Hej everyone, welcome back! I hope you’re all having a nice week :).

Coming to Sweden for more than a year probably means that you will sometimes need to visit a doctor or dentist and it is good to have an overview of services you might need. Luckily Sweden is well known for their good and accessible health care for everyone.

If you plan on staying longer than one year in Sweden, you can apply for a personal number at Skatteverket. You can read in this blog how to get your personal number, if you still need to get one! Everything in Sweden is based on the personal number and therefore it is really helpful to have one. Since I am a master student, I will be in Sweden for more than one year and that is why I have a personal number – unfortunately I do not know how to make an appointment without a personal number, it should be possible, but it will be a bit harder.

When you want to see a doctor or a dentist, it is good to check the 1177 website first. You can find a lot of information on their website, also in English. If you want to speak to a nurse, you can call 1177 every moment of the day. However, when I tried to call 1177 it did not work because I still have my Dutch phone number – then you can call +46 771-11 77 00. A nurse will answer the phone and they can answer your questions in English. For example, you can ask them what to do if you want to see a doctor or a dentist. Most of the time they will give you the phone number of the closest doctor (vårdcentralen) or dentist (tandvård) to your home and you can call them.

I went to both the doctor and dentist, and I will share some of my experiences. First of all, waiting times for someone to answer the phone may be a bit long. Usually you call them in the morning, you can select the option English, and then an automated recording will tell you what time the doctor’s or dentist’s assistant can call you back. When they call you back, be prepared to have your personal number with you and your agenda. Waiting times for an appointment are also a bit longer than you might be used to, especially compared to the Netherlands, but of course this also depends on your symptoms and how you feel.

When you have the personal number and Swedish ID card from Skatteverket, you get the same health care as Swedish citizens, and you also pay the same fee. When you want to see a doctor, you pay a small amount beforehand. When I went to the doctor, I had to pay 200 SEK and included in that was getting a checkup from the doctor and some lab analysis. When you have to go to a hospital or maybe see a specialized doctor, expect to pay more. Everyone at the doctor’s office was really friendly and they all spoke really good English, so that was comforting. When you need to pick up medicine, you can go to any pharmacy after the doctor’s visit and pick it up and pay for it there. Another good thing to know is that you can get contraception at Ungdomsmottagningen.

Dental care in Sweden is free for people up to 24 years old, so it is probably not a bad idea to go for a checkup when you are here and under 24! You can also call 1177 and they can give you some tips on where to go and who to call. I had some problems with my wisdom teeth, so I managed to get an appointment at Tandvården Ryd just 2 weeks after I called which was really nice. When you are 24 years or above, you have to pay for your dentist visit and it will get really expensive (from what I have heard). The dentist also told me that they do not do preventive checks every half year here, like they do in the Netherlands so that is a good thing to keep in mind.

I hope this blog can give you some helpful tips when it comes to health care. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Have a wonderful week, hej då // Milou

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