory insurance (unless it results from an accident), and foreign domestic workers cannot use CHAS subsidies or MediSave — those are for citizens and PRs only. That means full private rates, out of your pocket.
Realistic private-clinic costs in Singapore (2026):
| Treatment | Typical private cost |
|---|---|
| Consultation / check-up | ~S$30–80 |
| Scaling & polishing | ~S$80–150 |
| Filling | ~S$50–500 (commonly S$100–240) |
| Simple extraction | ~S$150–450 per tooth |
| Surgical / impacted wisdom tooth | S$650–2,000+ per tooth |
The impacted wisdom tooth problem
This is the one to watch. A simple extraction is moderate, but a surgically removed impacted wisdom tooth runs from around S$650 to over S$2,000 per tooth before GST — and helpers who need one often need more than one. It's the single most common four-figure dental surprise employers report.
Keeping Dental Costs Sane — Fairly
You can manage the cost without cutting corners on her wellbeing:
- Get 2–3 quotes. Dental prices vary enormously between clinics for the same procedure — shopping around genuinely saves hundreds.
- Consider a dental teaching institution. Some dental schools and polytechnic clinics offer treatment at lower cost, performed by supervised students. It's a legitimate, safe route for non-urgent work.
- Treat problems early. A small filling now is far cheaper than a root canal or extraction later. Don't wait for pain.
- On "dental tourism": some employers arrange treatment in Malaysia or her home country during home leave, where it's cheaper. If you go this route, treat it as her decision too — she needs to be willing, and you're responsible for her getting proper aftercare. It should be about cost and her comfort, not shipping a problem away.
What Your Insurance Actually Covers
Know your policy so you're not surprised twice:
- Covered: inpatient hospitalisation and day surgery, up to the policy limit
- Not covered: routine outpatient GP visits, and most dental (unless it stems from an accident); TCM is generally excluded too unless accident-related
- Worth checking: some insurers offer preferential dental rates as a policyholder perk — a quick call to your provider can lower a big bill
Catch It Early: A Dental Check at the Start
The cheapest dental problem is the one you catch before it's an emergency:
- Ask about dental health during the interview (see our interview questions checklist).
- For a new helper, consider an early dental check-up so issues are found while they're still small.
- Keep a simple record of her check-ups and treatments so nothing is forgotten across a two-year contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for a helper's dental treatment in Singapore?
The employer does. You are required to bear the cost of your helper's necessary medical and dental care, and you cannot deduct it from her salary. Note that dental is generally not covered by the medical insurance MOM requires you to buy, so most dental treatment is an out-of-pocket cost for you.
How much does a helper's wisdom tooth extraction cost?
A simple extraction is roughly S$150–450 per tooth, but a surgical removal of an impacted wisdom tooth runs from about S$650 to over S$2,000 per tooth at a private clinic in Singapore (2026), before GST. Helpers who need one often need several, so it's the most common four-figure dental surprise. Getting a few quotes can meaningfully reduce the cost.
Does maid insurance cover dental treatment in Singapore?
The compulsory medical insurance MOM requires does not cover routine dental treatment — it's for hospitalisation and day surgery. Dental is typically only covered if it results from an accident. Some insurers offer preferential dental rates as a policyholder benefit, so it's worth checking your specific plan, but in general dental is an out-of-pocket cost for the employer.
Can I use CHAS or MediSave for my helper's dental or medical bills?
No. CHAS subsidies and MediSave are for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents only, so they don't apply to a foreign domestic worker. Her treatment is charged at full private rates, which is exactly why comparing clinic quotes and catching problems early matters so much.
Can I deduct my helper's medical or dental costs from her salary?
No. Medical upkeep is the employer's responsibility under the Work Permit conditions, and MOM tightly limits what can be deducted from a helper's salary. Treating necessary medical or dental costs as a salary deduction is not allowed.
How HelperMate Helps
Medical and dental costs are easier to manage when nothing is forgotten:
- A record of check-ups, treatments, and receipts in one place across the whole contract
- Reminders for the 6-monthly medical examination and insurance renewal so you're never caught non-compliant
- Expense tracking so medical spending is logged, not lost
Catch issues early, keep the records straight, and the surprises get a lot smaller.
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This guide reflects MOM rules and typical private-clinic pricing as of 2026. Costs vary by clinic and change over time — confirm specifics directly. This article is for informational purposes only.